DNF at 50%

I am not sure how I feel about this one.
The writing on a prose level is exactly what I want from a YA fantasy - it's voicy and not overly dressed up, allowing a reader to enter that lovely space where you forget you're reading, and feel more like you're being told a story.
However, I'm very unforgiving of pacing, and poor pacing is one of my main reason for DNFing books. The start of this story is, for me, too slow and the mystery around Morgane's mother was not enough to keep me going. It takes until around 40% in for Morgane to get to France, and then we spend pages upon pages running around as different groups of people try to kidnap her in a series of scenes that feel more at place in scooby doo than in a YA fantasy book.
The pacing also suffers due to too much internality from Morgane. Internality, especially in YA, is vital; however, having paragraphs of reflection mid-scene breaks up the flow of the moment, and honestly, sometimes there isn't that much for Morgane to be thinking about, so she repeats things we've already spent ages agonising over.
My final quibble is not insignificant, but I was willing to let it slide given I was enjoying the voice. I cannot figure out why Anne-Marie told Morgane she wasn't her real mother. I get it - she's dying, but she uses her dying moments to tell her adopted child 'I'm not your mother, your real mother is a monster, don't go looking for her.' but if she hadn't said anything, Morgane wouldn't have known there was anyone to go looking for? The narrative tries to grapple with this, but at least insofar as I got, only handwaves it away as a 'oh she was dying and it was a big secret to keep.' For me, this doesn't hold water.
(also, I get it. She was raised on a pirate ship and doesn't know how to act like a lady. Point made x10000)

This was a delightful adventure story about a young woman discovering herself on her quest to find her parents and revenge. It was fun to read Morgane's culture shock while travelling through historical France and being baffled by the inequality inherent to that society as opposed to her more egalitarian childhood aboard a pirate ship. I can't wait to read about what happens next for these characters.

Hmm, I was really looking forward to this, Vampires and Pirates? Yes please! Except there is a very distinct lack of vampires, pretty much a footnote at the end actually that was wrapped up way way too simply. This was more just a romance, which was fine and quite lovely at times. The swashbuckling start was enjoyable but over quickly and the extent of the promised pirates. It just sadly disappointed on the two aspects I was excited to read this for. I might of enjoyed it more if I wasn't constantly waiting for the supernatural elements to appear.
Thanks to Netgalley and Rebellion for the arc, all thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

The idea of this book sounded really good, but I got bored at 27% and had to DNF.

It started well, but the FMC quickly became an idiot and I lost interest.

This book, sadly, was not for me. I ended up dnfing this book at about 75%. The book has “vampires” in the series name but I saw no signs of any vampires at the 75% mark… I was really excited for this book and I thought it had a lot of potential but it should not take that long into a book for something like that to play out.
The beginning was really fun. I enjoyed the pirate part and the initial part when she got to France and couldn’t tell who to trust. But from there I feel like it kind of fell apart… the story was really slow and I felt like her dad was a really weird character with pretty much only saying 4 words to his daughter (that he just met) and then disappearing???
Idk I just needed a lot more dark and vampire vibes (like even any subtle hinting throughout the book would’ve been nice) and more from the characters.
I’m really bummed I didn’t enjoy this one :(

Morgane, raised on the high seas by her fierce pirate “mother,” learns the shocking truth when a battle-worn captain reveals she’s not her real mum. Set on uncovering her true heritage, Morgane embarks on a journey that leads her through a world of dark secrets, powerful monsters, and royal intrigue.

While the premise holds great promise, the execution didn’t quite deliver for me. The romance between Morgane and Lisette felt rushed—one moment they’re strangers, the next they’re lovers with little development in between. The pacing was uneven, dragging in parts where it didn’t need to and speeding through key moments that could have used more depth. The story also left me with some unanswered questions, particularly around the wolves chasing Morgane—what was their role? Ultimately, while there’s potential, the story didn’t reach the heights I was hoping for.

I wanted to read this book because, pirates. I love pirates, but I got not only pirates but werewolves, vampires and beautiful sapphic romance. So, yeah, that's cool. 
I can't say it is the best book ever, but it was highly entertaining, the action never stops and keeps you hooked from the very first page. Although, I think, it had the potential of being more than one book. There are some things that could use more page time and information about, and I think the Garou were not used to their full potential. 
Also, the ending felt a bit rushed, and while I was reading I was sure the book was the first of a series/duology. I would have love to read more about certain things and extend the story. 
But despite these, the plot is solid, entertaining, the romance is sweet and the characters interesting and well-built. Overall, a great read. I would recommend to everyone who loves pirates mainly and vampires secondly.

I will always be here for a swashbuckling fantasy story; it's just written in my DNA. Unfortunately, I'm not convinced by this one. The pace was uneven and while the story was engaging enough, I feel like the author stayed on a superficial level without really exploring her characters as much as she could have. Morgane is a good MC, with potential to be a great one, but I never really felt like she had a lot of development. The supporting cast only seems to be there to further Morgane's story and that includes Lisette, so their relationship doesn't feel very real. I also felt that the supernatural vampire element that I expected to be at the center of the novel only really came in at the end. I'm not sure marketing it as a vampire book is the way to go because I really expect my vampire books to be, well, more about vampires.

Morgane grew up at sea, daughter of the fierce pirate captain of the Vengeance, raised to follow in her footsteps as scourge of the Four Chains Trading Company. But when Anna-Marie is mortally wounded in battle, she confesses to Morgane that she is not her mother.

The captain of the enemy ship reveals he was paid to kill Anna-Marie and bring Morgane home to France and her real family. Desperate to learn the truth about her lineage, Morgane spares him, leaving the Vengeance and everything she knows behind.

I went into this thinking that it may not be my cup of tea…and surprisingly I quite enjoyed it.
I felt it started off slow but then was very fast paste, there were moments that I thought could have been explored better and some that seemed too long. The relationship between our two main characters was sweet and strong and being queer it made it nice to see and not looked down upon by the other characters. Morgane was a woman of the future, not seeing to solitaries customs and ways of life and not feeling ashamed of the way she expresses herself.
The whole super nature elements felt a bit let down and rushed with nothing to explain to the reader.

Overall it was a good read and I'm looking forward to how see the story will continue.

This was a very fun and easy to read pirate fantasy that I enjoyed. The plot was fast paced and unique, with just a little splash of the supernatural in the last third of the book.

I would liked to have seen a little more character development of the secondary players in the story. A lot of the people Morgane interacted with felt like there were only there to further her story which I found a little boring. I would have liked to see a slower development of her relationship with Lisette, as well as a slower pace in general - I feel this book could have benefitted from being split into two, so we could properly enjoy the characters for longer. But overall a solid read and one I would recommend.

Unfortunately I did DNF this book.

I loved the premise and it could definitely expand and become something great I just struggled with how parts that were slow could have been a little bit more rushed and the parts that were rushed I wanted to learn more about.

I can see others very much enjoying this but I'm sorry it wasn't for me.

Firstly thank you NetGalley and Emma Newman for providing me with the Arc of this book for my honest opinion of this book.

I think the book started off with lots of promise and I was initially very excited. A combination of Pirates, Vampires, Werewolves, Paranormal, Dark, Supernatural; I thought wow this was going to be full of pace!

However after a little while the negatives started mounting up. I found the middle fairly slow and it was hard to maintain my interest. I thought the FMC seemed very naive for someone who you would expect to be a bit more savvy. I didn't really click with the characters and think there needed to be some more character development. Perhaps this and the lack of actual werewolves for most of the book lend itself to being the beginning of a series.

I found it a story of several different parts - almost like key changes with a piece of music. I really enjoyed the beginning but felt like the rest didn't live up to it so was a little disappointed. I do however feel like I'd be interested to know what would happen in book two so there is still a fair chance I'll read that one too and possibly enjoy it a bit more.

Thank you to NetGalley for this book!

On paper this sounded like it was right up my alley. Vampires? Pirates? Yes please! Unfortunately despite these elements, this book didn’t really capture me like I hoped that it would.

The supernatural elements don’t come into the story until right at the end, and some of it feels very throwaway as though the story could’ve stood on its own without them. There’s also a large chunk in the middle of the book where not a whole lot is happening, so the pace felt very uneven throughout.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Morgane, but I did like Lisette’s character. Overall there were no characters I really felt that I connected strongly with, which maybe made it more difficult to get into this story.

I think the book could use some adjusting with the plot. the first portion of the book was very interesting and locked you in and that aspect fell short after the first 30%.

Solid, fun novel that weds some of the broad outlines of some of Dumas' work with a vampire reveal at the end (though I do wish the vampire aspect had been bought to the forefront a bit sooner). We have some fun lesbians and a main who was raised as the daughter of a pirate. Enjoyable read, well worth your time.

Pirates and vampires is always going to be a yes from me, I had fun with this one! I will be reading the next one when it comes out!!!

I really wanted to love The Vengeance. The synopsis promised political intrigue, a sapphic romance, and vampires—what’s not to love? Unfortunately, the execution left much to be desired, and the book didn’t quite live up to its potential.

Let’s start with the positives. The pirate-focused early chapters were genuinely enjoyable. The ship scenes were clearly well-researched, and there’s an underlying sense of adventure that keeps you hooked, at least for a while. There’s also an attempt to explore some fascinating themes, from LGBTQ+ relationships to neurodiversity, which I really appreciated.

However, the pacing was all over the place, which made the story difficult to enjoy fully. The first half moves painfully slowly, and by the time the plot gains momentum, it rushes through critical developments, leaving little time to savour the big reveals. The vampires—arguably the book’s biggest selling point—don’t even show up until the 90% mark, which feels like a huge misstep given how prominently they’re featured in the synopsis. When they do appear, their role feels tacked on rather than integral to the plot.

The sapphic romance was another disappointment. Morgane and Lissette go from acquaintances to lovers so abruptly that it felt rushed and unearned. I wanted to root for them, but their relationship lacked the development needed to make it feel believable.

Another major issue is Morgane’s characterisation. For someone raised on a pirate ship, she comes across as oddly naive and impractical, making decisions that often feel inconsistent with her backstory. Her lack of awareness dragged the story down at times, with her asking questions or making observations that felt jarringly out of place for someone with her supposed experiences.

Ultimately, The Vengeance had a promising premise but struggled with uneven pacing, misleading marketing, and underdeveloped characters. While the pirate adventures in the early chapters are fun, the rest of the book doesn’t quite deliver on its potential.

If you’re here for vampires, you’ll be sorely disappointed. If you’re looking for a sapphic romance, it’s there, but it’s underwhelming. And if you’re here for a cohesive story that balances political intrigue and personal stakes, this isn’t it.

2.5 stars from me, rounded up for the effort put into the historical details and adventurous elements.

I read this book courtesy of NetGalley.

Unfortunately, while I'm a huge fan of Newman's science fiction novels, the same cannot be said about her foray into fantasy swashbuckler adventure. This is Newman in a very, very different mode - not a contemplative exploration of messed up psyche, but instead a story of adventure. Alas, I found myself frustrated with the protagonist, and not terribly gripped by the story or the world. There's a lot of not-like-other-girls vibe to it, with the heroine constantly clashing with conventions she finds pointless or oppressive because it's so much better to be a pirate. I found it repetitive and underdeveloped. Morgane's slow development of a relationship with Lisette was more interesting, and I think some compelling emotional story could be found in the ambivalence Morgane feels towards the woman who raised her (and towards mothering/mothers in general) but it gets lost in action. I also do think making the reveal announced in the title (!) happen this late in the novel just didn't work well.

I think if someone is looking for queer pirates, and for a light book about a girl-out-of-her-element, they might like this lots more than I did. For me, it was a miss.

I love anything to do with pirates and I was really looking forward to this one but sadly the middle was just too boring for me. The first and last part of the book were so quick paced and fun I wish she would’ve brought that energy to the middle of the book

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this ARC to review.

I sadly had to DNF this book at 25% of the way through. I tried really hard to give it another shot, but I found the storyline to drag and take too long to get into the nitty gritty of it all. I feel that the world building and introductions to characters could have been more detailed, however I didn't create any form of bond to any character which usually keeps me going during slow books as I want to see where the storyline will take them.