I'm a massive fan of pirate books so my expectations for this book were high and man, it did not disappoint.
It's got everything you would want from a pirate book: the adventure, the fast-paced action, the banter, and plenty of rum. Our main pirate, Delcan, was the perfect morally gray, super sarcastic captain and paired with the runaway heir, Aofie, their dynamic made for a wonderful read. They're both flawed characters, but the growth was developed extremely well and I was living for their conversations.
One of the most surprising aspects of this book was the world building. The island of Cregah (a place where women are in charge) was written incredibly well and I was sucked into the complexity of this society. I wasn't expecting some of the fantasy aspects of the book, such as fae and the mention of dragons and elves. I'm really curious to explore more of the world in the next book!
If you're looking for a daring adventure on the high seas, this is the book for you!
I received an ARC of this title from the author through Books of Matches Media in exchange for an honest review. Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary ...this felt like coming home, like finding that one place where she belonged after living her whole life feeling off kilter.
It took me approximately 10 minutes to choose a quote to open this review...I have quite the quote list, y'all.
Guys. This book. It is so freaking good. Easily the best seafaring book I've read and easily one of my favorite reads. I'm calling it now. On These Black Sands will be in my top 3 reads of 2021. The world is fascinating and completely unique, the characters are rich, and the plot was full of so much action and unexpected twists that the book was absolutely unputdownable. I cannot wait for you guys to have this book in your hands. Let me go ahead an make one thing clear though...Declan is mine. Sorry. You can join our crew but I won't be sharing him. Perks of reading early is that I can go ahead and stake my claim. So there it is. Claim. Staked.
In all seriousness though, I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens in book two, even though I'm dying a little inside that I'll have to wait forever for it. I don't want to say too much because I want to leave you wanting but here are a couple of my favorite quotes, just to give you a taste of what you're in for when you pick this one up in August...
She'd had a smile as warm as the sunshine at his back, and a will as hard as the stones beneath his feet.
We weren't meant to be alone. We weren't meant for solitude. But what's the point of being among people if you can never be comfortable. Be yourself.
...your mind is on distant lands you've never seen, on adventures you've yet to take, and on a life you have only been able to imagine.
Thanks so much to the author for sending me an early copy. Because this was an early copy, quotes are subject to minor changes. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary Pirates!! Need I say more?!
I am a real sucker for any pirate book, so obviously I loved reading this. One of my top favorite pirate books is Fable. Fable and this book are basically the same book with a few differences. They both have…
- Female MC running away from someone
- MC trying to find passage on a pirate ship
- MC finding a hot pirate captain and persuades him to let her on the ship
- MC has complicated parental relationships
- Hot pirate captain has a secret
- Captain also has his own mission to accomplish
See? Basically the same book. I still loved it though! Told ya I was a sucker for pirate books. 🤷🏼♀️❤️ Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary I am a huge lover of pirate/seafaring books so I knew by the blurb that I would be obsessed with this! And WOW I loved this book! The world is fascinating and different, the characters are rich, and the plot had so much action and plot twists that I could not put the book down! I cannot wait for you guys to have this book in your hands.
Declan is the morally grey hero you want. He's driven but can be unsure, I love the way his crew is his top priority. Aoife is a character I haven’t seen before, she different and unique but also a bit awkward, she has great character growth that is very realistic. Their quest for the enchanted dagger is super exciting but dangerous!
This book has all the snark you could want but also serious moments. A pirate tale filled with political intrigue, a little Irish flavour and a promise of magic! Dive into an world that keeps you coming back for more! Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary well, shiver me timbers, matey, because this is a swashbuckling good time. lol.
honestly though, all corniness aside, if you love pirate stories, then you will definitely want to pick this up. i think this is the first pirate story ive read that involves fae, so i thought that was an interesting cross-over. but the pirates will for sure win you over. there are ones that you love to hate and some that you hate to love. and give me a captain declan any day of the week.
that being said, i honestly couldnt stand aoife for a good part of the novel. she doesnt listen, is very entitled, doesnt use her brain, puts others in danger, and is just overall useless. and then, once things start getting interesting, a flip switches and suddenly shes competent? some might argue thats called character development, but it happens so suddenly and without any sort of build-up that im inclined to disagree.
in the end, she never annoyed me enough to make me stop reading. the seafaring setting and questionable pirates definitely make up for it. this also ends on a cliffhanger, so the second book cant come soon enough.
↠ 3.5 stars Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary
Initially, I was very intrigued because I love pirate books and I instantly liked the MCs Declan and Aoife. Also, the side characters Tommy and Cait. I wish that Declan and Aoife stayed together instead of going their separate ways for a bit when the ship docked. Because that is when my “full steam ahead” reader pace slowed tremendously, and I kept putting On These Black Sands down in favor of other books.
I thought the banter and romantic tension scenes were written well but the internal monologues would stick out to me and made the flow jolt a bit instead of flowing. Sometimes the information being said was also something from earlier in the book so I would check to make sure I wasn’t re-reading a part I already read. I also felt a bit hit on the head with the character's feelings and they were spelled out for me instead of allowing me to come to the conclusion or guess how they might feel on my own.
I will read the next one because I’d like to read more with all the characters. Would especially love more about or from the perspective of Tommy and Cait. Also, usually, when there is a cliffhanger, I can’t just let it hang. I have to read the next one. But, I probably won’t have the urgency to read ASAP.
Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary This novel is what I’d call a savoury, slow-burn romance. If you like books that build more slowly and are driven by character and relationship then this story is perfect for you! Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary More than once, I was caught reading this at work. Not because the book was seen or anything, but because I was laughing out loud to myself in my office like a lunatic and had to explain to my coworkers that pregnancy has NOT made me totally insane–yet. The snark in On These Black Sands is 100% my language and, if it’s even possible, brought out my snarky side even more than usual (my poor husband…pirates and snark in one book). This book is really just wonderful, and if you’ve seen the hype on Bookstagram, it DEFINITELY lives up to it!
I am not new to Vanessa Rasanen’s work. In fact, Soldier On, her book that I read and reviewed back in early 2019, is still one of my all-time favorite Contemporary Romances and one that I still readily recommend to my friends. I’ve been patiently waiting for her next release, and though I would’ve loved for the sequel to Soldier On to have been her next book, this pirate fantasy is far from a disappointment. On These Black Sands is vastly different from her other book (obviously) but just like in Soldier On, I found myself drinking in every word penned, holding my breath around every chapter, and yes, falling in love with and rooting for all of her characters. Her romance writing skills are truly unmatched.
The storyline of Aoife (ee-fuh) and Declan and their quest for the enchanted dagger is both exciting and dangerous. From the very first chapter, the promise of action is fulfilled and rarely slows down during all 436 pages. We encounter swashbuckling fun, intense action, romance, and of course, a bit of mystery and intrigue. Though I was forced to put the book down a few times because of life (bleh), Aoife and Declan were rarely far from my thoughts and I couldn’t wait to settle back in and return to the pages. Now that it’s over with a cliffhanger ending (GAH!) and without this book even officially released yet, my natural binge addiction is throwing a tantrum at the thought of how long I might go without book two. Just…so many feels. I honestly can’t wait for book two!
With On These Black Sands being labeled as “New Adult Fantasy”, I’m sure some readers may be concerned about the content that would classify it as NA instead of YA, so this part of my review is for you! I do believe that On These Black Sands lives up to this classification of NA Fantasy because the characters are older than typical YA characters, and though this book is void of any actual scenes that would have my more intense judgment, there are plenty of inuendoes and action/gore that seemed more graphic than a typical YA fantasy, but nowhere near what I’ve come across in some Adult Fantasy. Romance-wise: there are several heavy flirting scenes that play on passionate attraction, a couple of passionate kissing scenes, and plenty of body admiration and verbal flirting. But, it never goes further than that in this book. There might be some potential for that in the sequential books to come, but this one was without. Language-wise: Some very minor cursing and infrequent at that, never the f-word or anything else like that. Action/Gore-wise: It’s pirates, so I mean, you should expect some blood on your shoes. There are a few detailed fight scenes that give you a pretty good mental image of death, but I never thought any of it was overkill. Overall, the content in this book would not go above a PG-13 rating in my opinion.
In complete review, On These Black Sands is absolutely everything I’d hoped it to be coming from an author that I already held in high esteem! I can’t wait to continue Aoife & Declan’s story…even if that means that I must wait a while longer to continue Meg & Charlie’s from Soldier On! It has a glowing, and sparkling, 5 stars from me!
I received this book for free from the author, however, this is a voluntary review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.
This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary Want? Yes.
Need? Absolutely doodily do. Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary This book is SUCH a fun time! I was a little bit hesitant about it because I kept reading reviews that said this book destroyed me, and I honestly am not particularly a fan of books that leave me feeling destroyed. However, happily, On These Black Sands did NOT destroy me. It did leave me reeeeeeally wanting more, but I know Vanessa Rasanen is working on book two already, so I will be patient :-D I am confident it will be worth it.
One of my favorite things about this book is how the heroine, Aoife, never quite knows what she should do. She's an adult, but she's not great at things like quick decisions or understanding people, and that was very relatable for me. Also, she suffers from panic attacks, and I was really interested in seeing how those can affect a person, and also how other characters respond to them in both good and bad ways. I think it's important to help people like me, who haven't endured a panic attack, to understand how that feels and how to help cope with them. And what doesn't help. Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary
Vanessa Rasanen ✓ 0 Read & Download
He doesn't mind killing people... he just prefers to do it on his own terms.
But the pirates have no say in who they kill on this island.
The council orders. The pirates obey.
This arrangement has kept Declan from setting foot on these shores for years... until a bit of bad luck forces him to return.
But it may prove a lucrative stop, if the rebel's information is true.
Find the dagger. Escape this life.
But only if this damn stowaway doesn't ruin everything first.
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This high seas tale of deceit, legends, and love delivers a deliciously gray hero, a relatable heroine, and a found family you'll root for. An enemies-to-lovers story with a slow-burn romance and one bed, this is book one of a trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. But it's worth it. On These Black Sands (Aisling Sea, #1)