A great pirate story! Faced with challenges in the form of both people and be outside works, this was a great and entertaining journey.

Firstly, I should mention that I’ve read Saltblood this year and as a near-perfect 5 star, gender-bending, romantic, beautiful, intelligent pirate adventure, it will affect my judgement of similar books, even if it shouldn’t.

So that’s the first point. Because The Vengeance really is mainly a pirate adventure, and that is definitely its strength, and the part I enjoyed the most. It’s clearly very well researched, with great characters and a good story line, which makes it a joy to read. Post-arrival in France though… meh. Everything unfolds very quickly (the MC meeting the love of her life; the death of her father, etc) even before we get to what’s been advertised as the main part of the story (finding her mother, realising she is a vampire, etc). Spending a relatively short period of time with these new, very significant characters in the MC’s life does make it a bit more difficult to buy into their relationships, as well as feeling like a lost opportunity to indulge a little in the interpersonal here.

As others have already pointed out, the vampire aspect isn’t even introduced until the last 10% of the book, and rather a lot is asked of the reader in terms of suspending their disbelief that a young (however piratey and capable) woman is able to destroy two of the most powerful vampires in the land within mere moments of meeting them. It’s hard to believe, and a lot less enjoyable for it. I would have liked some twists and turns at the end! Maybe these will appear in the sequel, but to be honest, the story is pretty much wrapped up in the end and personally, I think I’ll leave it there.

So I was definitely expecting more vampires but the book its self was still really good I loved everything about the pirates!! If you like pirates and adventure you’ll like this book

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I wish the synopsis hadn’t teased the vampires. I spent so long waiting for them just to be disappointed. If I hadn’t gone in expecting that it would have been an enjoyable and interesting world of pirates and mystery with a wild twist. Instead I feel a bit let down.

I feel as though the author had a great idea but a bit lacking in the delivery. If I read a synopsis and vampires are perceived to be involved, I want that part of the story way sooner than it happened here. I wish the first half of the story was shorter, and then the rest wouldn’t have felt as rushed.

This was SO GOOD. I love books that sweep you away immediately from the first page and it had such a fresh voice and world to explore.

My Fair Lady meets swashbuckling high adventure.

If I were to give one piece of advice to any potential reader of this book, I would say not to read the synopsis. The synopsis gives away a spoiler that doesn't happen until the last 90% of the book and I was wondering the entire time when the other shoe was going to drop. It would be a lot more fun to go into the story as blind as the main character.

The beginning was a little bit slow, but the main character Morgane is an entertaining character to follow along with. I had no doubt in my mind whatsoever that she was raised as a pirate and a pirate at heart. Her dialogue was really natural and did a good job of conveying her background.

There were scenes that could have lasted longer, such as the inciting incident, midpoint, and climax, and some scenes that could have been downsized, but the transitions were very seamless and the plot didn't have a lot of fluff to it, which I appreciated.

All in all, this was a really fun and entertaining read and I recommend it!

I appreciate the fact I was accepted for this book. And I’m so sad I’m writing this but it wasn’t for me. I guess we don’t connect to every book we read.

At 53% I wondered where the vampires were.
And since it was a slow start I did start to lose interest.
But I did enjoy the fact 2 of my favourite things were in this book pirates and vampires what more could you want. I do wish this more positive though.

Book Review: The Vengeance by Emma Newman

I want to start by thanking NetGalley for the ARC of The Vengeance, and I have to say, this book swept me away into a thrilling adventure I didn't want to end. Set in a reimagined world inspired by Alexandre Dumas, it perfectly blends swashbuckling piracy with the supernatural elements of vampires.

Morgane, the protagonist, is a fierce and compelling character. Growing up on the high seas as the daughter of a legendary pirate captain, her life takes a dramatic turn when she learns the truth about her lineage. The revelation that the woman she believed was her mother isn’t actually related to her adds a rich layer of complexity to her character. I found myself rooting for Morgane as she grapples with her identity while navigating treacherous waters, both literally and metaphorically.

The world-building is fantastic—Newman has crafted a vibrant setting filled with intrigue, decadence, and danger. The darker elements, particularly the vampire lore, are woven seamlessly into the plot, enhancing the stakes and adding an air of suspense. I was completely absorbed by Morgane’s quest to uncover her past, and the secrets of the Four Chains Trading Company kept me guessing.

One of my favorite aspects of the story is the moral ambiguity of the characters. Morgane’s decisions often challenge conventional notions of right and wrong, and this complexity made her journey all the more engaging. The supporting characters, including the enigmatic captain of the enemy ship, add depth and tension to the narrative, enriching Morgane’s adventure.

The pacing of the novel felt just right; I was kept on my toes without feeling overwhelmed. Each twist and turn in the plot kept me turning the pages, eager to see what would happen next. Newman’s prose is beautifully evocative, bringing both the lush landscapes and gritty realities of this world to life.

Overall, The Vengeance is an exhilarating read that expertly combines adventure, mystery, and a touch of the macabre. If you enjoy stories filled with pirates, vampires, and complex characters, I highly recommend diving into Morgane’s journey. I can’t wait to see where Newman takes us next in this

I loved the story but felt like I needed more from the overall concept of the novel. It seemed a little too rushed overall but the characters were very good to follow along. 3 stars.

My full review is on Instagram and Goodreads (links below) so I’m just putting my only complaint here.

It took FOREVER for Morgane to get to France, and maybe it’s that I have no patience, but I was way more interested in her mother’s backstory than in the pirate stuff, so the first section just felt like it dragged on for me. That being said, it was still entertaining and well written, I just wish it was a bit shorter.

I received this book as an ARC from Solaris Books and NetGalley. Morgane is the daughter of a pirate captain, living on a ship and sharing in the spoils of piracy. She is a very fun character to read, and I appreciated the female main characters. Morgane journeys to France to solve a mystery and to get revenge. She encounters kidnappers, survives by luck and her wits, and finds a new companion in Lisette. Together they set out on Morgane’s mission and discover horrors they never expected. I very much enjoyed this and will read more by this author.

The Vengeance took me on a wild pirate adventure that I didn’t want to end. Morgane, the main character, was the highlight for me. She’s bold, witty, and deeply loyal, and I loved following her journey as she navigates life on the high seas while uncovering secrets about her past. The world-building felt so real, and the pirate aspects were incredibly well-researched, giving the story an authentic edge that I really appreciated.

That being said, I was definitely expecting more of the vampire element. It took almost the entire book for them to even be introduced, and by the time they showed up, I felt like I was already invested in the pirate storyline. The vampire plotline felt a bit rushed and didn’t seem to fit seamlessly into the world that had been so carefully crafted. I wanted to know more about the connection between the vampires and nobility, but I guess that’ll be explored in future books.

The pacing was a bit slow in places, especially when the story shifted to France, but the moments at sea and the action-packed pirate scenes kept me hooked. Morgane’s strong sense of independence and the family she finds along the way are what really made the book for me. Despite the few slow parts, I’m excited to see where the series goes, especially with the vampire twist hanging in the air.

Overall, The Vengeance gave me the pirate adventure I was craving, and I can’t wait to see how Morgane’s story unfolds in the next book.

Really fun sea-faring adventure with a great main character and plenty of action. Not sure tge vampire angle wasn'tva bit misleading but it did make an interesting addition. Great worldbuilding too.

The Vengeance was a breath of fresh air. A story about pirates is immediately one of my favourites but add that to fleshed out and interesting characters and a solid world - we’ll all I can say is I wish I could start it all over again. Morgane was a wonderful main character and her ideals, relationships, and the family she finds along the way is incredible. The only thing I would have changed is having Vampire on the cover. In my personal opinion, it set the twist towards being a bit lackluster and I found myself expecting the vampires to come. Otherwise this book was incredible from start to finish and I am obsessed with Morgane and all of the characters.

A great pirate book! Did I wnat more fantasy elements? Yes. Did it stop me from enjoying this book? No!

A headstrong FMC trying to fiugrer everthing out in an interesting world-building!

Something tells me, that the second book is going to be wild!

I am so thankful to both Netgalley and the publishers of this book for the opportunity to read The Vengeance, however it wasn't an enjoyable one and I unfortunately DNF the book at about 70%.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. The premise was very exciting and promised an adventurous story with pirates and vampires and the main character hunting down the truth about her family and learning the dark secrets surrounding her family. But for being called book 1 of the "Vampires of Dumas" series there were no vampires until I assume the ending...
Like I said, I honestly don't even know because I DNF'd at about chapter 17.

As for the story itself I felt like the small bits of action that we got were rather rushed and left unfinished/unresolved and finished off page by other characters. 

I really liked the main character Morgane, she's funny and witty. Her companion Lizette is a hidden firecracker but that didn't save the story. Which is really a shame because the author did a really good job with the pirate element but once Morgane stepped foot in France the story lost its magic for me. The main plot is just too slow to set up and didn't hold my interest.

I found myself bored and just reading the books to read the book and not really enjoying the story by about chapter 10. I'm not sure if the other books planned for this series will have more going on, but it just wasn't there for me in this one.

I liked it. It was a little slow at points and the beginning was kinda hard to get into, but I started enjoying it more as I read on. I expected more Vampires than I got, but it is only book 1, so hopefully there will be more vampires in the next book.

The book was exactly what i needed after long and tired days from work. I had drama, action, mystery, cliffhanger and a good worldbuilding. I love the characters and how the writer created them, full of emoționa and drama. I like Emma's style and i am so glad that i found her books.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this but unforgettably it is a DNF for me. I made it about halfway through and didn't feel like a ton happened. Also kind of forgot it was as vampire book as no vampires had been introduced by that point.