Welcome to my tour stop! Read my review of this Latino fantasy below...
Sinner's Isle
By Angela Montoya
Young Adult Fantasy
Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook & eBook, 384 Pages
October 31, 2023 by Joy Revolution
Summary
The fiery tale of a powerful witch who will do anything to escape the remote island she’s being held captive on, including blackmail an infamous, charming pirate who washes up on shore, from debut author Angela Montoya.
Rosalinda is trapped on Sinner’s Isle under the watchful eye of a power-hungry headmistress. And thanks to her vicious phantoms, Rosa is the most favored at this year’s Offering, where Majestics’ powers will be on full display so the wealthy may choose one to serve them for life.
For years, she has been kept under the watchful, calculating eye of Doña Lucia. Now eighteen, Rosa will be the prized commodity at this year’s Offering, a fiesta for the wealthy to engage in drink, damsels, and debauchery. That is why she must flee—before someone forces the vicious phantoms within her to destroy everything she touches.
Handsome, swashbuckling Mariano has long sailed the high seas as the Prince of Pirates. Then the king’s fleet attacks his father’s infamous ship, leaving him marooned on Sinner’s Isle with only an enchanted chain meant to lead him to his heart’s desire. Instead, he falls into the hands of a brazen (although) bewitching headache—Rosa.
Together they must outwit each other and their enemies before the Offering ends and it’s too late to escape the perils of Sinner’s Isle.
(Affiliate links included.)
My Review
SINNER'S ISLE is the first book in a new line of YA books focusing on diverse romance. This book stars a Latino cast of characters as well as different types of romantic relationships. In that vein, the characters definitely have some sass and come across vividly. The story is entertaining with nudges of thought towards how we view the world and people around us, how experiences tint that view, and the fight for freedom. The culture and fantasy setting add some depth to the story as well. The romance is forefront with it being fairly instantaneous. Fans of YA fantasy with plenty of drama and romance may enjoy this one.
It was fun to read a book full of what would be considered Latino characters. I've read a handful of books with similar characters but all of them contemporary, so this was my first time diving into a fantasy with that distinction. It is a lush culture and I felt that author did well in carrying over some of that. I would have liked a lot more. The characters were diverse with a lot of different personalities and roles played. The story moved at a steady pace with some climatic moments and an especially climatic ending. I liked the overall character development as the story progressed. I also liked how some parts of the story played out, such as the stone Mariano wore. I really liked the sisterhood and friendships of the girls on the island. The romance was pretty instantaneous. It's not my ideal way of a romance playing out. Romance is definitely the main focus of this story along with the magical and cultural aspects.
I did have some issues with the story. The heroine was a bit mediocre to me. I think because she froze a lot or didn't think things through. I wanted her to be stronger. I also wanted the hero to be stronger. It seemed that his life experience didn't really transfer to his actual character and actions. I also felt like the king's part wasn't realistic. He literally never had guards and things happened a bit too easily with him. It's hard for me to really like a book if I don't love the main characters. In addition, some things didn't feel realistic or make sense to me and the conclusion was tied up too prettily. There were also aspects that were overly emphasized which I felt distracted from the story a bit.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was an overall page-turner with diverse characters full of magic and romance, set in an intriguing fantasy world. I'm curious to see what this imprint publishes next.
Content: Some innuendo and suggestive content, LGBTQIA+ relationships, some violence, drinking, swearing (several s-words and one f-word), and one love scene.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through TBR and Beyond Tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Mood Board
About the Author
No comments
Post a Comment
I love comments! I try to read and reply to them all. Feel free to agree or disagree and generally share your thoughts with me.