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.

This is quite possibly one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. If you watched the Little Mermaid on repeat as a kid, and then realized that Pirates of the Caribbean was more your vibe, the imagery of this book is going to suck you in.
Plot wise it's almost nonstop adventure and backstabbing and maneuvering and planning and ACTION. I was torn between ripping through this book in a day or two and forcing myself to slow down so I could hang out with the characters longer. I truly didn't want it to be over.
Shouts out to NetGalley for providing the ARC and I can't wait to see others get as hype about this book as I am

Compass and Blade is an adventurous story about a girl and her village who survive on the edge of starvation, resorting to sinking and looting ships that pass their island. When law enforcement of threatens to wipe them out all together, she risks everything to find a hidden secret her mother left for her. And with it, a legacy she’s torn between accepting and losing the only family she’s ever known, or losing everything else.

Compass and Blade has the outline of a good story, but it just didn’t execute for me. The main character was fairly hollow and I couldn’t really understand her motivations or decisions. The romance was so forced and inauthentic, and I just couldn’t justify how she fell for him in the first place, let alone kept pining for him after everything he did to her. I found the characters and their decisions very unrealistic and it just took me out of the story all together.

The plot was interesting, but moved along too quickly for the reader to get into the backstory and mythos of the world which left it feeling very one-dimensional. Overall, I would have enjoyed this more with more world building and better character designs.

I really enjoyed this! Mira was such a compelling and well-realized character which made following her journey even more unforgettable for me. This was a pretty accessible epic with wonderfully crafted characters, a really interesting plot, and a setting that I could vividly imagine. I cannot wait to read more in this world (hopefully), more from this author, and to purchase a copy for myself when it's fully released! Stunning!

I loved this book. From start to finish it drew me forth on the best kind of choppy seas. I had chills from the very first page, and Mira felt so incredibly real. Mira and her journey will be with me for years to come—I just know it. And Seth! Oh, Seth. I think I'm in love. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this book is like a wave. An enormous wave, too mammoth to surf. The kind where the lip and the wave curl thrusting up and over only to crash and become dangerous white water. The best kind of wave. The best kind of book.

I loved this book. It was such an adventure to read as we enter the world of islands, pirates, shipwrecks, mythical creatures, and treasure. Mira is a strong girl who wants to know who she is and why the ocean calls to her. As she reaches out to her dead mother, she must help rescue her father and her island from the watch who enforce the laws, but at the expense of her people. The reader will enjoy the pull of Seth and Elijah on Mira, while feeling the pain she experiences in the relationships.

Compass and Blade is a whimsical and beautifully written YA novel. It was fast paced and incredibly fun. I am so thrilled that this story has more to come with a second instalment.

Pirate fantasy, betrayal, romance... Sign me up! The plot of Compass and Blade, full of twists and turns, will have you by the throat from beginning to end. This is only aided by the beautiful (if a little repetitive) description that brought the cruel sea and enchanted isles to life. The world building was equally delightful, not a drop of boring info dumping!

Honestly, the only thing holding me back from giving four stars are the characters. Mira and her love-interest especially. Their romance was insta-lovey and just… dull. As individuals too, they lacked personality, it made it hard to be invested in either of them.

Overall, though, I'd recommend, this book is a lovely addition to the YA fantasy cannon!

Thank you NetGalley for access to the e-book in exchange for an honest review

This is a solid YA fantasy debut, for readers who love a sea-faring adventure. The world-building and lore are very captivating. I loved all the magical creatures. The descriptive language was written in a way that really immersed me into the setting. The atmosphere and the writing are definitely the highlights of the story. I didn’t feel the connection with the main character that I wanted. And I also didn’t feel the romantic connection believably enough to be invested. I wanted to see more depth and development. Mira just wasn’t my favorite female heroine to read. The plot is full of action and the pacing is well-done. This one is a fun, fast, exciting read that will definitely find its audience who love it. From the writing alone, I would definitely be interested to read more from this author.

Compass and Blade by Rachel Greenlaw is an enchanting tale perfect for fans of pirate fantasy such as Mad Kestrel looking for a dash of romance and and intriguing magic system. I would have loved to see the magic system explored a little more but I loved seeing the world as a whole through a protagonist who is a bit naive and rash. I will be keeping an eye out for more titles by this author in the future .

The idea was there but the execution wasn't. I was lost 90% of the time and it reminded me very much of the book The Deep which I didn't really like that one either.

This book was not what I wanted it to be. I wanted wild magic, epic ship battles, and a fierce heroine. What I got was an interesting magic system that was smothered by a naive heroine, instalove, and constant bad choices.

Compass and Blade reads young, which is odd because it covers some very heavy topics. Murder, theft, starvation, betrayal, revenge, pirates: these are all the makings of a solid YA story. And while there are more mature moments, the heroine brings the whole story down a notch.

Mira has good intentions, but every choice she makes is ridiculous. She works and thrives (sort of) as part of a team, so obviously she has to save her father on her own. She's betrayed by someone, so she chooses to trust him again (thanks, instalove and a "connection"). She decides to work as part of a team, but only so she can get revenge. Every decision is a poor one, and I am not a fan of stories driven by bad decisions, especially when they're all made based on emotions.

The plot is weak, and while there is some lovely writing sprinkled in, overall, the story is sparse on details and the pacing is awkward. There's potential, but more work is needed to give this story the depth it needs to really feel gritty and like a high seas adventure. The magic system is the most interesting part of the story; the killing of magical creatures for their blood to use in medicine and potions is unique and was woven into the story well. Even the magical twists were pretty well written (despite being pretty obvious), and the use of magic is described wonderfully.

Compass and Blade isn't bad, it's just not great. I wanted more detail and depth and character development, and instead I got romantic "connections," high emotions, and cookie cutter action scenes. Two stars rounded up for interesting magic.

Rachel Greenlaw's writing transports you right to the Isles and makes you feel as though you are there with Mira on her fast paced, high stakes journey. The story is filled with secrets, twists, bargains and betrayals you might not see coming. The characters and action packed scenes make it impossible to put down, keeping you hooked, desperate to find out what happens next.

If you loved the Pirates of the Caribbean movies (but make it YA), this story is for you.

Cannot wait to return for the next installment and see what twists Greenlaw has in store for us.