I loved this book so much! It was such a fun time and I loved the characters so much! I truly had so many feelings attached to the characters and couldn’t read this fast enough! I highly recommend!

Mira is drawn to the sea, but she can't explain why. After losing her mother to the sea: her father wants Mira to stay away from it. It would be an easy request if they didn't live on an island that survives by pillaging shipwrecks. This book is filled with underlying mystery, mislaid trust, and adventure.

I loved this story and it has stayed with me since reading it. Mira is a great mix of innocent and strong-willed. There are plenty of twists and turns, some more obvious than others, and a little bit of spice. I can't wait for the second book!

I received a free e-arc of the book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read the book.

This book had so much potential but falls flat so bad. The plot itself is interesting it's pretty standard secret sea explorer with humans. It is the author writing style that ruined the story for me. It's very choppy and direct. It doesn't flow well and feels very curt. This is the descriptions and the inner dialogue. The dialogue with other characters kind of flow better. The characters are very one dimensional but do have distinct personalities that are easy to follow. The book can be skimmed and followed very easily. This book sadly wasn't for me and I hope it finds it target audience.

This was bad.

Like, laughably bad.

I'm honestly shocked Compass and Blade is getting rated higher than 3 stars by anyone. The plot of the book itself makes almost no sense. Our main character, Mira, lives on an island where the majority of people make money by wrecking boats. They lure a ship into the rocks, then go out and strip it bare. Then they sell what they find and voila. Not only is this illegal, it's highly dangerous. We find out this is how Mira's mother died very quickly. So with wrecking being illegal, of course someone gets caught doing it and imprisoned. Mira's father, naturally.

SO SHE DECIDES SHE NEEDS TO RESCUE HIM. But instead of making any like...normal, sensible plan she decides she needs to open the super secret chest that her father has kept of her mother's things. When she does so, she finds some coordinates on a journal her mother kept. NOW WHY ON EARTH WOULD THESE COORDINATES HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER FATHER BEING IMPRISONED?

IT. MAKES. NO. SENSE.

Of course, the crew she hires to go out to the coordinates is full of secrets. They only have eight days before her father is hanged. Eight. Days. Over the course of these eight days, of course, OF COURSE Mira falls in love with the most mysterious crew member. Because why wouldn't she???? Even though she knows nothing about him, and what he does tell her is quite obviously lies.

This book made me angry. The reveals towards the end are so laughably obvious that it didn't even feel like a reveal. It just felt like WELL, OF COURSE THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW. I'm not even going to go into the other mysterious guy with shadow powers that bargains with Mira to rescue her. He's so obviously the true love interest in this series that the author might as well have named him Rhysand.

I regret not DNFing this. I really do.

I'm not sure how you'd fix this other than going back to completely rewrite the book and make it make some sort of sense. Two stars.

"The sea gives. The sea takes. And it’s up to her to do what she must to save the ones she loves."
If you are a fan of the Daughter of the Pirate King series, then you will be a fan of Compass and Blade!
Mira has lived on an island all her life and is one of the seven who swim out to ship wrecks to loot and save people on board. When the Watch (who give off Britain redcoat vibes) takes her father, Mira goes on a quest to save him and her island.

I really enjoyed this! I love a good pirate/siren theme and there were some very exciting twist and turns in this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

This is the perfect mix of spooky and pirate theme book.

I really like the tone of this book, you really get into the island dark atmosphere in the first chapters. I fear that a couple of characters did not get fleshed out enough besides the main characters. The betrayal got me good! This is a perfect summer, water element book if you want to read it!

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-arc!

"The sea gives. The sea takes. And it’s up to her to do what she must to save the ones she loves."

I expected this to be one of my favorite books of the year. It has everything I look for in a YA story: reluctant allies, pirates, an ocean adventure, and a sprinkle of romance. Ultimately, the way this book is marketed ended up hurting my opinion of the story. I went into this expecting a cunning main character and a likable love interest. What I read was something else.

"When the sea folds me into her wild embrace, I am at peace. More than anything, I want to wake with the sea surrounding me. To find a crew and a ship to take me on, and sail away into the iron-gray abyss."

I have mixed feelings about the main character. Mira grew up scavenging shipwrecks and walking the beaches of her island. She cares for her village and is protective of her father. These are admirable traits, but they come at the cost of her character development. Mira's main personality trait seems to be her naivety, which is frustrating as a reader. Several of her choices led to bad outcomes that could have been avoided. If you're the type of reader who connects with characters that grow with the plot, then you'll love this book! But if you're like me and prefer strong, intelligent damsels who take their distress into their own hands, then "Compass and Blade" might not be the best fit.

"He looks back at me as lightning splits the sky once more. The shape of his face, the depth of his eyes, burn into me and I feel a tug. Something strange, something like the pull of the tide. Like a song that is at once familiar, and yet evades me however hard I listen."

I also thought the romance was a letdown. Mira felt an instant connection to a man she'd just met. It isn't fate either—instead, it's the dreaded insta-love. There's also a third character that I think is supposed to make a love triangle? Honestly, I thought he and Mira had even less chemistry, but the way the book ends seems to lean in his favor. I still enjoyed the story, but I think it's misleading for the publisher to market this book as a romantasy.

"They say we are lawless on Rosevear; that we’re not all human, and maybe that’s true. But when the storm clouds bloom, casting darkness over our islands, I can hear the song of the sea. The call of the deep, the answering beat in my heart."

My favorite parts of this story are the descriptions and the setting. The author does a beautiful job describing Mira's village, island, and adventure on the sea. I feel like there's a perfect balance between the number of descriptions and the pace of the plot, and that can be tricky to do! If I were rating this book based on the writing style, it'd be five stars.

If you're a fan of "Daughter of the Pirate King" by Tricia Levenseller or "Fable" by Adrienne Young, then I definitely recommend this book! As it is, I'm rating it 3.5 stars (although I'll probably round up to 4 stars because of how beautiful the cover is!).

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley; all opinions are my own.

This is a fantastic YA Romantasy debut from Rachel Greenlaw.

If you are a fan of the Daughter of the Pirate King series, then you will be a fan of Compass and Blade!

Overall, I gave it a 4 star. The main character, Mira, was likable and passionate and I found myself wanting to know more not just about her, but the side characters as well and to know more about this world.
The reason I gave this book 4 star instead of a 5 is this:
#1 Mira gets betrayed by a character. It cuts deep for her, but then she seems to give trust to the same character again way too easily. It didn't feel like a genuine choice that someone who went through that kind of betrayal would make.
#2 the beginning of the book is a little slow and it takes awhile to pick up pace. Once it picks up, it's fantastic! But it was hard to get into at first.
#3 Outside of 1-2 other characters, the side characters seem basic and one dimensional. Some have A LOT of potential that I hated that we see so little of them.

Overall, I loved this book and I plan to read the next one when it comes out.

This book had a very Moana meets Shadow and Bone with a pirate twist and I was hooked! There was a shadow daddy who felt very much felt like the Darkling in Shadow and Bone!

Mira has lived on an island all her life and is one of the seven who swim out to ship wrecks to loot and save people on board. When the Watch (who give off Britain redcoat vibes) takes her father, Mira goes on a quest to save him and her island.

I really enjoyed this! I love a good pirate/siren theme and there were some very exciting twist and turns in this one. There were a couple times where I was like “Mira what the heck are you doing??” but I think it really sets her up for some amazing female rage for the second book!

This world of sea and storm runs deep with bargains and blood.

On the remote isle of Rosevear, Mira, like her mother before her, is a wrecker, one of the seven on the rope who swim out to shipwrecks to plunder them. Mira’s job is to rescue survivors, if there are any. After all, she never feels the cold of the frigid ocean waters and the waves seem to sing to her soul. But the people of Rosevear never admit the that they set the beacons themselves to lure ships into the rocks.

When the Council watch lays a trap to put an end to the wrecking, they arrest Mira’s father. Desperate to save him from the noose, Mira strikes a deal with an enigmatic wreck survivor guarding layers of secrets behind his captivating eyes, and sets off to find something her mother has left her, a family secret buried deep in the sea.

With just nine days to find what she needs to rescue her father, all Mira knows for certain is The sea gives. The sea takes. And it’s up to her to do what she must to save the ones she loves.

Dabney: This is the third first entry in a new YA/NA fantasy trilogy I read in 2023--the other two were The Fourth Wing and The Hurricane Wars--and it was the best of a very good bunch.

I loved everything about it: the sublime prose and the unexpected character arcs and plot. Greenlaw's storytelling relies not on dragons or complicated magic but rather on Mira, her riveting heroine, and those on whom she must rely. Lisa, was it a gem for you too?

Lisa: This was my first encounter with this author and I was mightily impressed by it. Mira is a stunner of a character; and she happens to be one of the best of 2024. She’s something special and unique in the field.

Dabney: Agreed. The very best leads in magical fiction are those whose magic is a plus not a necessity. I’d have happily read about Mira if she hadn’t an enchanted bone in her body–she’s smart, a bit snarky, determined, loyal, and witty. I loved her.

Mira, as we learn in the first pages of the novel, lives in a small, coastal town that relies on the illegal goods they get from being wreckers. She has a preternatural ability to stay in the water and the villagers use her to swim out to the wrecked ships and bring back treasures. She is both ambivalent and determined about her work–she is a marvelously pragmatic woman. When the wrecking goes terribly wrong and her father is imprisoned by the draconian British Guard, she sets out on a quest and, oh, I was so there to watch her in all her adventures.

Lisa: The piratical worldbuilding here is fantastic; it reminded me of several different real-life subcultures, like people who scavenge wrecks for cash, or pearl divers working in the deep sea to support their villages. It felt very real and lived-in. And Mira’s love of the ocean is gorgeous and well-defined. It’s, in a great way, a definite part of who she is.

Now, we both loved Mira, but what did you think of Seth? He was wonderful in my opinion - at least in the beginning…

Dabney: Seth, like many a good romantic hero, is full of surprises. I liked his ambiguity–one of the reasons to keep turning the pages in this very good book is to see if he is truly an ally or not. What did you so like about him?

Lisa: He had some great lines, and his mysterious ways kept me turning the pages, TBH. But…well, let’s just say that wonderfulness gets complicated with time and ends with a big twist we won’t spoil here. The ending of this novel leaves things in a very…cliffhangy place. That said, moral grayness is a wonderful part of this novel, and it is a feature and not a bug.

Dabney: I so agree with you about the way the book treats good and evil. Greenlaw knows that while her characters all have the capacity to do right and wrong, they, like us all, rarely choose one or the other. I loved the people in this book–they are utterly believable. Seth, Mira, her friends, and those they meet on their journey are wonderfully limned.

Lisa: Her ability to paint her characters as real, live human beings is what makes this book so very compelling, to be honest.

Dabney: To me, a great book has a trifecta of offerings; the best novels have stellar characters, engrossing plots, and wonderful worldbuilding. We’ve agreed that the characterizations in Compass and Blade are excellent. What did you think about the plot?

Lisa: The plot is fantastic, even if it’s your typical protagonist-finds-self-while-looking-for-lost-parent journey. It’s powerfully done, quite suspenseful and yes - leaves room for a sequel (this is set to be a trilogy).

Dabney: Well, it is an oft quoted maxim that there are only seven stories humans tell–I am rarely critical of novels simply because they recount stories we’ve read before. What I care about is how well is that tale told and, in Compass and Blade, I think it’s done beautifully. The details of this story–Mira’s experiences in and out of the sea, the battles she and her compatriots are drawn into, the politics of the worlds she travels to–these are all unique and made for a page turner of a book.

Lisa: Completely true. The world of sailing here is beautifully, written and sculpted thoughtfully. Did it encourage you to think of heading out on a boat yourself?

Dabney: I love being on the water but I think I’d like it a lot better if I had Mira’s gifts!

Lisa: I can’t blame you, but it made me want to check out the high seas. Familial loyalty is also important here; after all, Mira’s journey is all about rescuing her father. What did you think about the themes of family and family ties binding in this one?

Dabney: If I have a complaint about the book, it’s the bloody-mindedness of Mira’s determination to save her father. Parents, in the overwhelming main, never want their kids to sacrifice their lives for them. I wanted Mira to value her life as much as she does her dad’s.

Lisa: I actually related to that part of the story. Maybe because my mom’s dead and my father’s very much a part of my life, but I could understand her need to get sacrificial.

Dabney: Huh. I think for me, it’s probably an age thing. I can’t imagine the horror I’d feel if one of my kids or my siblings’ kids gave up their life for mine. That said, it certainly makes Mira an admirable character. She’s not pirating for gold for herself–all of her efforts (until the end but no spoilers here!) are motivated by her need to save first her father and second her village.

I really did enjoy the hell out of this book. It’s marvelously subtle and I couldn’t put it down. It’s an A read for me. How about for you?

Lisa: This is a solid A all the way; Mira is a heroine of all time, the plot and worldbuilding are both fantastic, and the supporting characters memorable. I’m very here for the second book in the series.

Dabney: Me too! Thanks for chatting with me.

An adventure-filled swashbuckling fantasy with a great cast of side characters. I enjoyed the action, and the pacing was great! My personal preference for seafaring books is to have them chock full of detailed technical knowledge... which this one did not (I question some of the sailing plausibility), but the magical elements and character relationships made up for the lack. I didn't love the ending, but it did a good job of setting this book up as either a standalone or the first in a series.

Seth is the absolute worst.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars

From the moment that Compass and Blade began, I was engrossed in the idea of Rosevear and the Wreckers. The first chapter is one of the most gripping first chapters I have read in a book in a long time. From that alone, I was recommending the book to anyone who would listen! I really love the world that Greenlaw created. She is a beautiful writer.

What felt a bit disappointing to me was the depth of characterization. The book moves at a fast pace, and I felt like I never got to spend enough time with people. I would have liked more time with Agnes and Kai on Rosevear. I wanted to really understand Bryn and Mira's Dad's roles on the island. I wanted more time to understand Ennor and more time on the Phantom to meet those characters. I wasn't invested in people because there were so many of them and I felt like I didn't understand anyone's motivations. I also felt that way about the romance. Why did they like each other? What did Mira keep going back after certain revelations? What did he do to earn her trust?

I definitely recommend this one, and I hope the next book really lets us meet the characters.

This is was such a fun read. Filled with adventure, romance, and pirates. The story follows Mira who comes from an Island of wreckers as she set sail to help save her father.

If Pirates of the Caribbean and The Little Mermaid had a love child, it would be this story! A well-balanced romantasy full of swashbuckling pirates, sirens, adventure and vengeance. What more could you want?

This book was amazing! The story had me on the edge of my seat and I fell in love with the characters. The plot was well thought out and the world was so intriguing! I definitely recommend!

Compass amd Blade is a fantasy young adult story of self-discovery, betrayal, and loss. Mira is a member of the island of Roseveal whose mother died when she was a child. The only way to survive their unforgiving island is to scavenge the cargo from ships they lure to rocks just off their coast. Only, it's illegal to scavenge the cargo from wrecked ships and the watch are closing in on the islanders. When the watch lure the islanders into scavenging a wrecked ship, they capture Mira's father and their leader. Mira comes up with a plan that will require her to leave the island and discover the truth about who her mother really was. She will meet new faces and learn that not everyone is what they seem.

Overall, a good story and a solid four stars. Mira's quest to save her kin is quick paced amd full of intriguing characters. While some surprises weren't really surprises it was a fun read. However, I didn't see much of the ending coming.

If you're into pirate YA, this is a good book for you. If not, probably not worth picking up.

What I liked:
- I generally like pirate books, so I loved the whole atmosphere and all the different places they explored.
- The beginning was my favorite, when we're still on Rosevear
- The way family was explored was quite compelling

What I didn't like:
- I think the author was going for a plot twist, but it seemed obvious to me
- The romance didn't do it for me. Mira was a little too dumb and fell too quick

Compass and Blade was an excellent story to scratch that pirate, high seas itch. It drew me in from the beginning and Mira’s character was presented extremely well and realistically. I loved the morally gray characters, the villains, the plot twists. Everything was great and made for a fun read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy!!! This book has pirates, sirens, and more. You can have it all. A dark mysterious person offering shady dealings. The kind stranger who agrees to help and a FMC who will cut you for touching those in her family. If you want a book that has a person tied to their home but desperate to leave with a yearning for the sea, read this book.

I will be screaming about this book from the rooftops for the foreseeable future. If you're in the mood for an epic adventure with characters that make you happy, swoon, and furious all within moments of eachother, well then, this is the book for you!

From the very first page, the island of Rosevear, the Wreckers, and Mira hooked me. Mira's bravery and curiosity shined throughout the pages, and I loved following her journey through the isles with the cast of characters she meets along the way.

The action and adventure frequently had me sweating as I wondered what was coming next, but I also enjoyed the romance that seeped in between during the quieter moment. Rachel has a fan for life out of me, and I can't wait to read what comes next for Mira and company!

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.