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Blue Tide
Fans of Passenger by Alexandra Bracken, Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, and The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke will love this post apocalyptic young adult novel that brings the best of both Fantasy and Action Adventure to life. Blue Tide is a stand-alone novel.
Seventeen-year-old refugee Lux plots her escape from the island where her family is stranded, denying that her home was lost in the Floods. Lux is determined to get her old life back by any means possible. But before her feet even leave the sand, she's taken hostage by a vengeance-driven pirate nearly as young as she is.
Her capture is the key to his freedom...
Captain Draven's scarf veils more than his face. Underneath, he struggles between morality and survival. When Lux sees deeper into his motivations, she's torn. She can commit mutiny to escape to a home that may no longer exist, or she can try to help Draven escape the clutches of the person responsible for the deaths of half the world. Staying would mean entrusting her life to a pirate. Helping Draven would mean losing her heart to one.
Blue Tide is an award-winning YA adventure-packed romance steeped in Middle Eastern culture and set in the Asian Pacific amongst dangerous oceans and tropical islands.
Seventeen-year-old refugee Lux plots her escape from the island where her family is stranded, denying that her home was lost in the Floods. Lux is determined to get her old life back by any means possible. But before her feet even leave the sand, she's taken hostage by a vengeance-driven pirate nearly as young as she is.
Her capture is the key to his freedom...
Captain Draven's scarf veils more than his face. Underneath, he struggles between morality and survival. When Lux sees deeper into his motivations, she's torn. She can commit mutiny to escape to a home that may no longer exist, or she can try to help Draven escape the clutches of the person responsible for the deaths of half the world. Staying would mean entrusting her life to a pirate. Helping Draven would mean losing her heart to one.
Blue Tide is an award-winning YA adventure-packed romance steeped in Middle Eastern culture and set in the Asian Pacific amongst dangerous oceans and tropical islands.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2017
10 people are currently reading
1135 people want to read
About the author
Jenna-Lynne Duncan
5 books206 followersJenna-Lynne Duncan likes to write heart-stopping, page-turning, haunting romance in all YA genres. With a love for travel and special connection to the Middle East, she explores different cultures and different languages. Her current Young Adult releases are titled Hurricane, Tempest, and Aftermath (Divertir Publishing) and the forthcoming Blue Tide. Jenna graduated with degrees in Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science, and International Studies. BLUE TIDE was the recent winner of RWA’s Romancing the Lake contest. She welcomes those to contact her on Twitter, @JennaLynneD, or her website: www.Jenna-Lynne.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 13, 2017
FREAKING FANTASTIC!!! THERE HAS TO BE A BOOK 2!!!!!!! Full review to come...
March 8, 2020
For the love of all things holy, please stop romanticising abuse in books. I can’t.
I found it a tad peculiar that a - supposedly - diverse 2017 release had flown so under the radar but I understand now. Dear God. This book. Just no. If you thought we were finally starting to leave poorly written ya-fantasies-that-are-actually-romances in the past, you were wrong. This book took all the tropes we loathe and combined them. It promised us pirates and Middle Eastern culture and gave us love triangles and weirdly expressive eyes and juvenile romantic drama. It was a solid 350+ pages of nope. The world-building was appalling. The plot was messy and dull. The writing was beyond juvenile. The protagonist was unlikable and ridiculously gullible.
Worst of all? The romances were cliched and cringe-worthy and problematic AF. We have multiple occasions where the LIs a) kiss our protagonist without consent, even after she expressly says no or b) kisses her to stop her talking. Lux is shown to ‘sink into’ these kisses after struggling for a bit. At one point, the LI apologies for kissing her without consent… but immediately does it again. Nope, nope, nope. I am not here for that at all. The ‘diversity’ is also a dubious stretch. Lux is technically biracial but her father refuses to acknowledge his ethnicity (which is vaguely ‘arabic’). I am not sure where the ‘Middle Eastern culture’ really came into the story?
Overall? I did not enjoy a single aspect of this story. It was cliched and boring. The characters were awful and the romance made me feel sick. The author romanticised abusive behaviour and I am not down for that, ever.
I found it a tad peculiar that a - supposedly - diverse 2017 release had flown so under the radar but I understand now. Dear God. This book. Just no. If you thought we were finally starting to leave poorly written ya-fantasies-that-are-actually-romances in the past, you were wrong. This book took all the tropes we loathe and combined them. It promised us pirates and Middle Eastern culture and gave us love triangles and weirdly expressive eyes and juvenile romantic drama. It was a solid 350+ pages of nope. The world-building was appalling. The plot was messy and dull. The writing was beyond juvenile. The protagonist was unlikable and ridiculously gullible.
Worst of all? The romances were cliched and cringe-worthy and problematic AF. We have multiple occasions where the LIs a) kiss our protagonist without consent, even after she expressly says no or b) kisses her to stop her talking. Lux is shown to ‘sink into’ these kisses after struggling for a bit. At one point, the LI apologies for kissing her without consent… but immediately does it again. Nope, nope, nope. I am not here for that at all. The ‘diversity’ is also a dubious stretch. Lux is technically biracial but her father refuses to acknowledge his ethnicity (which is vaguely ‘arabic’). I am not sure where the ‘Middle Eastern culture’ really came into the story?
Overall? I did not enjoy a single aspect of this story. It was cliched and boring. The characters were awful and the romance made me feel sick. The author romanticised abusive behaviour and I am not down for that, ever.
dnf
July 25, 2017Okay, I am pretty disappointed. I couldn't even get past page 33. I was looking forward to a book of swashbuckling and a seafarer but alas, the writing just wasn't for me. Aside from how juvenile the writing was our protagonist could hardly go a page without describing the antagonists eyes. I stopped on a page that his eyes were somehow mentioned 3 times on one page.
"He glared at me murderously."
"Lifting my chin, I met his ice gaze straight on."
"The captain held up the chain, his eyes wide with victory."
I mean, why not let his eyes do all talking? That was just from one page! I kid you not, the previously pages were very descriptive of his sea blue eyes. I just don't have the patience for it, especially when a lot of what is written doesn't really add to the story.
So, sorry...It's just not for me.
"He glared at me murderously."
"Lifting my chin, I met his ice gaze straight on."
"The captain held up the chain, his eyes wide with victory."
I mean, why not let his eyes do all talking? That was just from one page! I kid you not, the previously pages were very descriptive of his sea blue eyes. I just don't have the patience for it, especially when a lot of what is written doesn't really add to the story.
So, sorry...It's just not for me.
February 13, 2017
Well crap this better be a series. If I knew it was my rating would probably be a 5 because with how it ended I need more! But I really loved this book. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. When I saw it had pirates I was expecting a historical or a fantasy but not a post-apocalyptic "Waterworld" type book. But I loved it anyways! Please let there be a book 2!
Read
May 8, 2017DNF
Mini review:
I has heard about this book through Twitter and was interested in the synopsis. I read the sample before I bought it. It was enjoyable but I forgot about a few days later. I just lost interest.
Still recommend.
Mini review:
I has heard about this book through Twitter and was interested in the synopsis. I read the sample before I bought it. It was enjoyable but I forgot about a few days later. I just lost interest.
Still recommend.
May 25, 2016
Speechless, absolutely speechless is what I was immediately following finishing Blue Tide. Jenna-Lynne Duncan is a magician when it comes to teleporting the reader to another time, to another world where action, adventure, fear and the unknown rule.
The characters were flawless, they are developed and grow so much throughout the story that you the reader get attached, you want their happiness, you want to see them triumph and you want them to love.
Blue Tide is action packed and keeps you on your toes, wondering what's going to happen next. Just when you think you know, you get hit with a twist and are left wondering what is yet to come.
A brilliant coming of age story, where finding out what you want might not necessarily what you need, and sometimes in life you need to move forward to truly live.
The characters were flawless, they are developed and grow so much throughout the story that you the reader get attached, you want their happiness, you want to see them triumph and you want them to love.
Blue Tide is action packed and keeps you on your toes, wondering what's going to happen next. Just when you think you know, you get hit with a twist and are left wondering what is yet to come.
A brilliant coming of age story, where finding out what you want might not necessarily what you need, and sometimes in life you need to move forward to truly live.
January 9, 2017
You won't be able to put this down, oh, and PIRATES!
Think about if The Dread Pirate Roberts met Buttercup on his ship instead of the farm...and go! This was a page-turner with action, tension, and questions I desperately need answered in the sequel.
Lux is captured and taken aboard a pirate ship, using her wit and heart to stay alive. Captain Draven is a mystery she must figure out before she is delivered to an old enemy. But when Lux must make the decision to double-cross Draven, a new villain emerges causing her to question her previous motives and rely on her captor for the truth.
I LOVED this book. It was all things yummy with romance, adventure, and nail-biting. This was such a fun read, I cannot wait for the next book to come out!
Think about if The Dread Pirate Roberts met Buttercup on his ship instead of the farm...and go! This was a page-turner with action, tension, and questions I desperately need answered in the sequel.
Lux is captured and taken aboard a pirate ship, using her wit and heart to stay alive. Captain Draven is a mystery she must figure out before she is delivered to an old enemy. But when Lux must make the decision to double-cross Draven, a new villain emerges causing her to question her previous motives and rely on her captor for the truth.
I LOVED this book. It was all things yummy with romance, adventure, and nail-biting. This was such a fun read, I cannot wait for the next book to come out!
January 1, 2017
Title: "Blue Tide" by Jenna-Lynne Duncan
Rating: 4.8/5 stars
THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING! First book of 2017. Took two days to finish and that is because I had to stop and force myself to sleep. This book was addicting. It has everything I love to read in books. There is action,adventure, romance, tension, great characters and a feel of dystopian theme on it, I LOVED IT! I love the world the author created, she is a great writer and I got all the feels. You guys will swoon for a certain character!!
Rating: 4.8/5 stars
THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING! First book of 2017. Took two days to finish and that is because I had to stop and force myself to sleep. This book was addicting. It has everything I love to read in books. There is action,adventure, romance, tension, great characters and a feel of dystopian theme on it, I LOVED IT! I love the world the author created, she is a great writer and I got all the feels. You guys will swoon for a certain character!!
September 28, 2020
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I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. In one hand, it kept me glued to the pages for the best part of it, so I can't say it's a bad book at all. It was entertaining and made me forget about the time as I sped through it. But on the other hand, it had just so many issues?
Writing-wise, it was pretty average. I think the first half was certainly better than the second one (probably because it had so much dialogue), although it always irked me how the author chose the "tell" rather than "show" technique. She would tell the reader how the heroine was feeling, how the other characters must be feeling, and basically did a complete psychological analysis of everything before I was even able to think for myself. That wasn't enjoyable, and it made little sense, especially considering this is first-person POV. There's no way this girl had that much information about so much going on both inside her head and inside everyone else's.
There were a lot of inconsistencies, plot holes and a lot of choppy narrative. Like I said, it was pretty okay for the first half and so, but then went pretty downhill after that. It became incredibly slow and boring and dragged for quite a long time before eventually picking up again towards the end (thank God). It felt like the author was rushing things a lot and I just couldn't enjoy the story as much. Big reveals that were supposed to have a huge impact in both the heroine and the reader felt more like an info dump than anything else. Not good.
Also, the flashbacks? In italics? Seriously? It felt like I was reading a fanfic. And not just because of that.
The romance was... Conflicting. On one hand I kind of dug it because, you know, pirates are cool and charming and kind of sexy, but on the other it sounded major alarm bells in my brain. Sometimes the love interest would be all cute and snarky, and I sure loved the banter going on between them. But he would then proceed to go on a really idiotic alpha male rampage that did nothing but annoy me. It very much bordered on abuse at times, and that is something I don't condone at all. There wasn't much of a redemption arc for him, either, so I can't say he won me over in the end. I wasn't totally against them as a couple, but I wasn't completely okay with it either.
Now, what I did like:
It was very addictive. Up until midway through, at least. I really enjoyed Lux as a character because, unlike most heroines in YA nowadays, she didn't act all dumb and innocent as though she couldn't figure things out for herself before it was too late (while everyone else, the reader included, did). She seemed smart enough, even though she wasn't the most self-sufficient of girls, and even though she found herself in quite the unfortunate circumstances, she still managed to fight for her freedom. She never stood down, defeated, when things got too hard. However, sometimes things did get a bit too easy and convenient for her, if you know what I mean? So I think what this book really needed was balance.
I loved Ahmed and his friendship with the captain. That's some proper bromance right there. He was a really sweet guy and just generally super kind and caring and a joy to have around. Unlike the captain, he didn't transpire toxic masculinity nor did he treat Lux like a possession. To be honest, he would have made a lot more sense as a love interest and would be a lot more refreshing too.
The story was quite entertaining and I enjoyed Lux's interactions with the crew a lot. They never failed to put a smile on my face or laugh right out. I also loved her affection for Lilou and her worry for her people, her family and her island. Even though it sometimes felt like it had slipped her mind, it fortunately remained a big part of the plot and a constant concern for her.
It wasn't a totally original story, and it was quite cheesy and cliché at times. But it was a nice read for the most part and I was able to overlook the not so nice parts of it. I wasn't aware this was going to have a sequel but I'm honestly a bit curious about what will come out of it. Hopefully, it redeems this book in all the right ways.
I'd say give it a shot if you really, really, really love pirate romance stories. But otherwise, it feels like it has honestly been done before and almost like something out of Wattpad. I will continue my quest for the perfect pirate story, though.
P.S. Here's how I pictured Sokum throughout:
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. In one hand, it kept me glued to the pages for the best part of it, so I can't say it's a bad book at all. It was entertaining and made me forget about the time as I sped through it. But on the other hand, it had just so many issues?
Writing-wise, it was pretty average. I think the first half was certainly better than the second one (probably because it had so much dialogue), although it always irked me how the author chose the "tell" rather than "show" technique. She would tell the reader how the heroine was feeling, how the other characters must be feeling, and basically did a complete psychological analysis of everything before I was even able to think for myself. That wasn't enjoyable, and it made little sense, especially considering this is first-person POV. There's no way this girl had that much information about so much going on both inside her head and inside everyone else's.
There were a lot of inconsistencies, plot holes and a lot of choppy narrative. Like I said, it was pretty okay for the first half and so, but then went pretty downhill after that. It became incredibly slow and boring and dragged for quite a long time before eventually picking up again towards the end (thank God). It felt like the author was rushing things a lot and I just couldn't enjoy the story as much. Big reveals that were supposed to have a huge impact in both the heroine and the reader felt more like an info dump than anything else. Not good.
Also, the flashbacks? In italics? Seriously? It felt like I was reading a fanfic. And not just because of that.
The romance was... Conflicting. On one hand I kind of dug it because, you know, pirates are cool and charming and kind of sexy, but on the other it sounded major alarm bells in my brain. Sometimes the love interest would be all cute and snarky, and I sure loved the banter going on between them. But he would then proceed to go on a really idiotic alpha male rampage that did nothing but annoy me. It very much bordered on abuse at times, and that is something I don't condone at all. There wasn't much of a redemption arc for him, either, so I can't say he won me over in the end. I wasn't totally against them as a couple, but I wasn't completely okay with it either.
Now, what I did like:
It was very addictive. Up until midway through, at least. I really enjoyed Lux as a character because, unlike most heroines in YA nowadays, she didn't act all dumb and innocent as though she couldn't figure things out for herself before it was too late (while everyone else, the reader included, did). She seemed smart enough, even though she wasn't the most self-sufficient of girls, and even though she found herself in quite the unfortunate circumstances, she still managed to fight for her freedom. She never stood down, defeated, when things got too hard. However, sometimes things did get a bit too easy and convenient for her, if you know what I mean? So I think what this book really needed was balance.
I loved Ahmed and his friendship with the captain. That's some proper bromance right there. He was a really sweet guy and just generally super kind and caring and a joy to have around. Unlike the captain, he didn't transpire toxic masculinity nor did he treat Lux like a possession. To be honest, he would have made a lot more sense as a love interest and would be a lot more refreshing too.
The story was quite entertaining and I enjoyed Lux's interactions with the crew a lot. They never failed to put a smile on my face or laugh right out. I also loved her affection for Lilou and her worry for her people, her family and her island. Even though it sometimes felt like it had slipped her mind, it fortunately remained a big part of the plot and a constant concern for her.
It wasn't a totally original story, and it was quite cheesy and cliché at times. But it was a nice read for the most part and I was able to overlook the not so nice parts of it. I wasn't aware this was going to have a sequel but I'm honestly a bit curious about what will come out of it. Hopefully, it redeems this book in all the right ways.
I'd say give it a shot if you really, really, really love pirate romance stories. But otherwise, it feels like it has honestly been done before and almost like something out of Wattpad. I will continue my quest for the perfect pirate story, though.
P.S. Here's how I pictured Sokum throughout:
January 1, 2017
Fantastic read that pulls one into the story immediately. With romance that leaves you wanting more and a world that does not lack description, Duncan did an amazing job weaving this tale.
February 10, 2017
Blue Tide by Jenna-Lynne Duncan is the perfect choice for any reader who is looking for a romantic story full of action, adventure, and mystery. Duncan has created a world the reader will experience through each sense as the author paints sights, sounds, smells, and sensations with words instead of a brush. She has imagined characters that you will love or hate but you will not forget. This young adult fantasy is a fun read, even for an “older” murder mystery fan like me.
June 2, 2017
When I first read the synopsis of Blue Tide I knew I had to read this book. It had all my favourite elements. I couldn't have been more right. However, the volatility of the storyline had me wishing for just a bit more.
Blue Tide had a mysterious world, colourful characters and a sizzling romance I very thoroughly enjoyed. The writing and the prose were great as I devoured page after page. I gobbled up the story until the last third of the book surprised me. It was not at all what I expected. The change felt odd and definitely took some getting used to. I'm not sure if it was intentional on the author's part? The synopsis bears no mention of it so I'm guessing it is.
The jump was a bit disorienting but like I said, it's my fault for assuming. It felt strange but it wasn't bad. I simply needed some time to reestablish myself inside the world.
I love the banter between Lux and Draven. Omg they were on fire. Every little quibble and head on fight they had made my heart skip a beat. I was very giddy and eager to see how their relationship play out. The tension between the two was so satisfying. Both were so headstrong it made every bit of their interaction sweet to savour. I'd give anything to see more of them together.
The Island is curious and creepy. She's so in the dark. I'm a bit aggrieved Draven doesn't tell Lux more but I understand the time constraints. I'm hoping a sequel will explain everything. And I do mean everything!
Blue Tide is a hard book to rate. Even now I'm still not sure how exactly I feel about it. I'm a little disappointed with the direction of the story but I enjoyed the first half of the book so much I know I will read the next book. Please let there be one! There's very obvious unfinished business and I need to see how things play out!
Blue Tide had a mysterious world, colourful characters and a sizzling romance I very thoroughly enjoyed. The writing and the prose were great as I devoured page after page. I gobbled up the story until the last third of the book surprised me. It was not at all what I expected. The change felt odd and definitely took some getting used to. I'm not sure if it was intentional on the author's part? The synopsis bears no mention of it so I'm guessing it is.
The jump was a bit disorienting but like I said, it's my fault for assuming. It felt strange but it wasn't bad. I simply needed some time to reestablish myself inside the world.
I love the banter between Lux and Draven. Omg they were on fire. Every little quibble and head on fight they had made my heart skip a beat. I was very giddy and eager to see how their relationship play out. The tension between the two was so satisfying. Both were so headstrong it made every bit of their interaction sweet to savour. I'd give anything to see more of them together.
The Island is curious and creepy. She's so in the dark. I'm a bit aggrieved Draven doesn't tell Lux more but I understand the time constraints. I'm hoping a sequel will explain everything. And I do mean everything!
Blue Tide is a hard book to rate. Even now I'm still not sure how exactly I feel about it. I'm a little disappointed with the direction of the story but I enjoyed the first half of the book so much I know I will read the next book. Please let there be one! There's very obvious unfinished business and I need to see how things play out!
June 13, 2024
I was really excited to read this book because of the Middle East aspect. However, there isn't actually as much Middle East inspired stuff in the book as I was hoping there would be. Yes, the main characters are both Middle Eastern, and there is plenty of Arabic dialogue throughout the book, but sadly, no one is given a specific ethnicity. (the fact that they both speak Arabic only narrows it down to 19 countries). I know that where Draven is from is part of the mystery surrounding him, so he just never told Lux where he was from and the book is from her point of view, but Lux obviously knows her own ethnicity, so I wish we actually got to know what it was. She even wonders at one point if Draven is from the same country her dad came from, but still never actually names a country. I mean, how hard is it to say "I wondered if he was from [Qatar] like my father" or something, instead of "I wondered if he was from the same country as my father"?
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January 8, 2017I absolutely loved this high seas adventure. I'm sad the boom ended because I miss the world and the story.
May 17, 2024
I internally scream just thinking about it. 💵💵💵💵💵💵 💳💥💳💥💳💥💳💥💳💥have all my money.
July 11, 2018
Think: Pirates of the Caribbean/Aladdin in a dystopian future.
I haven't read a book in a while and it's been even longer since I've felt the need to review anything BUT I feel I need to come out of my reading retirement rut for this special story. I've been wanting to read this book for years and its actually because this story is quite special to me. I actually got to read 3/4 of it in its early stages of being written, this could have easily been 5 (?) years ago and I'm super fond of Jenna-Lynne Duncan in general, so here goes! I usually don't include spoilers but I want to go through all of my thoughts, so spoilers ahead.
First thing I will say about Blue Tide, it didn't take long for the action to start. From the initial capture of our main character, Lux, there was plenty to keep me reading: pirates, conflict, storms at sea, and characters who are 'more than what they seem' (a reoccurring idea throughout the text).
My general thoughts on some of the characters:
LUX: I liked her. She was strong in more ways than one and just as brave.
DRAVEN: I liked and hated him at different points in the story, but him and Lux really suited each other, I could read all about their interactions all day.
WILL: Too good to be true apparently. Seriously though, he started out great but it became all too apparent that he was trying way too hard and obviously has serious issues that come with ruling the world at such a young age. He's a psychopath. I'd love to see this villain get his happy ending actually. I saw a glimpse of a guy who was caring and fiercely protective and ultimately I really feel that he just wanted to be loved. He needed someone who could really take him down a peg... or 5 and Lux just wasn't the girl for that. I could easily get into a redemption sequel starring this guy, I feel like beauty & the beast vibe for his story would work well.
Honourable mention to the pirates on Draven's ship (in particular Ahmed) and Leif, her friend back home.
The time that the characters spent at sea was probably my favourite, the island stuff was necessary but the time a sea were my favourite parts to read.
Lux was so blind to Will's true identity she seriously should have figured it out, she was smarter than that I thought, but no until it was accidentally revealed, she had no idea. I think this was intentional though as 'magic' was referred to multiple times. I do think she was under some sort of spell, drugged into a more easy blissful state, which she alludes to in the tunnel of horrors.
I thought I liked Will, but when faced with not getting what he wanted, watch out kids. I hated him by the end, very much.
Seeing Draven drop off and Will step in was hard for me to adjust to. I really got into Lux & Draven and I really missed him in those final chapters. But I also loved how it was really up to Lux to fix things, she really did save the day, so to speak.
I was sad to realise that the beach scene on Will's island was the last time that Lux & Draven are together in the book. I really wanted that last reuniting moment at the end, even though it was obvious they would meet again, I feel like an epilogue of that actually happening would have scratched that itch for me.
While this book stands alone just fine, I feel a prequel would also work into making a great series. I felt more information on how exactly the world "ended" as well as the main characters lives leading up to these world altering events would make a great addition.
I also think a sequel would work too. I can't forget Will saying that if Lux was to ever leave he would NEVER stop looking for her. If thats not reason enough for a sequel I don't know what is.
In conclusion the things that prevented my 5 star rating was:
-the lack of info about the floods (I love a good end of the world scenario, but I needed more information, including more about the changed nature of the oceans)
-that ending (when I read that last sentence, I literally said "wait, thats it?!") I'm a needy reader, I need so much closure. I feel like they needed one more moment to wrap up the story (I just felt like the beach scene wasn't enough, not for me anyway).
I really loved this story, there were predicable elements in the plot but it was original in so many ways. I LOVED the inclusion of pirates and the Middle-Eastern influence throughout the story (the food descriptions were particularly great) I still remain a fan of Jenna-Lynne Duncan's work and I can wait to see what she does next.
I haven't read a book in a while and it's been even longer since I've felt the need to review anything BUT I feel I need to come out of my reading retirement rut for this special story. I've been wanting to read this book for years and its actually because this story is quite special to me. I actually got to read 3/4 of it in its early stages of being written, this could have easily been 5 (?) years ago and I'm super fond of Jenna-Lynne Duncan in general, so here goes! I usually don't include spoilers but I want to go through all of my thoughts, so spoilers ahead.
First thing I will say about Blue Tide, it didn't take long for the action to start. From the initial capture of our main character, Lux, there was plenty to keep me reading: pirates, conflict, storms at sea, and characters who are 'more than what they seem' (a reoccurring idea throughout the text).
My general thoughts on some of the characters:
LUX: I liked her. She was strong in more ways than one and just as brave.
DRAVEN: I liked and hated him at different points in the story, but him and Lux really suited each other, I could read all about their interactions all day.
WILL: Too good to be true apparently. Seriously though, he started out great but it became all too apparent that he was trying way too hard and obviously has serious issues that come with ruling the world at such a young age. He's a psychopath. I'd love to see this villain get his happy ending actually. I saw a glimpse of a guy who was caring and fiercely protective and ultimately I really feel that he just wanted to be loved. He needed someone who could really take him down a peg... or 5 and Lux just wasn't the girl for that. I could easily get into a redemption sequel starring this guy, I feel like beauty & the beast vibe for his story would work well.
Honourable mention to the pirates on Draven's ship (in particular Ahmed) and Leif, her friend back home.
The time that the characters spent at sea was probably my favourite, the island stuff was necessary but the time a sea were my favourite parts to read.
Lux was so blind to Will's true identity she seriously should have figured it out, she was smarter than that I thought, but no until it was accidentally revealed, she had no idea. I think this was intentional though as 'magic' was referred to multiple times. I do think she was under some sort of spell, drugged into a more easy blissful state, which she alludes to in the tunnel of horrors.
I thought I liked Will, but when faced with not getting what he wanted, watch out kids. I hated him by the end, very much.
Seeing Draven drop off and Will step in was hard for me to adjust to. I really got into Lux & Draven and I really missed him in those final chapters. But I also loved how it was really up to Lux to fix things, she really did save the day, so to speak.
I was sad to realise that the beach scene on Will's island was the last time that Lux & Draven are together in the book. I really wanted that last reuniting moment at the end, even though it was obvious they would meet again, I feel like an epilogue of that actually happening would have scratched that itch for me.
While this book stands alone just fine, I feel a prequel would also work into making a great series. I felt more information on how exactly the world "ended" as well as the main characters lives leading up to these world altering events would make a great addition.
I also think a sequel would work too. I can't forget Will saying that if Lux was to ever leave he would NEVER stop looking for her. If thats not reason enough for a sequel I don't know what is.
In conclusion the things that prevented my 5 star rating was:
-the lack of info about the floods (I love a good end of the world scenario, but I needed more information, including more about the changed nature of the oceans)
-that ending (when I read that last sentence, I literally said "wait, thats it?!") I'm a needy reader, I need so much closure. I feel like they needed one more moment to wrap up the story (I just felt like the beach scene wasn't enough, not for me anyway).
I really loved this story, there were predicable elements in the plot but it was original in so many ways. I LOVED the inclusion of pirates and the Middle-Eastern influence throughout the story (the food descriptions were particularly great) I still remain a fan of Jenna-Lynne Duncan's work and I can wait to see what she does next.
July 22, 2017
Another novel with an intriguing idea that tried to do too much in just a little over 300 pages.
I was intrigued by this novel mostly for the romance aspect and I have to say I was definitely not disappointed. Somewhere in the middle of this book I was so invested that I was sure I would be giving this book a solid 4 stars, even thought I wasn't so invested in the plot otherwise.
I think all of the characters in this story were great. The main character Lux is flawed and it was fun, although often frustrating, to read from her perspective. Her love interest was probably my favourite character and their romantic development by far my favourite part of this novel. I really wish we had gotten more time for it to develop.
The world building in this is interesting but super confusing in the beginning because we have no idea what world we are in. Reading the synopsis I thought this would just be a Historical Fantasy/Fiction but it's actually more apocalyptic and takes place somewhere around our time after there was a big flood that causes a lot of countries to be completely flooded. It took super long to actually make all of that clear about the world and I think it took way to long to get there.
As I said earlier, I was so invested in the first half of the novel but after that it fell apart for me. The direction this novel went into was just uncomfortable to read about. There's some scenes with VERY dubious consent in here so if you have any triggers in that direction, please be careful going into this! The novel really just becomes quite frustrating at this point because it tries to build up a lot of stuff in just a really short time and it wasn't satisfying in any capacity. The main character is also especially frustrating to experience in this part of the novel. There's so many obvious things completely going over her head, it was insufferable at points.
I'm sure there's still a lot of people that will really love this novel. I was mostly upset because I was so into the romance and then it was all stripped away from me and went into a direction that I had absolutely not expected and wasn't really for me. If there is a sequel there would definitely be a chance I'd pick it up though.
I was intrigued by this novel mostly for the romance aspect and I have to say I was definitely not disappointed. Somewhere in the middle of this book I was so invested that I was sure I would be giving this book a solid 4 stars, even thought I wasn't so invested in the plot otherwise.
I think all of the characters in this story were great. The main character Lux is flawed and it was fun, although often frustrating, to read from her perspective. Her love interest was probably my favourite character and their romantic development by far my favourite part of this novel. I really wish we had gotten more time for it to develop.
The world building in this is interesting but super confusing in the beginning because we have no idea what world we are in. Reading the synopsis I thought this would just be a Historical Fantasy/Fiction but it's actually more apocalyptic and takes place somewhere around our time after there was a big flood that causes a lot of countries to be completely flooded. It took super long to actually make all of that clear about the world and I think it took way to long to get there.
As I said earlier, I was so invested in the first half of the novel but after that it fell apart for me. The direction this novel went into was just uncomfortable to read about. There's some scenes with VERY dubious consent in here so if you have any triggers in that direction, please be careful going into this! The novel really just becomes quite frustrating at this point because it tries to build up a lot of stuff in just a really short time and it wasn't satisfying in any capacity. The main character is also especially frustrating to experience in this part of the novel. There's so many obvious things completely going over her head, it was insufferable at points.
I'm sure there's still a lot of people that will really love this novel. I was mostly upset because I was so into the romance and then it was all stripped away from me and went into a direction that I had absolutely not expected and wasn't really for me. If there is a sequel there would definitely be a chance I'd pick it up though.
February 10, 2017
Pirates, adventure, romance, world-building ... this story delivers all.
The pirates: plenty of those, and through the author's eyes I found myself having a love-hate relationship with them--their flawed characters, lacking morals and willingness to kill rather than resort to kindness, made me cringe, but then there was a gentle more vulnerable side to some, which endeared me toward them.
The adventure: overwhelming at some points but many twists and turns to make this novel a true page-turner, anxious to find out how Lux would overcome the next hurdle and survive.
The romance: here is where I had some issues. That's partly because of my personal tastes and probably my age (much older than a teen!). I tired of the bantering between Lux and Draven, and many times wanted to skip over those passages and get on with the adventure! Again, that's just me. On the other hand, building a relationship between the two of them helped to validate what was to come.
And finally, the world-building: descriptive, authentic, with lots of political flavor. I must admit, without making this a political message, the idea of a ruthless leader overtaking much of the world's population by annihilation or creating submissive communities dependent upon his orders gave me pause and plenty to think about! In any case, the evil of Asmodeus and the brain-washed hypnotic state of his subjects really added to the frightening aspects of this story.
Over all, I did really enjoy the read. It's been several weeks since I finished, but I've still got Lux and Draven on my mind! The author did a wonderful job of creating such a mix of elements--adventure, romance, world-building and the added plus? Pirates! Who doesn't love a good pirate story, right? I'm definitely looking forward to the next pirate adventure in book two! Will Lux take to the seas with Draven? Who knows?
The pirates: plenty of those, and through the author's eyes I found myself having a love-hate relationship with them--their flawed characters, lacking morals and willingness to kill rather than resort to kindness, made me cringe, but then there was a gentle more vulnerable side to some, which endeared me toward them.
The adventure: overwhelming at some points but many twists and turns to make this novel a true page-turner, anxious to find out how Lux would overcome the next hurdle and survive.
The romance: here is where I had some issues. That's partly because of my personal tastes and probably my age (much older than a teen!). I tired of the bantering between Lux and Draven, and many times wanted to skip over those passages and get on with the adventure! Again, that's just me. On the other hand, building a relationship between the two of them helped to validate what was to come.
And finally, the world-building: descriptive, authentic, with lots of political flavor. I must admit, without making this a political message, the idea of a ruthless leader overtaking much of the world's population by annihilation or creating submissive communities dependent upon his orders gave me pause and plenty to think about! In any case, the evil of Asmodeus and the brain-washed hypnotic state of his subjects really added to the frightening aspects of this story.
Over all, I did really enjoy the read. It's been several weeks since I finished, but I've still got Lux and Draven on my mind! The author did a wonderful job of creating such a mix of elements--adventure, romance, world-building and the added plus? Pirates! Who doesn't love a good pirate story, right? I'm definitely looking forward to the next pirate adventure in book two! Will Lux take to the seas with Draven? Who knows?
April 20, 2020
I finished Blue Tide by Jenna-Lynne Duncan. I gave it a low 3 star rating. In the book we follow our main character Lux as she tries to navigate this post-apocalyptic world where almost the whole planet flooded so a lot of the continents were now underwater. And this American scientist who predicted the flood now rules whats left of the world. And there are pirates who are capturing slaves from the shores of the remaining islands. Lux gets kidnapped and starts falling for a pirate.
The book wasn't bad at all I enjoyed the plot and the characters but it didn't have enough details about what happened to the earth and how the characters got to where they are in the book. And the ending was very rushed. Which left the ending kind of up in the air where you don't really know what happens to the characters and the story line. It would have been a good ending if there was a sequel but its a stand alone as far as I know.
The book wasn't bad at all I enjoyed the plot and the characters but it didn't have enough details about what happened to the earth and how the characters got to where they are in the book. And the ending was very rushed. Which left the ending kind of up in the air where you don't really know what happens to the characters and the story line. It would have been a good ending if there was a sequel but its a stand alone as far as I know.
January 3, 2018
Read my full review at https://blackwords-whitepages1977.blo...
This book started off kind of slow for me, but it kept call my name to come back and read more and I couldn’t help but obey it. The more I read, the more I really started enjoying it.
The characters were amazing. Lux had so much happened to her that I felt as if I was feeling everything she is going through. She was such a strong and stubborn character, which made the story that much more addicting.
The story-line, while slow at the beginning, kept me entertained from beginning to end. There were so many secrets and twists in the story that I couldn’t help but continue to read it. I highly recommend this read.
This book started off kind of slow for me, but it kept call my name to come back and read more and I couldn’t help but obey it. The more I read, the more I really started enjoying it.
The characters were amazing. Lux had so much happened to her that I felt as if I was feeling everything she is going through. She was such a strong and stubborn character, which made the story that much more addicting.
The story-line, while slow at the beginning, kept me entertained from beginning to end. There were so many secrets and twists in the story that I couldn’t help but continue to read it. I highly recommend this read.
September 10, 2017
This book gets a three star rating simply for the ending which was its most redeeming quality.
I really wanted to like Lux. However I found myself annoyed with her most of the time. She literally spent 3/4 of the book arguing with herself. She really wanted to do something and took literally NO steps to try to reach her goal. Instead she spent nearly all of the book locked in a cabin acting like a modern day teenager and not any sort of heroine.
The writer does give readers a rather great love interest to fall for.
Over all I neither loved nor hated the book.
I really wanted to like Lux. However I found myself annoyed with her most of the time. She literally spent 3/4 of the book arguing with herself. She really wanted to do something and took literally NO steps to try to reach her goal. Instead she spent nearly all of the book locked in a cabin acting like a modern day teenager and not any sort of heroine.
The writer does give readers a rather great love interest to fall for.
Over all I neither loved nor hated the book.
October 31, 2017
I could not put this down!!! This is the best book I've read in a long time! Jenna-Lynne Duncan is my new favorite author. Wow! Pirates! So many emotions about this. Love the details and the way she makes me feel about the characters. 1st he's bad, then good, then bad, then good, then bad......ugh just kiss already! Makes u want to yell at the book! LOVE, love, love it!!!! It left me wanting MORE! I hope she continues, it can go so many ways. Because neither of them are going to give up.
April 13, 2018
I really enjoyed it
This is the first book by Jenna-Lynne that I have read and it was great! The story draws you in right from the start. It has a great story line, character development and even though I figured some things out, I was still surprised. I am excited for the next book!
This is the first book by Jenna-Lynne that I have read and it was great! The story draws you in right from the start. It has a great story line, character development and even though I figured some things out, I was still surprised. I am excited for the next book!
December 9, 2016
Nothing is what it seems. Not people. Not the world. And definitely not pirates. Blue Tide is a wonderful collision of swoon-worthy romance and high stakes. With its Middle Eastern and dystopian influences, readers will find it to be unique and utterly unputdownable. Fantastic read!
March 17, 2018
At first I thought this would be one of those books that tells you everything in the blurb but my god the twists! The timing for them were impeccable. A well written tale that most certainly deserves a sequel. I look forward to what will come next.
April 22, 2019
Such a good pirate book with romance and it had Arabic inspiration in it
December 21, 2023
This one was not it for me. Plot holes, inconsistency in characteristics and writing, very little and vague middle eastern influence, and man did I hate the main character 😩
February 19, 2017
4.2 I really enjoyed this book. I loved Lux's firey personality. I enjoyed that the romance wasn't instalove. I even liked the secondary characters. I think my main problem was that I never really got a good sense of the world itself. It was obviously suppose to be a future/dystopian type of setting with the U.S. and other countries destroyed by a flood. But, during some times, it seems to have an almost 17 or 1800 AD feel to it. Also we never really got a complete story of how the flood actually came about. And then theirs a cliffhanger..
November 26, 2016
3.75 stars, just shy of 4. Honestly, i'm thoroughly impressed. I was engaged the entire time through and was interested in all of the characters. I enjoyed the romance for the most part but found the love triangle-esque aspect unnecessary.
Lux could be annoying but literally every other character made up for that. I looooved Lilou and wish we had more of her. (maybe somehow in book two?) Ahmed was my favorite character I just wish he had been fleshed out hyst a little more.
I also wish there had been some action scenes, some battles, some real pirating... that would have made me LOVE this book!
the writing was engaging and simple and I really like how Duncan added in all of the Arabic and Middle-Eastern influences, I think it added something that without, would have made this book lack.
Overall, thoroughly impressed and definitely looking forward to the sequel! definitely worth your time if you are looking for a quick read with some intriguing worldbuilding and some really cool characters (and the romance is pretty fun too)
full review to come soon!
Lux could be annoying but literally every other character made up for that. I looooved Lilou and wish we had more of her. (maybe somehow in book two?) Ahmed was my favorite character I just wish he had been fleshed out hyst a little more.
I also wish there had been some action scenes, some battles, some real pirating... that would have made me LOVE this book!
the writing was engaging and simple and I really like how Duncan added in all of the Arabic and Middle-Eastern influences, I think it added something that without, would have made this book lack.
Overall, thoroughly impressed and definitely looking forward to the sequel! definitely worth your time if you are looking for a quick read with some intriguing worldbuilding and some really cool characters (and the romance is pretty fun too)
full review to come soon!
February 1, 2017
Something different to read. Didnt think I would like this book but I fell in love with it!!!! Yeah in some part is was a little predictable but it intrigued me so much and hypnotised me and I just kept wanting to read more and more wanting to see what was gonna happen next!!
Great book!! I loved Lux so impatient and determined and Draven made the way he was because of all that had happend to him and just see how characters changed, developed, grew. As soon as it said "The End" I was lioe no no I want and need more lol I cant wait to know what else happens if possible lol
Great book!! I loved Lux so impatient and determined and Draven made the way he was because of all that had happend to him and just see how characters changed, developed, grew. As soon as it said "The End" I was lioe no no I want and need more lol I cant wait to know what else happens if possible lol
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