Posted on Goodreads, Instagram (BookedBailey) on 9/28 and 9/29. Submitted Amazon review under BookedBailey, but hasn't been approved yet.



I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea" by Katherine Quinn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
✈️ to: a Mystical Island

Well this book blew my expectations out of the water 🌊(excuse the pun!). If you're looking for a spicy new adult, Pirates of the Caribbean-esque book, then you need to read "The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea" by Katherine Quinn ASAP!

This is probably my favorite ARC I've read on NetGalley yet! I was immediately intrigued by the story and loved the sword fighting action sequences 🤺early on -- I only wished we'd had more of them throughout the book! I'm also a bit of a sucker for enemies to lovers, which this was, but I wish they'd stayed enemies at bit longer...

All in all, this is a super solid adult fantasy debut and I'm excited to read the sequel. I would definitely recommend that fans of The Bridge Kingdom check this out!

p.s. Was I the only one who was getting Darkling vibes from Malum at the end of this book? I'm worried I'm about to (predictably) have a crush on another villain!✨

Good book, but wasn't a big standout for people who read tons of books. If your looking for just a good story this is great, but as someone who owns two many books this didn't really stand out.

I felt like The Girl Who Belonged To The Sea was like a better (and more diverse) version of Sarah J Maas’s A Court of Mist and Fury, with a touch of Fable and a hint of Deeplight. That is to say, it was really, really good.

The main character Margrete is tortured by her father and prays to any God who will listen, but would do anything to protect her little sister - even agree to the arranged marriage with a count whom she has never met before. When she is kidnapped in the middle of her wedding and brought to an island that she has always thought to be a myth by its very ruler, she tries to finally reach her goal of freedom.

I adored Margrete and the character growth she went through. I could relate to her very well and found all of her motivations and thoughts easy to follow. A thing that I liked especially is that she never stopped thinking of her little sister and wanting to save her - something that I’ve seen happen in too many other books. She is at the beginning and remains throughout the story a strong, independent, courageous and compassionate character who I admired a lot.

Bash honestly reminded me of Rhys from the first line on, hence also the comparison at the beginning of this review. He is proud but humble, cocky but sweet and he puts his people before anything else - except for maybe Margrete, although that is a struggle that I found especially well explored in this book.

I’m a bit sad that we haven’t seen more of the courtiers yet, but I guess that’s something that will be developed more throughout the rest of the trilogy. Adrian and Bay seem like that amazing pair of best friends who would stand with you against the rest of the world if need be, and I hope to get to know the female courtiers better as well in the future, becaus what I’ve seen (read) of them so far was very promising as well. I wish Margrete had taken up Shade’s offer of friendship at some point already now.

Then again, the plot was so incredibly fast paced that there was scarcely any opportunity to fit in such a thing - but still, she could have been escorted to the city by her at some point, for example. I did like how fast everything happened right from the beginning and that I didn’t feel bored at any point. Quite the opposite, really - I finished this book within 4 hours because I was so drawn in by everything.

The exciting plot and the great character dynamics were matched by an interesting and well executed worldbuilding and a great writing style, without which I would never have rated the book as highly as I do now. I loved the attention to details and how immersive the writing was.

I also quite enjoyed the ending. I liked that Margrete wasn’t all-powerful and could defeat her enemy without any kind of training, and that there’s a cliffhanger for the next book in the series. The pacing was just as great as it was for the rest of the book and I was glad to have Birdie back again.

All in all, I’m super excited for how the series will continue and the fact that this is the first ARC that I now want to have a physical copy of as well speaks for itself, doesn’t it?

5/5 stars.

The Girl who Belonged to the Sea is an immersive fantasy romance that was genuinely delightful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Owl City Press for allowing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I did forget to download this and bought a copy so I could complete my review.

Plot summary:
Margrete is desperate for saving form the gods after her power hungry father marries her to the wealthy Count Casbian. Across the sea an immortal answers her prayer, and on her wedding day Bash spirits her away to help reclaim a powerful relic stolen from home.

As Bash starts to be drawn to the woman he is sworn to hate, lines blur and Margrete must decide what is best for her in the end.

Review:
Plot and World Building – This was a really well built world that was well fleshed out. The lore could have had some more in it but I feel this may be explored in a sequel.

The plot was really enjoyable and kept me engaged throughout the story. Overall pacing of the story was really quite varied and it worked well for the plot. I’m a massive fan of the enemies to lovers trope and this really ticked all the boxes on that front.

Characters and Development- Margrete was a very intriguing character and I genuinely loved her development throughout. Her relationship with Bash in particular was fantastic.

Bash was everything I love in a male love interest and had me swooning at some points. He was just built up throughout the story perfectly.

Overall there was not one character I disliked.

Final Thoughts:
A Dazzling fantasy that swept me away and I cannot wait for the future of the series.

This book was honestly a pleasant surprise! I'm always a little skeptical when publishers compare it to ACOTAR, as it almost never lives up to the hype and the amount of love I feel for that book, but this one came pretty close!

It was mainly the writing style and the enemies-to-lovers romance trope that really did it for me. Don't get me wrong, the plot was engaging as well, but I found it to be slightly predictable. As soon as the narrator started bringing up an ancient artefact, I knew where the story was going. But please don't let that deter you, because there's so much more to love about this book!

The writing style is probably what makes me compare this book to ACOTAR most. The writing feels quite similar and is captivating and makes you want to keep reading. It's lyrical, but doesn't distract from the reading experience or makes you read a sentence twice because you got the intonation wrong.

The enemies-to-lovers romance trope... I'm a sucker for them, so any book that has them will instantly rise to the top of my list. While this wasn't necessarily 'enemies' to lovers, it certainly was an entertaining romance to read about. And there's SPICE! I know that fantasy books don't necessarily need spice to be good, but I felt that the two spicy scenes were placed just right in the story, They actually added to the story (as much as a spicy scene can add to the story) and I appreciate that much more than just "here, sex" like some books tend to have,

Plotwise, like I said, I thought the book was a little predictable. But I've read my fair share of fantasies so please don't take my advise to heart. There are plenty of plottwists and turns that'll keep you guessing and I honestly think that this book deserves to get a lot of hype, because it promises to be an amazing trilogy.

4.5 stars!

I have to say, I love a well built fantasy world. And The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea delivers there. In a world where myths of sea creatures are real but forgotten, we meet our heroine Margrete. She is trapped by the ironclad rule of her own father, to the point where she is willing to marry a stranger in order to gain her (and her sister's) freedom.

However, her wedding day doesn't go to plan, and Margrete is taken to a world she thought only existed in myth, the island of Azantian. There she finds romance and a place she belongs. And, of course, there is a looming threat of all the nightmares of the sea being released back upon the world.

The author did a fantastic job building this world and her characters. Margrete and our rakish hero Bash are so amazing and complex. The island of Azantian is truly magical, and I wish it were real so I could go there. The myths that anchor this world were also very well done,

This book has a bit of everything: high seas adventure, fantasy, romance, intrigue! I cannot wait for the rest of this trilogy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher City Owl Press for an advanced copy!

Trigger warning: abuse, death

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. I am so honored to have received this book. Katherine Quinn did a very good job on this book.

Margrete has been raised by her cruel father and is being forced to marry the Court Casbian to further her fathers strength and power. However, on her wedding day she is kidnapped by a Pirate, Bash, who plans to use her to bargain with her father and save the Pirates kingdom.

This book was such an easy read and I was hooked from the very first chapter. I couldn't wait to see how Margrete was going to find her freedom. It was crammed with Action, Adventure, Romance and Mystery.

I loved how she occasionally included chapters that where from Bash's point of view. I did find that the ending felt a little rushed and caused me to get a bit confused. Overall it was a very good story. I give it a rating of a 4/5!

This book was a fantastic start to a trilogy. I really liked that the main character wasn’t a Mary Sue who was just “good at everything,” and we got to see her grow into the BA at the end. I knew there wouldn’t be a 100% resolution as it’s book 1 of 3 but dang, I enjoyed this so much.

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy.

I just happened to come across this book, which is he first in a series by Katherine Quinn, and I am so glad I did!

The world that Quinn has developed was interesting and I immediately found myself loving Margrete, the main character. She has definitely lived a tough life...mainly because of her father and when she finds herself being forced by him to marry a man for his own benefit, she isn't truly on board but she sees it as an opportunity to give herself and her little sister the chance to get away from their father and live a better life.

On the day of her wedding, Margrete's nuptials are interrupted by invaders who are looking to use her as leverage against her father. Ultimately, she is kidnapped and as she quickly finds out, it is by the king of Azantian. His reasons are focused on the fact that Margrete's father has stolen something they desperately need back and despite all her arguments that her father doesn't truly care about her, the king still chooses to try to trade her.

The King of Azantian is Bash and I really liked him as a character. He's smart and willing to put his people needs ahead of everything. As he and Margrete get to know each other, it only creates more complexity in their relationship and they ultimately have to decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the people they love.

If you're looking for a new YA Fantasy series, I definitely recommend picking this one up. The world building was great, the characters were engaging, and I loved the story. I'll for sure be grabbing book two when it's available!

3.5 stars - I sat with my thoughts on this one for a few days. I did not dislike this book and I will continue the series, but I did have some issues with it.

But first - the good. To start with, I love this cover. I think it is gorgeous. It's a book I would have picked up at the bookstore simply for the cover, and then I would have bought it for the description.
I really like the plot and all of the components - strong female protagonist, enemies to lovers, sea creatures, and pirates! All of that is totally up my alley, and I did like this book. However, for as long as the book was (I whipped through it quickly - it never dragged), there were parts that I wish were fleshed out more and some characters that I wanted to see more of.

Overall, it was a good book and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Completely loved this book! A rich fantasy with ancient gods, dangerous pirates and a slow burn romance, I was completely engrossed right from the start. Quinn's world building is excellent, and she has written characters that jump off the page.

My only complaint is that the book ended just as we were starting to get into the action, and I can't believe we have to wait to find out what happens next!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this book. The writing was easy to read, and kept me on my toes. I had no trouble getting invested in this book and the characters.

This is a fantasy which starts off with Margrete, the eldest daughter of Captain Wood, being abused by her father. Margrete endures his abuse in order to protect her sister, Birdie. She was forced to marry Count Casbian but on her wedding day, she was kidnapped by Bash, King of Azantian. Margrete thought that Azantian was a myth until she sees it with her own eyes. Bash hopes to get back something that Captain Wood had stolen many years ago and he plans to use Margrete as leverage. What he didn’t plan on doing was to fall in love with her. He shouldn’t develop feelings for Margrete, not under the circumstances they are in.

As Margrete finds out who she really is and unravel the mysteries of the past, she intends to control her fate and protects those she love. This was quite a quick read for me. I found the first part of the book a little slow but thankfully the story picked up halfway through. I enjoyed the concept of the sea gods and the world of Azantian. I wished more was built on this. There were a few side characters I would have loved to read more about like Shade the treasurer, Ortum the advisor but there wasn’t much character development for them.

Bash and Margrete have a slight enemies to lovers relationship but they progressed too fast for my liking. I would have love to see more enemy scenes before they fall in love. I am not the biggest fan of instant love so I would have wanted to see their relationship develop more. There are some sweet moments that will have you gushing and there are also some steamy scenes which I don’t really care about. Overall, I really enjoyed the concept of the story and the mythology hidden within and I especially love Margrete’s feisty personality and growth to finding herself.

Thank you netgalley and cityowlbooks for the arc!

I really enjoyed this book, gripped me from the start, and I couldn't put it down, I read this in a day. I love margrete alot such a force and independent women, wanting to be free from men trying to control her life, this book will want you leaving more, definitely a must read.

Did someone say New Adult pirate romance??

For Margrete Wood, each day is a miserable repetition of avoiding her father’s anger and shielding her younger sister Birdie from the worst abuses of their home. When she learns she is to be married, Margrete agrees to not cause a scene at her wedding in exchange for Birdie’s company when she travels to her new home in Cartus with the unknown Count Casbian. However, the ceremony falls apart all on its own when pirates kidnap Margrete, who is soon face to face with legends come to life, a haunting voice in the sea, and a place among her captors that is starting to feel like home.

This is a romance driven story, with feuding sea gods causing trouble to keep things interesting. The action starts right away, and I appreciate how there’s just enough backstory provided for context as things move along. Margrete is caring, intelligent, and bull-headedly stubborn, and it’s fun following her into some interesting problems, some of which are definitely her own fault. The knowledgeable reader will spot nods to iconic moments to both Pride & Prejudice (2005 film) and A Court of Mist and Fury. Also, the cover is definitely giving flashbacks of The Girl the Sea Gave Back.

I did wish more time was spent with the side characters. Few of them were explored beyond basic personalities, and Count Casbian was someone who was unexpectedly uninteresting. He disappears for a while after the introduction, and by that time he was “almost entirely forgotten” - by both me and Margrete.

So if you’re looking for a love story with dramatic storms and pretty boys, come along on this tale of a girl, a pirate, and monsters under the sea, where all black pants are described as “onyx” and someone who can’t swim tries out one-hundred-and-one ways to escape from an island.

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!**

This novel is so riveting, and had me immediately invested in the story and the characters. The imagery used helps paint out scene after scene with wonderful clarity. From the first moment Margrete and Bash are brought together on the day of her forced wedding to a man she doesn't want to marry I was immediately intrigued.

There is so much about this story that I absolutely loved from the magic, the use of the sea, and the romance!

The romance that blooms within this story is not only enemies to lovers, but it's also forbidden as well. Since this is just the first book in this trilogy I know there is so much more to come that I'm so excited for. I can't get enough of these characters and I'm glad I don't have to say good bye to them.

If you love magic, immortal men, steamy forbidden romance, and a unique fantasy world then this book is definitely one to check out.

Thank you NetGalley and City Owl Press for the ARC of this novel.

<b>Only small men fear a woman who knows her own mind and wields a sword. Who fights back. Because those women...Well, they have the power to send men to their knees.</b>

Margrete was forced to marry Count Casbian under the strict order from her cruel, abusive and power hungry father. Desperate to get out of this situation, Margrete pray to any Gods to be free from her father's grasp.
What she didn't realize one God actually answer her prayer. Before Margrete could ever marry the count, she was taken to a hidden island by a handsome pirate whose in fact a king trying to save his kingdom. He kidnapped Margrete and plans on using her as a bargaining chip to retrieve the relic that margrete's father stolen decades ago.
When she arrives in Azantian, she started to explore the island and also finds herself attracted to the auburn hair pirate-king. It isn't long before a devastating secret is revealed—one that ties Margrete to the gods themselves. She finally realize there's a lot of things she didn't know about herself.

This book is pretty well written and well-paced. The plot is really interesting, it keeps making me flipping the pages and I finish this book in one sitting. It's a real page turner with the detailed description of the world building and loveable characters will get you hooked onto the story pretty fast.

I love the character development of Margrete. Reading about her growing from a girl who can't even stand up to her father to a girl who finally gets her freedom and defend her loved ones from her vicious father is truly fascinating.
Not just the main character, I also love the secondary characters Bay and Adrian. They are a nice touch who brings humor so the story wasn't a full on serious angsty romance of Bash and Margrete.

I also love the dual POV of Bash and Margrete which makes the readers could easily connect with the main character by knowing what they are thinking and feeling at the same time.

While this book has the enemies to lovers trope in it, I have to say the enemies part isn't really there. I was hoping there would be more fighting or hatred between the two of them before they started opening up to each other and become lovers in the end.
Personally, I think Bash and Margrete get together a bit too fast for my liking which resulting to feel like an instant love.
But, I'm willing to round up the 5 stars because despite that I'm still able to enjoy reading their love story.

Overall, this is an amazing debut novel. This book serves as a good start of a series because it makes you wish you had the next one beside you. With a captivating world building and great characters make this book is hard to put down.
Highly enjoyable, entertaining and recommended for those who loves reading a book consisting of pirates, sea gods, mystical sea creatures, high-seas adventures with an enemies to lovers and found family tropes!
I'm looking forward to read the rest of the books in this series!

<b>Special thanks to Netgalley, Katherine Quinn and City Owl Press for allowing me to read this beautiful ARC in return for an honest review!</b>

<b>Actual rating: 4.5⭐</b>

The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is the first book in The Azantian Trilogy by author Katherine Quinn. This is the first book I’ve read from this author, but it certainly won’t be the last.

The Girl who Belonged to the Sea is a light, fun fantasy romance which follows Margrete after she is abducted on her wedding day by a pirate who takes her back to his island kingdom. Margrete, however is not the weak-willed Princess he is expecting. Secrets are revealed, romance ensues and there is plenty of action and angst.

The book is told in alternating perspectives from Margrete and the pirate Bash. Both characters are fun to read, engaging and believable. You want to see them both succeed in their goals individually and as a couple. The banter and flirtation at the beginning between the characters is fun to read. The side characters are interesting, I’d have liked to learn more about them.

The world that Katherine Quinn has created is complex, rich and beautiful. The scenes are described in enough detail that you can easily picture the vast and vibrant settings. I enjoyed the high fantasy and epic feel of the story which had everything from pirates to gods to princesses to sea creatures. Fans of authors like Sarah J Maas, Jennifer Armentrout and Brigid Kemmerer would likely enjoy this.

There are some adult scenes around the mid-point of the book, so be warned if this isn’t your thing. 

The conclusion wraps up most of the major plot elements but leaves enough mystery and intrigue to keep you interested and wanting to read the next book.

Overall, this book exceeded my expectations and was a fun and worthwhile read that I’d highly recommend. I look forward to reading the rest of this trilogy and more works by this author.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and City Owl Press for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 stars

Wow! I just finished this book and I’m still reeling for it!! Also just want to pretend that epilogue didn’t happen and I can just enjoy the HEA. Although I do appreciate the setup for the next book but still. Could have gone a little longer before the stress!!

This book balanced adventure and romance really well. It had the perfect amount of both! Margrete and Bash were such a fun couple to watch fall in love. I loved the enemies to lovers trope and I think this book did it really well!

Margrete was a little naive in the beginning but I enjoyed watching her grow. She matured at the end and really grew into her character. I enjoyed her figuring out the world at the same time we did. I also loved that she didn’t give up even though the odds weren’t in her favor.

Bash was such a fun character! I loved his pirate persona. I also really enjoyed his banter with Margrete. He was witty and passionate. I loved finding out his secrets and what made him Bash.

Overall really enjoyed this book! Bash and Margrete were a fun/witty couple. I really enjoyed the adventure and trying to figure out the story. Looking forward to the second one!

Thank you City Owl Press and Katherine Quinn for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This book hooks you right from the start. I couldn’t put it down once I begun. It tells the tale of Margrete who is being forced into a marriage by her cruel father. On her wedding day, she is kidnapped by a pirate who takes who to a world she believed a part of her fictional fairy tales. There she finds out about a battle of gods and how she is intertwined into this battle for wills.

I really enjoyed this read, it was jam packed with action and adventure. I cannot wait for the rest of the trilogy.