This was an enjoyable read. I liked the magical, pirate and fantasy telling of the story. Mixing elements together made it a nice read. Some parts did feel a bit too much to read but the overall story was a joy. Saoirse's character arch was interesting to read from being hidden and not knowing her full strength to becoming the woman that is strong and her magic is beyond belief. This was a fun read.

The pacing was perfect. Soulgazer is hard to put down once you start. The world history. mythology, and mystery draws readers. The banter between characters balances darker traumatic topics. The romantic elements is a bit of a slow burn with angst sprinkled in. The majority of the book is in the perspective of the main female character, which is very wishy-washy.

The writing was lyrical without bogging down the reader. Get your highlighter ready!

Readers who enjoyed One Dark Window or the webcomic Under the Oak Tree will enjoy.

Looking forward to the next in this duology.

What an absolutely captivating read! I love a good pirate story, and the author absolutely delivers on that promise, but she does it with an FMC who is genuinely soft. While stabby FMCs are fun in their own way, I really enjoyed spending time with Saoirse and watching her find her power not in spite of her softer side, but by working with it. You’ll have to forgive me for being a little vague here (no spoilers!) but watching her work through her emotional wounds and find herself was such a pleasure to read.

Faolan. Feral and charming and as clever as a legendary pirate should be, with so much heart (despite his many attempts to pretend he’s nothing more than a cutthroat pirate). I so enjoyed watching them dance around each other in a sexy, angsty, sweet slow burn.

The magic is so interesting and cleverly woven into the plot with lyrical prose that had me stopping to highlight gorgeous words over and over. The world is lush and highly visual, providing an immersive setting as a backdrop to the twists and turns of Saoirse’s journey. If you enjoy marriage of convenience, quests, pirates, and a magical island-hopping adventure, you’ll have a great time when SOULGAZER comes out July 8th.

A mystic romantasy loaded with pirates, a marriage of convenience and a quest to find a lost isle. This story immediately gripped just by the blurb and I could not wait to dive into this. My first problem was not seeing a glossary as it was in the back and did not know so a lot of the time I felt very confused. The beginning of the story took me a bit to get into as the writing is a big different. It is very descriptors and written in a lot of metaphors. But after I was able to grasp where I was I was immediately invested into their story. Both characters keeping secrets from others and each other while also sharing and intense attraction and the will to fight for their freedom.

This story can be a bit much to follow along with, there is a heap of characters and names you are given pretty quickly and almost not a very descriptive world building jut a lot of names thrown together which did leave me confused on where we were at parts of that series. The ending was a lot to follow along with as well. This story was very fast paced and kept you needing to focus throughout the whole thing to fully grasp what was going on. But I found it very unique. I really enjoyed both characters and what we got to find out about them throughout the book. A shock ending and a cliffhanger left me excited to get to the second part of the duology and I’m excited where the journey takes Saiorse & Faolen next.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book but the cover and "pirate romance" hooked me. I was not even through the first chapter when I knew this was going to be a favorite. The author drops you right into the world, but it's easy to swim along with the story as the magic system and worldbuilding are incredibly well done. I adored Saoirse and watching her fight the ingrained self hatred her upbringing instilled in her was refreshing and relatable. I loved seeing her stand up for what she deserved. Faolan is far from perfect but he helps her gain confidence and supports her when she needs it. I love a pirate with a heart of gold who is willing to learn. Who also has abs. Abs always help. I adored this book every stop of the way and can't wait for the sequel. And incredibly well paced and delightful debut!

I usually don’t mention reading styles but this ones was hard for me to grasp. In the beginning when trying to put together this setting and world, I was very much confused. It wasn’t until maybe 10 chapters in that I finally grasped some. I enjoyed Saoirse and Faolan meeting and how that came about. The first few interactions with those two were fun to read, it wasn’t until towards halfway and the end that I felt them disconnect a little but maybe that was the point since they both never came together for real until the very end. I liked the wolf crew’s characters and how they made up this friend group. I was very depressed to hear of Saorse’s backstory but I did enjoy her development and how she changes thorughout the story. I think some writing descriptions were confusing and the start of the book was just unsettling and hard to grasp.

An enchanting story with compelling characters and a lush setting. Soulgazer follows a soft and fierce heroine, Saoirse, as she takes her fate into her own hands and joins the legendary pirate, Faolan, on a romantic adventure to discover the truth behind her curse.

What starts as a partnership between them that’s fueled by their own personal desires turns into a genuine connection that’s filled with yearning and tension.

Maggie’s writing is stunning and flowed so well. I loved this book and am really looking forward to the next one!

Thank you Berkley for the ARC!

Dnfing, although it breaks my heart. I just couldn't get into the purple prose - and more importantly, couldn't figure out wth was going on!

This was an interesting one. And a densely written new world, old gods, wild magic, a land slowly dying.
A young girl, with a strong forbidden magic that has run through her family, that they see as cursed.
She's been hidden way since she was born, isolated, abused, treated like nothing but a burden by her father. Born with eyes as ever changing as the sea. She can bear witness to what will come, and to the dead what has passed. She doesn't understand her power, she fears it, the touch of others (which will allow her to read their souls, emotions, feelings) and that seeing what's to come and being unable to stop it- that she is the cause- the reason it happens. Her family fears her too.

Now of marry-able age, her family cannot wait to be rid of her. Her father betroths her to The Stone King, of whom every other wife he's had- had died trying to birth his heirs.

The Wolf of the Wilds is a pirate of legend trying to find the Isle of Lost Souls- the place where the souls of the dead once rested. With the gods dead, the dying's souls are poisoning the landscape, he hopes to find it before time runs out.

Fate, gods and two people who dreamed, but never expected to find each other in such a way. A marriage of escape and convenience becomes something realer and stronger than they both could have ever imagined. Its tale of loneliness and yearning, and finding someone to seek shelter in, and finding it truly in each other.

Legends never die, but I'm not sure they're free to live either. I look forward to see what happens to these two next.

An incredible debut by Maggie Rapier!

It took me a second to get my bearings but once I did I was hooked. This story is stunning and heartbreaking.

If you love pirates, arrange marriage, mythology, found family, lost gods and magic, this is the book for you. Though I really haven't read anything quite like it!

There is some mild spice but the banter is perfect and did not need more spice. I can't wait to see where the next book takes us after that ending.

This was SO good, and I want there to be more. There better be more.
4.5/5 stars!
🌊🌊🌊🌊💧

Let's start with where that .5 went off:
So, at first, we are sort of thrown into this strange world, and it's difficult to comprehend it all, especially because of the author's writing style. Now, I read the ARC (I'm so thankful I got to read it early!), so some of this may not be in the final, published version, but there were definitely some parts that were written in a way that seemed to try too hard to be poetic. I love a good, intuitive, artful narrative that makes you dissect between feelings, metaphors, illusions, and reality, but there were some times that it got so lofty-- and abstract-- that even re-reading a few times didn't solve the mystery for me. And sometimes I was tired from trying to figure out what actually happened (and I was hooked on the love story and mystery, and needed to find out what was going to happen!) and so I just kept reading on, probably skipping content that made it make more sense. Some of the murkiness (water pun intended) had to do with actual historical and cultural terms I could research, but most of it had to do with the author's writing style.

Having said that, once I got used to the author's writing style, and just dealt with not understanding every little bit at every moment (NOT knowing things is really hard for me, don't judge me), I was OBSESSED with this story. There was adventure, mysteries, magic, prophecies, secrets, a basis in historical mythology, deep emotional depth, coming into one's own, and a quest at sea!

This was the older sister moment to a young, little Lauren reading The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi and wanting to run away and join a pirate's crew. But this one had a marriage of convenience. ;) I won't give away anything, and stop right now, but I must echo my first thought: there needs to be more! My appetite isn't sated! There are some possibilities at the end to be explored. And there are so many fun secondary characters whose back stories could be flushed out more.

I don't do this often, but it's good enough that I might just read it again.

I will admit that this was strictly a cover request on NetGalley and my god, did it ever work out in my favour! @thedailymagpie has given us a magical and adventurous pirate fantasy romance! Saoirse has had a HARD life. Cursed with a magic that she can’t control, she is determined to gain her freedom. And her freedom looks like running away from an arranged marriage and straight into the arms of a legendary pirate. They need each other but if the pirate wants her help and magic, he’ll have to marry her first - EEEKK- it was epic and the tension and slow burn was everything. I can’t wait for book two! Thank you @netgalley and @berkleypub - this one is out in July!!

Thank you for the free book, Berkley Romance!

In this adventurous and swoon-worthy romantasy, Saoirse is about to have an unwanted arranged marriage set up by her cruel father and apathetic mother. Saoirse possesses a magic that terrifies those around her, because she believes that she has hurt others in her past. Her family does everything can to limit her power and keep her from using it. On the eve of her wedding, Saoirse is desperate for escape and seeks out the legendary pirate Faolan, known as the Wolf of the Wild. She convinces him to agree to marry her in order to escape her own arranged marriage, and she will help him to find the lost isle that he is looking for.

I absolutely loved every moment of this book! I have never read a pirate type of romance before and I gave this a try based on the description, and I’m so glad I did. It has everything you could you want in a book- adventure, slow-burn romance, mythology, a mischievous but good-hearted pirate, found family, villains, and a treasure hunt type of quest. I think I can officially stop saying I am not a big fantasy reader, because it turns out, I love it when I find the right books!

Saoirse is a heroine that I could truly relate to and root for. I never would have thought that I’d fall for a long haired, sweet talking pirate, but here we are. Faolan is everything a love interest should be and his care for Saoirse is obvious (to everyone but her) from the beginning. Their love story is one for the ages, and I can’t wait to see how it will continue in the second book!

I just absolutely had so much fun getting to go along on these characters journey. I was just swept away and I just absolutely can’t get enough of this series or its wonderful characters. This author just has a way of drawing you in with her wonderful stories and you just can’t get enough of them. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

I loathe "dnf-ing" books, especially arcs because it breaks my heart to disappoint an author but tbh just going to put this to the side for now. the characters were just feeling a little flat to me and I could not connect to them at all. Maybe i'll give this another try in the future. Just wasn't feeling it at this moment.

Let me start by saying this was so much more emotional than I ever anticipated. I went into this book without knowing much about it and I honestly think it's the best way to read it.

Main character Saoirse has been kept hidden away most of her life due to her dangerous magic. She has been raised to obey, hide her magic, and be submissive in all things. When her cruel father, one of the isle Kings, decides she most marry and completely block her magic Saoirse decides to finally take control of her own life. Enter Faolan, know as The Wolf. A pirate who is famed for his legendary tales of adventures. He needs Saoirse for his next adventure and Saoirse needs off the isle with a promise of safety. This leads to a marriage of convenience and the start of a wild adventure to find the Island of Lost Souls, an island only Saoirse can find.

The adventure for me was one of the best parts of the book. its full of action, romance, magic, and amazing characters. During this time, soft and emotional Saoirse goes through so much while trying to use her magic for the first time. Her development throughout the book was incredible and was so emotional. As we learn more and more about her past and family history she started to become one of my favorite characters I've read about. I also really enjoyed that the romance was not the main focus of the book. While it is a big part of the book and progresses nicely I never felt like it took over. For me the focus is Saoirse and her journey. Faolan and his crew help Saoirse to understand how much she truly doesn't know and begin to give her the support and friendships she has always needed.

I loved the use of Irish mythology and lore in Soulgazer! The setting and world are heavily inspired by this and I loved seeing it mixed with pirates and a unique magic system. The writing style was beautiful and the world building was lush. From the beginning I was immediately invested!

After that ending I am so excited to see what comes next in the final book! So much happened at the end and I truly don't know what Saoirse and Faolan will go through next. This was a great start to The Magpie and The Wolf Duology and I will definitely be reading the next book.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, NetGalley, and the author for an advanced copy!

What a book!! This story has everything: an unforgettable adventure, well-developed characters, a stunning world of magic, myth and wonder. It is really a delicious tale about tension, banter, loyalty and love. While the magic was a bit confusing for me, I really liked the characters and their chemistry. But if I have to choose I would say, the ending is my favorite. As I got closer to the end, I couldn’t put the book down. This was definitely a magical, emotional and exciting journey, can’t wait for the sequel! I am very grateful to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!

as a longtime lover of pirates, i knew i had to pick soulgazer up. a flirty pirate, a soft fmc and irish mythology? what's not to love?

firstly, the characters really made this book. both saoirse and faolan were incredibly fun to read about. i loved them both from the start. they played off each other perfectly too. the romance was also to die for. the slowburn was written to perfection -- the tension and longing was on point. i also really loved the dual pov, and felt it was an excellent choice by the author.

soulgazer is a strong character driven story with an exciting plot (hello, a quest??????). between the world building and romance, it felt like there was always something happening, goals being achieved. i found i couldn't put the book down. i read it in one sitting.

i will say, though, that the ending felt a little rushed, but it was otherwise really good.

Soulgazer is one of those debut novels that you did not know you needed in your life.

It has been a LONG while since I’ve read a pirate fantasy that I absolutely sunk my teeth into. It has a delicious mix of tropes: pirates, found family, marriage of convenience, mythical island, and chosen one, all of which make this story one worth pre-ordering.

Character driven, our main girl Saoirse beautifully transforms from this powerlessly caged bird to a fierce wolf, with sharp teeth and a formative magic not even she can fully understand. Plus there’s the rakish wolf pirate who, for those who LOVE pirates, will find their newest book boyfriend.

Side note, if you've been with me for a while, you'll know I am a fan of dual POVS. For me, it gives me the bigger picture of knowing what's going on in both characters heads, while navigating their journey towards their hopeful happily ever after.

Now, this is a debut novel, so I get why the author decided to choose only Saoirse’s POV. But, I am ever hopeful with that epilogue that Rapier chooses to have both Faolan and Saoirse in the second novel. Fingers crossed.

A debut not to be missed. Soulgazer grabbed my attention and never let go. I still can’t stop thinking about it.

Go grab a copy of this one book friends!

Arrrrrr matey! The pirate romance you didn't know you needed, loooooved the slow burn tension, the world building was rich and I appreciated it as usually in romantasys it can feel a little flat, can't wait to read more by this author