Sister of the Starlit Seas is technically the third book in a series, but it focuses on a different character than the first two books and her unique journey. This makes it easily readable as a stand-alone, as it feels like the start of a companion series rather than the third in an ongoing series.

First, I loved learning about Merrows, a mermaid-like creature from Irish folklore. I had never heard of this folklore, so I read eagerly, taking in each detail and instantly feeling immersed in their watery world. I also loved the pirate aspect and would have loved to be part of that world for longer. Char, the main character, as a pirate is so perfect!

Char is the younger adopted sister of the main character from the first two books. She is passionate and quick to act. Her impetuousness is what makes her entirely endearing. I loved how much her character developed throughout this story and would love to see the same focus on the other members of their family.

As always, the world-building is exceptional and quickly enveloped me in a world that, though foreign, felt wholly welcoming. I found myself instantly immersed and loved exploring this world, especially the aspects that were new to me. The pacing is fast as Char finds herself quickly embroiled in adventure, and I always enjoy plenty of action. The only slight niggle I have is over how much time is spent in Char’s head. I would have loved to see more balance in this regard.

While the first two books in this series were about Auris' story, this book branches off to focus on her youngest adopted sister, Char, who kind to find her true origins and the piece of herself she feels is missing. She ran away from Veridian Deep and her suffocating, overly sheltered life three years ago and joined a pirate crew under the famed Silver Blade. The story begins as Char is trying to rescue the captain from capture by the Faraway Trades Company. But it's when she's captured herself and at the point of death that she discovers her true identity and what follows is a path of self discovery she never imagined.
I didn't really like the first person perspective of this book, but I stuck with it because I've loved the rest of the series. Overall I enjoyed the story and the world building of new locations and characters. It's full of action and drama and plenty of room for the story to continue. That ending though.. I'm in tears! Why?!!!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fast paced adventure with non stop action! I have never read Terry Brooks before, but now I will never stop. Don’t be deterred that this is the third book in the series. You can totally read it as a standalone; however, I want to go back and read books one and two as I’m not ready to leave the world of The Viridian Deep yet.

Char is so relatable. I think back to my 17/18 year old self and see so many similar qualities. I think any young adult can relate to her desire to prove herself to her loved ones and her journey of self discovery.

Also, I loved the magic system and all of the different creatures. That’s all I’m going say on that subject because I don’t want to spoil anything. Terry Brooks has truly created a unique magical world.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. I have enjoyed it immensely.

Sister of Starlit Sea- 2⭐️ 1🌶️

New adult Fantasy
First Person
Coming of age
Self discovery
Adventure
Fae
Mythical Beasts
Pirates
Secrets
Magic
Insta-love

This is my first Terry Brooks series. I found his writing to be formal and stilted, making it feel pretentious while lacking any grit or depth. The writing style really was not for me.

After the slow beginning, the plot picked up, but became predictable. There was so much repetition in the story. I feel like I heard the same thing more than three times. The same descriptions, same musings, same observations. It was repetitive and made things boring.

You could tell that this was an older man, writing a teenager. The FMC was too detached and unemotional to feel authentic.

The world building is fine. There is so much info dumping (sometimes repetitive) that you feel stuck in place… without much making the plot move forward.

The magic system is interesting, but not explained as thoroughly as I think is necessary.

The characters were fairly flat. There were a lot of names and characters introduced then killed off, which made reading frustrating.

I think the thing I disliked the most was the completely unrealistic dialogue. If it had relaxed in the slightest, I think I would have enjoyed the entire series better.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for an Advanced eReader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I got to read Sister of Starlit Seas by Terry Brooks, the third book in the Viridian Deep series. Once again I’ve found myself entering into the middle of a series, but just like every other time I’ve done that I’ve found myself quickly understanding the story as we follow the young pirate Char who discovers a secret about herself after trying to save her captain from slavers. This is a story of trauma, sisterhood, and self-discovery and I enjoyed following Char and learning about her family and who she is along with her. I already love Terry Brooks as a Star Wars fan because I think his Phantom Menace adaptation was strong writing and of course he brought us the Shannara Chronicles which were great books and their television adaptation deserved more time than we got with it. As for Sister of Starlit Seas, I recommend this to fantasy fans and will be checking the rest of the Viridian Deep books out. Sister of Starlit Seas by Terry Brooks is out now.

Thank you to Del Ray and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

This is not going to be one of my more eloquent reviews mostly because I don’t have many positive things to say about this book. In fact, I have no positive things to say about this book.

Sister of Starlit Seas basically recycles absolutely everything from the previous 2 books in the series, except this time it’s from the perspective of a grown Char. By far the most clueless character I’ve read all year. For such a “capable” being she completely lacks any common sense, and just like her sister, is constantly in a state of being captured or planning the rescue of other characters who have been captured. This series makes absolute no sense to me. Why are the Fae constantly putting themselves in positions of being captured by humans? 3 books and that’s all that ever happens. It’s the only external conflict in all three books.

The only internal conflict for both Auris and now Char, is also the same thing! Learning about a past and family they have no memory of and discovering a new part of themselves that they didn’t know they had. All themes in this book are just recycled from the previous 2.

I could go on about how much I disliked this book, but really whats the point?

This starts off so strong but the pacing slows in the middle so it took me longer than expected to get through. Although it can stand by itself, I think this should be read after the first two to get the full picture and back story. I enjoyed following Char's story and perspective, although that does skew it younger since she's only 17 and the writing reads more like her diary. I still had a fun time reading it, love the pirates and adventure and magic!

Wow! What a thrilling story. Sister of Starlit Seas by Terry Brooks is the Third book in the Viridian Deep Series. Char, Auris’s adoptive sister is one of my all-time favorite characters. The book begins three years after she has left home. Small, relentless, flying by the seat of her pants kind of girl, but extremely loyal this halfling is on a search for self-identity. She has friends, a job, and a mission in the start of the book but doesn’t actually understands or knows herself. It is a coming-of-age book fantasy style by a master storyteller but even more than that.

For a while reading I could not tell where Char or this story was going. Yes, she has revelations so that I did too as reading. Yes, she has help along the way, which reminds us there actually are no self-made men. We all are better because of a little help by others, stranger or friends. Then it all falls together, a circling back, that seemed to ask me, “Had I been paying attention as I read?” In finding herself, Char also finds home, a purpose, and an evil that must be prevented.

The book makes a social statement as important in our world today as Charles Dickens was able to do in his time. I was blown away by where Char ended up going and why. This is a real-world problem too. As Profar stated, “There was never any question as to the rightness of what you wanted done. I doubted that …involvement would be wise, but I was wrong.” Never have I been entertained so well and yet challenged so strongly. Well done, Terry Brooks.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Sister of Starlit Seas" by Terry Brooks is the third book in the Viridian Deep series, but it basically exists as a standalone. If readers have not read the other two books in the series, they will not be lost and will easily be able to follow the storyline. They will merely be missing a lot of the backstory that really does not connect much to this book.

Although the story begins at a rapid pace for the first 75ish pages, it quickly slows to a grinding halt in the middle third, and does not pick up again until the final 30 pages. The excitement and intrigue of the beginning is lost in Char's quest for identity that seems to mirror Auris' same quest in the previous books. If the reader is familiar with Terry's other books, they will know his pacing and story-telling ability, and this book, like the other two in the series, will leave them wishing for more depth.

Overall, the book is decent, and it seems to tie off most loose ends with a potential for more to come in the series.

Sister of Starlit Seas is book 3 in the Viridian Deep series by Terry Brooks.
What a wonderfully engaging fantasy read.
This was an adventurous story with fascinating characters.
Once I started reading, I was immediately caught up in this amazing new world with all these wonderful new characters. The character development was fantastic to see unfold here.
Brooks word-building is stellar and flows effortlessly throughout his book.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine & Del Rey for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

I guess I was late to the party but I did not realize this was a series. I started it and could follow but decided to read the other two first in order to truly understand the work.

I was a big fan of Shannara Chronicles and I am sure it will be the same for this.

Giving 5 stars for promise!

What a wonderful addition to the Viridian Deep Series. I truly think Terry Brooks always finds a magical way of developing his stories to draw in his readers. As we enter Book #3, we encounter Char who is searching for a place to belong. I loved that we took a bit of a step away from Auris in order to work on another character while still remaining true to the world being built in Viridian Deep. I felt as though we were given beautiful scenery and plenty of action and adventure. Even if you haven't picked up the other two, you could easily follow this one as a stand-alone as we follow a different protagonist. It does fill in some gaps to read the others though.
I feel as though the characters within this book are a bit more well rounded and perhaps even more relatable ( or as relatable as Fae can be) than in the previous books. I feel as though Terry Brooks never really lets me down when it comes to the realm of fantasy and magic.
I want to thank NetGalley and the publishing company for offering me the opportunity to review this advanced reader copy. I loved it and look forward to so many more adventures in the Viridian Deep.

I received an ARC of this book but that does not impact the content of my review.

First of all, I'm new to the world of Terry Brooks. So I can't compare it to his other works. I picked up the first in this series when I met the man, and he very nicely signed it for me. I'm not going to say that doesn't impact the way I read the book; let's face it, if you like the person who wrote it, you'll start reading in a positive mood. But I wouldn't have read book 2 and now this book if I hadn't liked it. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and loved the descriptions. I also appreciated that while there were real life and death major plot points, I didn't find it unnecessarily dark the way so many authors are going these days.

If there was one complaint I had with books 1 and 2, it was that Auris was too powerful. She is a little Mary Sue in that she's perfect. So to a degree, were Ronden and Harrow. But that's fixed here. The characters aren't perfect. The main character is a little annoying and stupid reckless sometimes, and it often doesn't work out until other people rescue her. She learns a lot, grows, and gets smarter. Not all the guys are after her, and her best friend is a mess for a lot of very relatable and heart- wrenching reasons. Her mother, the one who raised her, remains one of the most fascinating characters of the series, someone you don't like but understand and then admire a bit. All in all, the characters feel real.

The book was also non-stop action. Despite actually dealing with pneumonia and all that entails, I had a hard time putting it down. The central message of it, about not losing yourself for love, made me end it with a smile on my face despite the sad events that happen. I really enjoyed it, and I hope to see more.

Adventure - treachery - self-discovery - secrets within secrets, and oh right, pirates and slavers! The enigmatic and lush world of Viridian Green and beyond for young Char to find her way and discover who she is. The HEA is rather tainted, but kind of left open.

This is the Third book in the Viridian Deep Series by Terry Brooks. After Child of the Light and Daughter of Darkness. I have not read the previous 2 books and didn’t realize they existed when I started this book. I don’t feel you need to read the previous two to enjoy this one. But now, after the fact, I know the previous two give details into Char’s family and family dynamics as well as the world in which they live.
The focus of this book is on Char (Charlayne) and is a coming-of-age story. She is a young heroine who is off on a discovery of self. This is a fantasy story of a young woman who is searching for and slowly unlocks the truth about herself and her family. She is in search of who she is, what she is, and where she came from. The magical side of her mother and siblings is missing in her or so she thinks. She finds out more about her history and genealogy as she meets unique characters and goes through many adventures and escapades in this story. The differences and strengths of Char are what makes this story interesting, and I enjoyed her journey of discovery. The undersea world is beautiful and calypso of sights and sounds. The pirates are champions of the sea and different than what we are used to seeing of these scalawags! Very fun.

I do think the story is more for young adults as Char is currently 17 years old and only hints at a 17-year-old's yearnings for love. It should be labeled as such in my mind. Also, I was not sure what decade the story was in. I thought the world descriptions were of a world of old, but then it talks about speedboats and modern mechanics. It took me a while to understand what this world was about. This may have been because I didn’t read the previous books, but I wish this was fledged out more in this story. Regardless, it was fun and an enjoyable read.

Will post to Booktok by Monday 10/30/23

This is the third book of the series, however I think it would standalone, you'd miss out on all the history and who her family are and what they have gone through though. Having read the first two books this is my favorite. Much adventure, Char doesn't let the grass grow under her feet before off to another adventure. It is action packed, and we do need to remember she's only 17 so love is questionable, and she actually learns that during this tale. She is growing emotionally as well as learning about her heritage. Thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for a delightful read, and a visit to the Viridian Deep world again.

The author continues his new series with the third book. This one focuses on Char, the youngest character, and her penchant for getting into circumstances due to her impatience and need to prove herself. She discovers that she is much more than she believed due to a mixed parentage that she was unaware of as she was adopted. As with Brooks other fantasy novels this is an engaging and fairly quick read.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.

Sister of Starlit Seas (Viridian Deep Book 3)
by Terry Brooks
A good adventure of a remarkable world of myth and adventure. A story of love and struggle, the idea of mothers love. Particularly those lies we give ourselves to survive. The story of fae, human, and marrow. I did find the story interwoven into a believable world. Only criticism is the fast resolution to the plot, and the lovers lost without regret

I loved this so much! I was interested to see where this story was going to go after the first two books because I felt like Auris’s story was fully played out. And I couldn’t have been more happy to see our beloved Char take the protagonist role! I’ve been reading ARCs of this series since the first one, and it has been the most enjoyable journey. This one was everything I could have wanted coming back into this world and I can’t wait to continue even more in future installments. Terry Brooks is, of course, a master of fantasy. If you want all the depth and complexity of a fantasy without all the fluff and massive amounts of pages, this is the perfect series for you! It’s short, sweet, and easy to read - while also being completely immersive and nuanced. You’ll instantly fall in love with the characters, be swept away into the action-packed plots, and wish you could live in Viridian Deep. This series totally deserves more hype!

I didn’t realize this was part of a series but I was able to follow the story and really enjoyed it! The characters were well written and the world building was unique. I look forward to reading the other books in this series!