Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I loved this one, it was so original with its magic and setting and the lore.
I'm a big fan of pirate books but find that they often don't hit the spot for me, but this one certainly did.
The way the magic tied everything together was so clever, and I liked how it was woven into the story more and more, it felt like a very organic plot and worldbuilding progression.

The two main characters are great, I loved them both, and I like how the romance was there but never overpowering the plot, it was very sweet and very fitting for the story.
Overall, I thought that all characters were written very well, especially the villain. At first, you think he's just a mean guy who's in it for the money and power, but then it got so much bigger, and I even had a short period where I questioned if he's really the villain.

The plot was very engaging, as I said there was a nice progression with the magic, so at first it felt a lot more like a wintery pirate story, but then there was more and more magic and the magical creatures at the core of it all and I got so invested in it all.

The worldbuilding is amazing, and I'm already so excited for the next books in this series. It's so unique and rich, you can tell that the author put a lot of thought into it all.

Personally, I'm not a fan of one of the tropes that's used in the book, I liked it better here but it just took away some of my enjoyment, so it's not a full five stars, but I still really loved the book and definitely recommend.

The audiobook was also great, I liked both narrators a lot and they really brought the story to life.

Dark Water Daughter is the pirate book you never knew you needed. On one side you have Mary, a stormsinger, which is basically someone who stop storms with the sound of her voice. The only problem is she's working for a dude who sucks, against her will. Oh and did I mention that she's looking for these mysterious creatures haunting her dreams? Needless to say she's got a lot going on. On the other side you have Samuel, a dude who's bound to bring down the dude Mary is working for. As you can these two are bound to cross paths. What follows is a high stakes, high seas adventure set not in the tropics but on the icy winter water.

Whoa baby the world building in this book was AMAZING! And sometimes what happens with a book where the world building is spectacular the characters suffer. However, that is not the case with Dark Water Daughter. Both Mary and Samuel are vividly realized characters and while I did enjoy hearing both of their POVs, I loved Mary.

Tremendous thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC because this book has been on my radar for some time. Moira Quirk is one of my favorite audiobook narrators and she doesn't disappoint here either completely bringing Mary to life. Samuel Roukin was great as well. I definitely recommend this audiobook!

Mary Firth is a stormsinger just trying to make her own way in the world, unencumbered by pirates. Unfortunately, that's not in the cards for her, as she gets shuffled from one pirate ship to another. Stormsingers are valuable, after all, and she's especially valuable to one vicious man called Captain Lirr. Mary escapes his clutches and joins forces with a privateer crew that's determined to bring Lirr to justice for his many crimes, but dangers lurk around every turn and Mary must hone her craft quickly if they are all to survive the adventure.

This was such a fun adventure fantasy!! Pirate novels are in fashion right now, and H.M. Long sure delivers with some spectacular world-building, characters, magic systems, and plot. There is a lot going on in this book, but that's to be expected from the first book in any decent high fantasy series. I found the pacing to be great throughout, even though it's a longer read, and I was never bored by the events taking place or the explanations of magic systems and politics. I'm looking forward to rereading this, since there is so much detail that I'm sure I missed some juicy bits! Samuel and his brother were a particular favorite storyline for me, and I'm excited to rejoin the characters for book two when it is published.

Thank you to H.M. Long, Titan Books, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for my advance audio copy.

4.5 stars
A stunning, first in series wintery high fantasy book

I received an arc in exchange of an honest review

Dark Water Daughter is a perfect pirate tale! They venture across the seas and to several ports, all in a winter setting which amazingly complements the story. H.M. Long has crafted a dark, atmospheric world that I already want to return to and I just finished reading.

I think the magic system is unique and complex, but was laid out in a way that was easy to understand. And the characters are so varied and well developed. I loved basically every character. I was instantly drawn in by the main character, Mary, and found her to be very compelling. Samuel, the male lead, was equally interesting. They each have their own history and story to tell, but they start to get more and more tangled throughout the story. And there's not really any romance in this book, but there is some building tension between Samuel and Mary.

I received an advanced audiobook copy and it was amazing; I highly recommend it. It has dual narration and both of the narrators did a fantastic job. I typically listen to audiobooks at 1.25x speed, but I enjoyed the natural pacing so much that I listened to this one at 1x.

Thank you to H.M. Long, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely loved this book-an interesting magic system where the weather and people can be influenced by people with abilities rooted in “the other”. The narration was very good-Moira Quirk (who is an absolute legend) voiced the FMC Mary, a weather witch who is newly learning her powers . The cast of characters in the story and the developing magic and explanation of the world really captivated my imagination. I liked that it was a contained story but have seen that the author intends for it to be a 4 book series - sounds good to me!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me this ARC. These opinions are my own.

Ummm YES. LOVED IT.

That’s my overall thoughts of this book. I read Dark Water Daughter as an audiobook and it gripped me from start to finish. I need to take a moment to appreciate the narrators cause they were fantastic. I have never been big into audiobooks, but the narrators of this book really worked seamlessly with each other, kept the same tone and atmosphere and the emotions were so clearly conveyed in their intonation. I was impressed.

Magic, pirates and pirate hunters. What more could you want!? This book had me unable to put it down from start to finish. The magic system (while I wish was explored a bit more) was beautiful and unique. There was a lot of things that were glossed over, but makes sense in the particular situation of the book. The characters don’t know a lot about the magic themselves. So we don’t know. So it makes sense. I definitely hope a sequel is on the horizon because I have lots of unanswered questions about the magic.

Romance takes a very very very back seat in this novel but I am not mad about it. You get the grip of building tension in both the atmosphere and with certain company that had me aching. The character dynamics were written so well for me. It wasn’t rushed. No one felt like they had Insta bonds, or our FMC Mary never forgot who she was, where she was or why she was there. The relationships in this book are so subtle, and build like real life and it enthralled me.

Additionally, despite the large number of characters within the series, I never forgot who anyone was or what they did. The author did a brilliant job with descriptors of people that I never found myself having to think very much trying to remember who was who and what did they want. I was reminded so concisely but in a way that felt natural and part of the story.

The Dark Water Daughter did one thing so well for me that I haven’t found in any other fantasy works that I’ve read. And that is the inclusion of the word book at the beginning of the chapters explain new/relevant terms or language. In fantasy, the language can make or break a story. And often times it is used so heavily with no real explanation of what it means that it takes me out of the story. This solved that issue for me entirely. The chapters were brilliantly paced so that these word book inclusions weren’t distracting, but enhanced the book beautifully.

5 stars for the Dark Water Daughter. I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 by H.M. Long

3/5 stars

Pirates, high seas adventures, spectral creatures, and storm witches?! The story follows a Stormsinger, one who can both call and quell dangerous storms, and a pirate hunter as their stories slowly intertwine in their quest to defeat Pirate Lord Silvanus Lirr. Stormsinger Mary Firth not only has to work to master her powers but also evade capture from those who want to use her gift for their own greed. On the other hand, pirate hunter Samuel Rosser must track Lirr without getting lost in the Other.

I don't think that this book was for me but the concept, lore, and world were all really interesting. The story starts out fast and exciting with a daring escape but then lulls in middle only to pick back up at the end. I didn't understand some of the choices that Mary made and the characters felt lacking in personality until the second half somewhat rectified that with more dialogue and backstory.

The audiobook was beautifully narrated by Moira Quirk and Samuel Roukin, both of whom really brought the story to life.

If you liked 𝘗𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘯 but wanted more unique lore, then you might enjoy this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for sending this eBook in exchange for an honest review!

This book was yet another stunning tale from her. I went in already excited for pirates and magic, and what I got was infinitely more!! I was drawn beneath the Dark Waters into a world world filled with unique magic, intrigue, danger, flowering feelings an adventure.

H.M. Long is an epic storyteller and an incredible world builder, immersing the reader so deeply that you forget to come up for a breath!

I was so happy to be given the opportunity to listen to the audiobook ARC, as it is such an incredible way of bringing a story to life. The narration was wonderful, with Moira Quirk giving us the lilting voice of Mary Firth, and Samuel Roukin voicing our very own & very best of men, Samuel Rosser. I felt both of them were very well selected for their characters, and I settled in quickly, thoroughly enjoying listening to them both.

I do wish that Mary's songs were sung, but in hindsight, I realize that is no easy task. It does also leave me slightly intrigued to see what kind of melodies of my own I can create to accompany her beautiful words.

This book was one of my most anticipated 2023 reads and its is now officially a favourite read! I cannot wait to see more form this world.

I read an Advanced Listener Copy of this book, and it was absolutely fantastic. I was immediately intrigued and the story kept me interested throughout. It was everything I wanted in terms of a pirate fantasy book, and I completely fell in love with the characters. The magical creatures were very unique, as well as the dark wintery ocean setting. The narration of the audiobook was also excellent. I can’t wait for more books in this series because I need more of these characters.

So I love the premise of this book, who doesn’t love pirates and magic. The beginning was great and reminded me of a certain movie. I needed to know what was going to happen. I enjoyed the magic system and mythical creature that H. M. Long has created. It is beautifully written. Also really enjoyed the description in between chapters of different aspects of the story. However, I did feel that it dragged a little in the middle and I do have some unanswered questions and got a little confused about things.

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the two different POV and narrators. I would have enjoyed going back in the book to refreshed, especially with the textbook descriptions. I look forward to reading/listening to more from this author.

Thank you NetGalley H. M. Long and RB Media for the ARC of this excellent book.

There was a lot I loved about this book and overall I really enjoyed it. I wish there had been more action in it for me personally. I found myself a little bored at times. But I loved the characters! I just don’t think this is one that will stick with me, I feel like I’ll just forget about it soon. It was a solid 4 ⭐️ for me.
I received an audio arc through NetGalley for my honest review

A captivating nautical adventure full of magic, mayhem, and danger.

Mary Firth is a Stormsinger, but she’s hidden away her powers her whole life at her mother’s behest. She was safe in the town where she was born and raised, but when her stepmother sends her away to find a husband, Mary’s life is turned upside down. She soon finds herself on trial as a notorious highway robber - who is not her - and caught between pirates and privateers. Desperate to find her mother and save her, Mary has no idea where to turn or who to trust.

Black Water Daughter was absolutely enthralling. I was immediately swept away in the world and the magic. The plot was fast paced and constantly intriguing, but didn’t feel rushed or confusing. I was genuinely excited to pick this up every time I had a chance, and see what hijinks Mary and her various misfits were getting up to.

The magic system was intriguing and I loved that there was a learning curve for Mary. She’s never used her power and wasn’t immediately amazing at it, but instead had to figure out how it worked for herself, despite being very powerful. Similarly, her awe at seeing other Stormsingers work really transferred to me as a reader.

The characters were fabulous. I adored Mary and found her a really engaging main character. Similarly, the other bit players and bigger characters she met along the way all variety and interest to the story, without becoming overwhelming.

Audio was definitely the right way to read this for me. The narrators were wonderful and they really swept me away in the story. Plus the two different narrators helped make the perspectives super clear, even if I got distracted for a second.

Overall, Dark Water Daughter was a fantastic read, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next instalment!

DNF at @40%
Unfortunately, this one is not for me. I was very excited as I love a good pirate tale. However, I found the duel POVs to be very confusing and had trouble keeping track of who was who. It has been getting raving reviews so I do think this is a good book for other people. Thank you for NetGalley for a copy of the audio book in exchange for an honest review.

I think my biggest takeaway from this book is that it definitely could have been shorter.

Overall, the characters were interesting, and I truly found myself sympathizing with them.

The plot was fascinating. The world-building was exceptional, and the story itself was insanely gripping. Unfortunately, because the book was so long, I grew a little bored at some points. I think that if the book had been maybe 100 pages shorter, it would have kept my attention better.

The climax was also amazing. I couldn't see each twist coming, and I couldn't wait to know how it ended.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dark Watwr Daughter is a book filled with sea voyages, mistery and action. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and dual viewpoint, especially because the main characters were in different places most of the time. The plot was engaging, but the middle part felt a bit drawn out. My biggest regret was that I could't follow the female narrators voice closely. Something about her voice would put me to sleep, so I had to relisten to certain parts multiple times, but this is a me problem. Overall this book is an enjoyable read for those that are looking for adventure and pirates.

I have never read any of H.M. Long's books before, but when I came across Dark Water Daughter I was instantly intrigued. I am happy to report that I wasn't disappointed, and I will certainly be reading more books from Long in the future!

The story itself starts off with a bang - one of the main characters, Mary Firth, finds herself standing on the gallows all because she's mistaken for a notorious highwaywoman. Mary's decision to intervene in her own destiny sets off a series of events that will forever change her life (if she can survive). The high-stakes nature of many of the early interactions that Mary is forced into makes it so the reader becomes quickly invested in the outcomes, as well as the characters you meet along the way.

While Mary and the other main character, Samuel Rosser, spend most of the story clearly out of their depth, Long has set up the end of this novel in such a way that you can expect bigger (and better?) things to come for both of them. You can see some growth in both Mary and Samuel by the end, which takes the sting away from their constant fumbling in the dark mentality.

I truly appreciate the fact that there is also a wide range of characters in Long's novel, many of which have varying degrees of "goodness". It's these morally ambiguous/gray characters that help flesh out the plot and provide a well-rounded story. Each character has a distinct point of view and, that coupled with the strong and unique world that Long's created, is what has me eagerly awaiting the second book in the series.

The world-building and magic are my favorite parts of this book. The epigraphs included throughout the book helped to provide valuable insight into terms being introduced in the upcoming chapter or, in some instances, Mary's backstory. The content presented in these sections didn't feel overwhelming or like the author was just dumping information on the reader. I also appreciate the fact that I didn't have to skip around looking for a glossary of terms in the middle of listening to the book in the hopes that I could figure out what was going on - that always takes me out of it.

Long's exploration of the negative aspects of the magic systems and how the abuse of these gifts can have disastrous outcomes were particularly well done in my opinion. The different classes of magic users (e.g., stormsingers, sooths, magnis) were also interesting. My favorite magical/mystical element was the ghistings. The story behind these "creatures" and their history is truly heartbreaking.

Overall, I think this book should be accessible to a wide range of readers and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This was an interesting seafaring adventure with betrayals on top of betrayals and some men of questionable moral character lusting after the magical storm singing heroine. I enjoyed the piratical side of this story and the twists and turns that left me guessing until close to the very end but with a range of different characters, ships, and motives it definitely got complicated and I struggled to keep track of what was happening. This is one to read when you’re wide awake with your full attention. Despite the potential love interests, this book doesn’t explore romance between Mary and any of the men beyond a very occasional lingering or appreciative glance. It’s definitely more focused on the action at the heart of the tale which I think is fair with how much was going on. If you’re interested in something a little more complex with no trustworthy characters then this could be the one for you!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

This book opened with Mary awaiting her turn at the gallows and just kept rolling from there! I was hooked from the start, and with a swashbuckling crew of characters that we collect along the way, it was a constant ride.
Mary is a stormsinger (she can control the weather with her voice) which is a coveted commodity among the various parties who make their way on the seas. She is kidnapped and sold and has to figure out who to trust as she tries to find her mother and avoid the clutches of a dangerous pirate with the help of other pirates and pirate hunters. Samuel Rosser is a disgraced naval officer turned pirate hunter and finds himself in the orbit of Mary, especially when she steals a valuable talisman from him and he must follow her across oceans to retrieve it before his own power drives him mad.

While there was certainly a whole new world and magic system to learn, it wasn't hard to grasp and it was given at appropriate sections throughout the book so there was no big info dump. I really enjoyed Mary was no pushover and she really came into her own throughout the book. Overall, Dark Water Daughter was an incredibly enjoyable magical piratey read and I will definitely be continuing the series!
I read this as an audiobook and the narrators were also fantastic.

Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for an advance listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

I haven't read HM Long before, but I love pirates and nautical fantasy, so I was very excited to get to read this one a little early! Dark Water Daughter did not disappoint; I loved how immersive Long's writing is—you can smell the sea spray—and I think that the dual POV was well-done and added depth to the story. Moira Quirk and Samuel Roukin did an excellent job at bringing their chapters to life! I also had a lot of fun with the magic and folklore/mythology Long has imagined for this world and I'm thrilled that it's a series—I absolutely was enthralled from the beginning. Long also uses epigraphs between chapters very successfully, and I enjoyed getting these tidbits throughout the novel. I found the book to be well-paced and very engaging. In addition to Mary and Samuel being very strong narrators, I found that the secondary characters/supporting cast were also very well-fleshed out and vibrant.

Overall, I loved this and I can't wait for everyone else to get to experience this rich world (and, also, for whenever the next book is released). The audiobook for this was also excellent, and I definitely recommend it if audio is a format that works for you!