Dark Water Daughter is one of my ultimate fav books, and while it did take me a bit longer to read this one, I'm happy to report I loved it just as much.

But first, I have to say that I'm suddenly a fan of Benedict...How did that happen you ask? WELL. Let's just say I'm a villain girl through and through. But for real, in my review of the first book I said he'd have to do a lot to be redeemed in my eyes, and guess what? He listened!!

He's still not a ~good~ person, per se, but I really ended up loving him by the end, and can't wait to see where his character goes from here. He got the most development by far.

I also have to admit that there were moments where I shipped Mary with him more than I did Samuel. BEFORE YOU ATTACK ME, there were legitimate reasons for it, okay. Like when they conspired together, I felt the chemistry, it was leaping off the page. And I know I'm not the only one who felt it.

But you know what? I kinda ship Benedict with Charles too...tell me you see the vision. I lived for their friendship the whole book, their banter was probably my favourite, and if it turned romantic? They'd be my fav couple.

Speaking of couples, Mary and Samuel are the slowest of slow burns and I love it. It's almost agonising, waiting for them to kiss or for Samuel to not be as proper as he is, but that's also why I like him as a character. You can really feel the tension with these two.

I enjoyed getting to know Sam better as well, and reading about his relationship with his brother. It made me appreciate both of them more as characters. Another reviewer said that this is more their book than Mary's and I agree, but she gets her chance to shine too, don't you worry.

Like, for example, that scene where Mary's singing with the other Stormsingers, I'm still in awe of their power.

I love the lore & magic system expansion we got, the new characters and creatures we met, the delightful (but at the same time chilling) atmosphere on the high seas, the plot, the battle scenes, and just how well H. M. Long can write! I was once again easily led into the story, even though it's been more than a year since I read the first book.

The pacing was a bit off though, not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things, but it seemed to follow a "big event, break, big event, break" formula. But rest assured, this book still caused me great amounts of stress, particularly in the last third.

The epilogue was perfect, and unexpected. If I hadn't already been excited about what was to come, that would've done it.

Now with book two done, I can say that the author likes wrapping up plots by the end, while still leaving us with one that stretches throughout the series. And it's more fun that way, because stuff actually gets resolved, but there's still more story to tell.

The only thing I missed here, is Demery. I needed him to show up sooo bad. Hopefully the gang will be back together again in book three. And until then, PLEASE READ THIS SERIES!!!!

*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

This sequel is just as addictive and fun as its predecessor! It combined all the fun piratey adventures of Dark Water Daughter while also expanding upon the world and magic system. The pacing in this one seemed a bit off but it was still such a fun read.

Where this story really shined is the character development. I really enjoyed the deeper dive into Samuel and his relationship with his brother. I also found the dynamic between him and Mary very interesting and compelling. I'm excited to see how this series ends!

Another amazing installment in The Winter Sea series! The world building and magic is unlike anything I’ve read before and the way H.M. Long writes has me hanging on every word. I knew when I picked this book up that I wouldn’t be able to set it down, and I was right! This book is action-packed and I really liked how the story is progressing. I can’t wait for book three!

Thank you to NetGalley and H.M. Long for letting me review this book.

There's feelings that keep you waiting for more and adventure that hooks you.

I also love the characters. They are so rounded and they genuinely feel real.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a new fantasy read with a bot of romance on the side.

Includes:
Feelings
An intriguing fantasy world
Adventure

4.5/5 stars.

I've had the privilege of reading everything H.M. Long's published since the description of Hall of Smoke piqued my interest. I can say with no uncertainty that she's found her stride with the Winter Sea Trilogy. She recently spoke about how the story has evolved over time (r/Fantasy AMA) and I am so happy where it landed (though fiddler Sam would be good iykyk).

Black Tide Son picks up where Dark Water Daughter leaves off and the plot is quick. This absolutely does not fall into middle book syndrome at any point. The characters are compelling, especially Benedict but catch me interested in the darker characters, always. I don't want to get into the plot since it's a sequel but rest assured it's fast-paced, completely captivating. Long's prose is perfectly crafted to suite the world she's crafted. In my mind this is very much Kiera Knightley and Orlando Bloom from Pirates of the Caribbean adjacent which I am absolutely in love with.

If you haven't yet, I highly recommend checking out Dark Water Daughter (which does start a bit slower, but stick with it!) and then continuing on the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan books for the eARC of this book. I was really excited to get this sequel in my hand after reading Dark Water Daughter. I found that the characters came to life in this installment, really breathing life into them. Mary in particular really shined. Ben was my favorite character out of the group, I love how cynical he is.
There were moments in the story where I would get frustrated with character decisions and then they would almost immediately be resolved and everyone has a lot of plot armor. However, I definitely really enjoyed the storyline and writing. The plot moved forward and there wasn’t a lot of filler. If you’re looking for a highly original pirate story with the barest touch of romance, then this is for you!

I reread Dark Water Daughter before starting the sequel, Black Tide Son, and I am so glad I did. The first time reading Dark Water Daughter, I gave it a 3.5/5, but on the reread it was bumped up to a 4. I have a feeling that Black Tide Son will be the same way. With both books, my first read through was a bit of a slog and I really could not say why. The writing is fantastic, the characters are well developed, there is plenty of action, yet I still felt bored. On my reread of DWD, I read it much quicker and seemed to appreciate it more, so I think part of my hangup is the amount of side characters and quests happening. There are only two POVs in both books, but so many extra characters that I think I had a hard time keeping track and staying invested. I enjoyed Black Tide Son, but it still took me 9 days to get through (which is relatively long for me). I will likely reread Dark Tide Son before the third book comes out and I'm willing to bet that I'll enjoy it more the second time around.

3.5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love H.M. Long's fantasy world-building and they are quickly becoming one of my favorite fantasy authors.

Mary and Samuel set out to rescue Sam's amoral twin brother from prison, not just due to brotherly love but also because he needs Benedict to participate in the cure for their magical corruption or he cannot be healed himself. Near death happens many times, many people are captured many times, and loads of battles and swashbuckling ensues. So much action here! I did get a bit lost with regard to the character names, and I think partly that was due to the length of time between reading this one and the previous title. I think it would be difficult to follow the story without having read the first installation.

Mary and Samuel continue their slowest of slow burn romances, due to Samuel's overactive sense of morality. He was a bit too much of a goody-two shoes in this book and I was ready for Mary to ditch him for something moving faster than a dead snail. I hope the next book in the series follows Benedict on his shenanigans, because there was clearly more to come from this story based on the ending.

I was so excited to return to the wintry seas in this sequel to Dark Water Daughter, but it fell a bit short of my expectations. The characters still feel underdeveloped to me now nearly 1,000 pages into the story. The pacing of this book also failed to draw me in with its constant jumping around from mini action scene to mini action scene, though the big battle at the end felt more true to a high fantasy finish. My favorite part of this series is still the world building, but even the addition of new creatures and magic systems wasn't quite enough to prevent this from feeling like a slog.

I received an ARC from NetGalley.
The wait is over! The sequel I've been eagerly anticipating, the follow-up to the fantastic pirate adventure Dark Water Daughter (which I devoured last year!), has finally arrived. The first book completely hooked me, and I couldn't wait to see the characters' journeys continue.
The world-building expands beautifully in this sequel, offering even richer lore. The story retains that epic sense of adventure that makes the series so captivating.
My only critique lies with the character development. While I found them engaging, I would have loved to see a deeper dive into their personalities. Mary, who stole the show in the first book, felt almost sidelined here. Perhaps this is because the focus has shifted to Samuel and his brother's storyline, which is intriguing in its own right.
Despite this minor critique, I'm thoroughly invested in the series and excited to see how this trilogy wraps up.

High seas adventure, espionage, and romance in the sequel to to the Winter Seas series. Mary and Samuel are working together to navigate the high seas, their growing bond, and maintain the sails of the Hart. When Mary and Samuel get news of Samuel's brother Ben, they'll have to decide whether or not to serve their nation or to go and save Ben. Not to mention the fact that they are now on a prison break mission in enemy territory and that they are being hunted by a new mysterious enemy. Mary and Samuel are working on their relationship as Samuel is dealing with trying to maintain his sanity and keep Mary safe. This was definitely an interesting second book in the series and there are more books to come. I did like the progression of the relationship between Mary and Samuel but i kind of wish the story picked up the pace in this one but I do get that it was setting up for the third book as well. It's a fun high seas series perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean and pirate fantasy stories.

Release Date: July 9,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Titan Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

4.5
A strong sequel that builds upon the unique magic system, naval politics, and slow-burn romantic subplot of the first book. Love these characters and can't wait to get more from this unique fantasy world!

Mary and Sam must work together to free his twin brother from a notorious prison. While doing so, Sam must come to terms with the powerful but ultimately horrific magic that was forced upon them as children. Mary and Sam also have to decide how far to take their relationship and maintain a professional relationship as captain and storm-singer. Hopefully there's a wee bit more romance in book three, otherwise, I've got no complaints!

A swashbuckling journey picking up right where Book 1 left off, with even more tension and raised stakes

I want to thank #netgalley - #TitanBooks for the kindle & #RBMedia for the audio- I realize it’s nerdy gluttony, but I love to go back and forth btwn both mediums so I can hyper focus on a story.

And woo- Long builds a rich world* full of politics, layered magic systems, and yessss– even a slow burn romance** & it demands your attention. Did I mention intriguing gray characters that you *need* to keep your eyes on? TBH, it contains every fantasy element I crave for bookish escapism.

But TBH, I can’t believe it took me till book 2 realize Moira Quirk was on this- she’s one of my favorite narrators!

In book one, I was unsure how I felt about Tane/Mary relationship, in book 1 it felt creepy, but in book 2 it proved itself mores empowering.

I’m looking forward to book 3 (Red Tempest Son slated for July 2025).

Don’t sleep on this series! Highly recommend- 4/5

*At the start of book 3, can there be a series recap so far (the Rook & Rose series by M.A. Carrick does this and I wish this was a standard practice 😩.)

** Though I am begging for a little more spice in book three. (Pretty please!)

deeply enjoyable!!!! was pleasantly surprised with how much i liked dark water daughter, so to get the sequel a bit early was very exciting and soooooo worth it. can't wait for the final book

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for sharing this ARC!

I feel the same way about Black Tide Son that I felt about Dark Water daughter...something just does not connect with me. Yes, the writing is beautiful and lyrical but in terms of the story I can't find anything that grasps me and keeps me from putting the book down. I'm glad that this does resonate with so many people but I'm not sure if it's a series I will continue with in the future.

This is more like a 4.5 stars if I'm being nitpicky. The middle didn't hold together quite as well as it did in book one. However, this was a really enjoyable return to the Winter Sea universe. Mary, Sam and Benedict have come a long way since book one - each following their own arc to show believable character development. It was also an interesting take to have Mary know exactly what she wanted and Sam to dither over choices.

This is just as action packed as Dark Water Daughter, with a series of high stakes sea faring adventures along the way. The story is engaging and I actually found myself rooting for the romance (which is quite unusual for me!) I especially like the way the folklore of this world is woven into the story but also used as world building - you feel that you've never seen everything and that there could be more adventures in this universe.

This series has completely captivated me! Not only do we have pirates and weather witched but we also have such a compelling and intriguing plot! I'm such a fan of this author's work and i feel like every book of hers has only gotten better. Highly recommend this one!

This is a difficult review to write, because I LOVED 'Dark Water Daughter' and eagerly awaited this sequel so much. I am rounding up from 3.5 stars because I love the author and the characters, and I do think that if you enjoyed 'Dark Water Daughter', this is worth reading to give the story closure. That said, this story is disappointingly slow and tedious. It lacked the action and suspense of the first book, and parts felt very repetitive. Sam's character in this book lacks the spark that made Mary shine in the first book. I found the first book unputdownable, but I took much longer to finish this one. Again, I do recommend it for fans of the first book.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Finally a second book in a series that does not fall short of what the first book set up! Sometimes it’s so hard to have a strong second book when the first was so good. While this one can’t ever hit quite as hard as the uniqueness of finding the first last year, it is just as enthralling and captivating. I love the world this author has built and the characters are very easy to want to see more of.