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Beneath the Starlit Sea
Sorceress Illyse prefers to isolate herself from the age-old conflict between her coven and the humans of Sjökanten, but not at the expense of her own life. Captured by the king's men, she is threatened with the ultimate demise for sorceresses—being forever imprisoned in ore—unless she manages to put an end to the gruesome murders of human citizens at the hands of a mysterious sea creature.
Bound by an iron band that limits her power, Illyse, and her fox familiar, join with Garit Darling, a medical practitioner and an enigma unto himself. Together, they delve deep into forgotten lore and forbidden romantic entanglements, despite a ban on relationships between sorceresses and humans. However, when it is discovered that Garit's past is more closely tied to their investigation than either initially realizes, soon their passion and distraction from the crimes may just be at the cost of Illyse's potential freedom... and Garit's life.
Perfect for fans of The Witcher and A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins, this new adult romantic fantasy will sweep you away with lush worldbuilding, delicate details, and deep emotions to dig into.
Bound by an iron band that limits her power, Illyse, and her fox familiar, join with Garit Darling, a medical practitioner and an enigma unto himself. Together, they delve deep into forgotten lore and forbidden romantic entanglements, despite a ban on relationships between sorceresses and humans. However, when it is discovered that Garit's past is more closely tied to their investigation than either initially realizes, soon their passion and distraction from the crimes may just be at the cost of Illyse's potential freedom... and Garit's life.
Perfect for fans of The Witcher and A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins, this new adult romantic fantasy will sweep you away with lush worldbuilding, delicate details, and deep emotions to dig into.
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 14, 2022
6 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Bea
19 books123 followersNICOLE BEA writes deep stories to dig into: atmospheric women’s fiction and young adult novels with themes of self-discovery through the power of love. By daylight, she works as a technical writer and project manager for an international medical company, while by starlight, she pens all the stories taking up space in her head.
Nicole and her husband share their home in Eastern Canada with a collection of multi-colored cats, a cupboard stuffed with tea, and a lifetime’s worth of books.
Nicole and her husband share their home in Eastern Canada with a collection of multi-colored cats, a cupboard stuffed with tea, and a lifetime’s worth of books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
June 23, 2022
Beneath the Starlit Sea has a lot of promise as a story. The premise is really interesting, and think that it could be incredible with a little work. The story follows a witch and a doctor who are tasked to discover what’s been killing men at night. The threat is potentially magical, but it’s been hard to find any discerning evidence.
That being said, this reads almost like a draft zero to me. Sure, there’s been line editing, but I think there’s a ways to go with developmental edits.
The first thing that struck me was the length of the sentences. Each sentence is a plodding run-on with little to no variation. I feel like breaking up the sentences would bring the book up to a three star book almost immediately. As it is currently, reading it feels like a slog. The sentence structure also, unfortunately, detracts from the really interesting descriptions because it’s all shoved into one line. This makes the pacing both incredibly fast, while feeling slow.
The story spends little to no time building emotional weight, and so scenes don’t stand out. Nor do the characters, unfortunately. And when the romance begins, I almost got whiplash. The love interest, Garit, seems like a stand-in for Geralt (The Witcher) for the first few chapters, until he’s suddenly waxing poetic about how his love is the kind that bards write about. It feels very out of character, and I have no other context clues to make sense of this shift in his nature. Similarly, Illyse, our main character, doesn’t seem to have more than an attraction to him at first. Then out of the blue she’s in love. We’re to believe these two have been working together for two months, and then this just occurs. Their relationship should have been more advanced than it was, in my opinion.
Ultimately, the reason I feel like this reads like a “draft zero” is because it reads as if the author is plotting out the story. I,e, “This happens, then this happens, then this happens.” While there are some good nuggets of prose, certain scenes definitely need to be expanded upon. I know people roll their eyes at the “show, don’t tell” advice, but this is a perfect instance of how a story could be improved upon by following it. We’re often told what is happening, but there’s no sense of what it looks, feels, smells, sounds, or tastes like.
Ultimately, I gave this two stars because I feel like it has so much potential to be something amazing. Howevre, it just didn’t hit the mark for me, personally. I genuinely don’t think it’s bad, just feel that it’s not for me and the style I’ve come to enjoy.
That being said, this reads almost like a draft zero to me. Sure, there’s been line editing, but I think there’s a ways to go with developmental edits.
The first thing that struck me was the length of the sentences. Each sentence is a plodding run-on with little to no variation. I feel like breaking up the sentences would bring the book up to a three star book almost immediately. As it is currently, reading it feels like a slog. The sentence structure also, unfortunately, detracts from the really interesting descriptions because it’s all shoved into one line. This makes the pacing both incredibly fast, while feeling slow.
The story spends little to no time building emotional weight, and so scenes don’t stand out. Nor do the characters, unfortunately. And when the romance begins, I almost got whiplash. The love interest, Garit, seems like a stand-in for Geralt (The Witcher) for the first few chapters, until he’s suddenly waxing poetic about how his love is the kind that bards write about. It feels very out of character, and I have no other context clues to make sense of this shift in his nature. Similarly, Illyse, our main character, doesn’t seem to have more than an attraction to him at first. Then out of the blue she’s in love. We’re to believe these two have been working together for two months, and then this just occurs. Their relationship should have been more advanced than it was, in my opinion.
Ultimately, the reason I feel like this reads like a “draft zero” is because it reads as if the author is plotting out the story. I,e, “This happens, then this happens, then this happens.” While there are some good nuggets of prose, certain scenes definitely need to be expanded upon. I know people roll their eyes at the “show, don’t tell” advice, but this is a perfect instance of how a story could be improved upon by following it. We’re often told what is happening, but there’s no sense of what it looks, feels, smells, sounds, or tastes like.
Ultimately, I gave this two stars because I feel like it has so much potential to be something amazing. Howevre, it just didn’t hit the mark for me, personally. I genuinely don’t think it’s bad, just feel that it’s not for me and the style I’ve come to enjoy.
July 9, 2022
Bound by the chains of law and threatened by the murders of the Kincajd, Illyse and Garit’s was a love contested from the very first spell of attraction.
Nicole Bea writes with an artful balance of prose and poetry, some of the details and imagery utilised rich and captivating as the court of Castle Rose - and all its “monsters” - was brought to life in a believable fashion. I just wish there had been a bit more history built into the world building to take things to that next level.
While the bones of Illyse and Garit’s illicit affair held a sea of promise, I personally felt the romance arc moved too quickly and the thrill of something forbidden brewing was a missed opportunity. As it happened, their love occurred relatively quickly for these two and I missed seeing the initial push and pull between law and attraction before love claimed them.
This was a light and relatively fast-paced fantasy read with a fresh perspective for those looking to dip their toes into something new. I enjoyed the role played by the Nixies and the added twist to their deception - the union of fantasy and folklore beautifully portrayed - and this is a world I would love a second shot at losing myself in. Bad-ass females fighting for their place and a man who can wax poetry in a single breath are their own form of magic, and if this echo of witchcraft appeals to you, then perhaps Bea will too!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sword and Silk Books for the advanced copy of this book.
Nicole Bea writes with an artful balance of prose and poetry, some of the details and imagery utilised rich and captivating as the court of Castle Rose - and all its “monsters” - was brought to life in a believable fashion. I just wish there had been a bit more history built into the world building to take things to that next level.
While the bones of Illyse and Garit’s illicit affair held a sea of promise, I personally felt the romance arc moved too quickly and the thrill of something forbidden brewing was a missed opportunity. As it happened, their love occurred relatively quickly for these two and I missed seeing the initial push and pull between law and attraction before love claimed them.
This was a light and relatively fast-paced fantasy read with a fresh perspective for those looking to dip their toes into something new. I enjoyed the role played by the Nixies and the added twist to their deception - the union of fantasy and folklore beautifully portrayed - and this is a world I would love a second shot at losing myself in. Bad-ass females fighting for their place and a man who can wax poetry in a single breath are their own form of magic, and if this echo of witchcraft appeals to you, then perhaps Bea will too!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sword and Silk Books for the advanced copy of this book.
June 18, 2022
If I could describe this book with one word, it would be lovely.
This is everything I could ask for in a fantasy-romance novel. Light fantasy with an sweet romance. I really liked reading from Illyse's point of view and enjoyed her as a main character.
Illyse is far away from a perfect main character. She makes mistakes, incredibly impulsive with her emotions but that's what I loved from her. She knew what she wanted and wasn't going to shy away from it. She wears her heart on her sleeve, for better or for worse.
My number one compliment with this book is for sure the writing. It was simply beautiful. Just as beautiful as this cover. Bea's prose is magical and absolutely transports you.
Such a nice, short read if you're in a slump and need a light read.
This is everything I could ask for in a fantasy-romance novel. Light fantasy with an sweet romance. I really liked reading from Illyse's point of view and enjoyed her as a main character.
Illyse is far away from a perfect main character. She makes mistakes, incredibly impulsive with her emotions but that's what I loved from her. She knew what she wanted and wasn't going to shy away from it. She wears her heart on her sleeve, for better or for worse.
My number one compliment with this book is for sure the writing. It was simply beautiful. Just as beautiful as this cover. Bea's prose is magical and absolutely transports you.
Such a nice, short read if you're in a slump and need a light read.
August 1, 2022
Thank you Netgalley and Sword and Silk Books for the book. All my review here is my honest review!
Actually I like the conflict here, about mysterious murder of the man in the area. The way they must investigate the cause until they found the cause of it. But then the focus of it swift too much to romance. Well I think the romance is good enough despite I don't even know how these main characters falling in love. Because we just know they work together for the case and suddenly we can see that Illyse already interested to Garit and vice versa. We didn't really see the development of their relationship. We only see their doubts because this is forbidden. The relationship between sorcerers and human is forbidden in the Kingdom. And we will also see many misunderstanding happen between them. I don't really like it because I think it's not a good misunderstanding.
Illyse is too doubtful. Garit is sweet to her but I also doubt him. I feel like he is not a good characters. The only think I like maybe the battle or the final battle. I think it's great and very well described.
Actually I like the conflict here, about mysterious murder of the man in the area. The way they must investigate the cause until they found the cause of it. But then the focus of it swift too much to romance. Well I think the romance is good enough despite I don't even know how these main characters falling in love. Because we just know they work together for the case and suddenly we can see that Illyse already interested to Garit and vice versa. We didn't really see the development of their relationship. We only see their doubts because this is forbidden. The relationship between sorcerers and human is forbidden in the Kingdom. And we will also see many misunderstanding happen between them. I don't really like it because I think it's not a good misunderstanding.
Illyse is too doubtful. Garit is sweet to her but I also doubt him. I feel like he is not a good characters. The only think I like maybe the battle or the final battle. I think it's great and very well described.
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August 18, 2022Beneath The Starlit Sea is a fantasy romance with tropes that include enemies to friends to lovers, forbidden romance, forced proximity.
We follow a sorceress who is tasked with the king to solve the murders of men in the area. With the physician, they set off to solve the mystery.
I wanted to like this I really did. However, everything felt very flat to me. The whole story seems really quick with a lack of descriptions for some plot points. Really the first 50% should have been expanded to one book and the second 50% could have been a second book.
The chemistry with the love interests seems very insta lovey and it made it seem not forbidden at all.
I will read more from the author to see if this particular one was just not it for me.
Thank you for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
2 stars
We follow a sorceress who is tasked with the king to solve the murders of men in the area. With the physician, they set off to solve the mystery.
I wanted to like this I really did. However, everything felt very flat to me. The whole story seems really quick with a lack of descriptions for some plot points. Really the first 50% should have been expanded to one book and the second 50% could have been a second book.
The chemistry with the love interests seems very insta lovey and it made it seem not forbidden at all.
I will read more from the author to see if this particular one was just not it for me.
Thank you for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
2 stars
July 9, 2022
Beneath the Starlit Sea is a fantasy romance between Illyse, a sorceress and Garit, a doctor who need to work together to uncover why men in the kingdom are being killed. The book was quick-paced and easy to read. Segments of the prose were beautifully lyrical and I did enjoy some of the characters (particularly Idaia and Analesia). I personally would have liked there to have been more focus on the mystery of the murders and uncovering who was responsible as this section felt a little rushed.
Warning: the rest of the review contains spoilers.
Unfortunately the relationship is what gave the book such a low rating. The pair seem to go from mild attraction to devoted, all consuming adoration within a matter of days. We are also told repeatedly that their love is forbidden, yet we're rarely shown any large threats. Similarly they don't take any great lengths to hide their relationship despite the supposed risk. All of this makes the relationship feel unrealistic.
However the more pressing matter is how toxic and abusive the relationship was. At one point Illyse gets angry and burns down Garit's rooms, half blinds him and turns him into a fox against his will. Moments after this Garit willingly goes into exile with her and whilst their relationship dynamic shifts, there is no real discussion of the horrendous abuse Illyse has just subjected Garit to. The whole thing felt incredibly uncomfortable and if it wasn't an arc I would have DNF'd at this point.
Another issue I had with the story was the motivations/actions of the three other female characters. Idaia and Analeisa were held captive in necklaces by the King for hundreds of years. When they're released in order to help fight the Nixies, they are both completely happy to fight for him. and after the fight has been won are happy to remain by his side and live at his court. They should have murdered him, and to give my mind some peace I like to believe they did. Pieretta (the main antagonist's) motivation didn't make a lot of sense. We're led to believe that the Nixies attack the shores of the realm under the orders of Pieretta because she is angry the Garit has abandoned her for Illyse. However the only reason Garit and Illyse meet is because the Nixies are attacking the shores. This is likely me reading this wrong because it's such a large plothole, but if I have read it wrong it still indicates that the writing of this reveal is confusing and needed further editing to make it clearer.
Overall this book was a huge disappointment. 1.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Sword and Silk for the ARC.
Warning: the rest of the review contains spoilers.
Unfortunately the relationship is what gave the book such a low rating. The pair seem to go from mild attraction to devoted, all consuming adoration within a matter of days. We are also told repeatedly that their love is forbidden, yet we're rarely shown any large threats. Similarly they don't take any great lengths to hide their relationship despite the supposed risk. All of this makes the relationship feel unrealistic.
However the more pressing matter is how toxic and abusive the relationship was. At one point Illyse gets angry and burns down Garit's rooms, half blinds him and turns him into a fox against his will. Moments after this Garit willingly goes into exile with her and whilst their relationship dynamic shifts, there is no real discussion of the horrendous abuse Illyse has just subjected Garit to. The whole thing felt incredibly uncomfortable and if it wasn't an arc I would have DNF'd at this point.
Another issue I had with the story was the motivations/actions of the three other female characters. Idaia and Analeisa were held captive in necklaces by the King for hundreds of years. When they're released in order to help fight the Nixies, they are both completely happy to fight for him. and after the fight has been won are happy to remain by his side and live at his court. They should have murdered him, and to give my mind some peace I like to believe they did. Pieretta (the main antagonist's) motivation didn't make a lot of sense. We're led to believe that the Nixies attack the shores of the realm under the orders of Pieretta because she is angry the Garit has abandoned her for Illyse. However the only reason Garit and Illyse meet is because the Nixies are attacking the shores. This is likely me reading this wrong because it's such a large plothole, but if I have read it wrong it still indicates that the writing of this reveal is confusing and needed further editing to make it clearer.
Overall this book was a huge disappointment. 1.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Sword and Silk for the ARC.
July 27, 2022
I don't think I can finish this book.
I'm more than halfway through and I can't seem to see the point.
When I requested this book, the description sounded really interesting and I was intrigued.
Already in the prologue the main character Illyse is pursued, handcuffed and put before an ultimatum by the king. Even if that's a memorable start... I don't have a connection to the story yet. Why should I care? All I get from that is a sense of deep frustration and injustice. That's not a problem in itself! But halfway through the story that's still kind of the main emotion I feel (and it's deeply uncomfortable to sit with it for so long without some sense of relief or break from it).
I imagine the budding romance between Illyse and Gerit was intended for that, but everything is so fast-paced that you don't really get those moments, those breathers from the plot, to get invested in them.
Because right after the prologue it cuts to a few months after her capture... and I read the words on the page how the attraction between Illyse and Gerit supposedly started from the first moment they saw each other and I read how they have feelings for each other now... but I just don't feel it. It doesn't translate. There's no real build-up, no descriptions that made me understand why those two. I just follow along how they behave with their established feelings.
So, I'm not invested in the characters individually, their relationship doesn't feel like it has an organic development, I'm deeply annoyed by the behaviour of the people around her (it's kind of explained why humans don't like her and her kind and there are events that show this, so I logically get their behaviour... but I don't really get it, I don't feel it) and I don't understand why she specifically was picked to help out and not somebody more suitable.
I'm not sure if you notice my frustration from my review, but it runs deep.
To be fair, the writing style and wording is kind of beautiful to read and get lost in, even though I wouldn't naturally gravitate towards it. It just needs to slow down (a lot) and take more time to build up the characters, their development and the reader's emotional connection to them.
Thank you NetGalley and Sword and Silk Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm more than halfway through and I can't seem to see the point.
When I requested this book, the description sounded really interesting and I was intrigued.
Already in the prologue the main character Illyse is pursued, handcuffed and put before an ultimatum by the king. Even if that's a memorable start... I don't have a connection to the story yet. Why should I care? All I get from that is a sense of deep frustration and injustice. That's not a problem in itself! But halfway through the story that's still kind of the main emotion I feel (and it's deeply uncomfortable to sit with it for so long without some sense of relief or break from it).
I imagine the budding romance between Illyse and Gerit was intended for that, but everything is so fast-paced that you don't really get those moments, those breathers from the plot, to get invested in them.
Because right after the prologue it cuts to a few months after her capture... and I read the words on the page how the attraction between Illyse and Gerit supposedly started from the first moment they saw each other and I read how they have feelings for each other now... but I just don't feel it. It doesn't translate. There's no real build-up, no descriptions that made me understand why those two. I just follow along how they behave with their established feelings.
So, I'm not invested in the characters individually, their relationship doesn't feel like it has an organic development, I'm deeply annoyed by the behaviour of the people around her (it's kind of explained why humans don't like her and her kind and there are events that show this, so I logically get their behaviour... but I don't really get it, I don't feel it) and I don't understand why she specifically was picked to help out and not somebody more suitable.
I'm not sure if you notice my frustration from my review, but it runs deep.
To be fair, the writing style and wording is kind of beautiful to read and get lost in, even though I wouldn't naturally gravitate towards it. It just needs to slow down (a lot) and take more time to build up the characters, their development and the reader's emotional connection to them.
Thank you NetGalley and Sword and Silk Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2022
Beneath the starlit sea is about Illyse and Garit who are ‘hired’ by the king to investigate and find the source of the numerous deaths of men in the kingdom. Along the journey, they fell in love with each other but there is a law that banned the reunion of a monster aka Illyse, a sorceress and a man (Garit obvs).
My favourite character is definitely Analesia. I have no valid reason for it other than that I think her name is pretty. She sounds kind when she is helping Illyse even though they are not close or know each other really well.
The flow of the story is really good. It is fast but it didn't feel rushed. I like descriptive writing so this book is totally up to my ally. The author manages to capture and describe every little thing in the world so prettily. Honestly, if you told me that the Kingdom of Sjokanten exists, I believe you. The world feels so real to me and I feel how frustrated and vulnerable Illyse is in the world that sees her as a monster. Although Garit and Illyse fell in love pretty early (not at the first sight though), their love didn't make me cringe... so that is a compliment :)))))
I do read this in one sitting, so that already tells you something about how amazing this book and world are. Well, I do wish that Garit actually take the eyes though…. Nobody could be as selfless as him. Oh and, I still don't understand the connection between the book and its title... what starlit sea means actually?
All in all, if you like We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal, you might like Beneath the Starlit Sea although these two are actually different in their own colours, they still have a similar vibe. Powerful and badass woman, the world is in her hands. I rated it 4.25/5
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
My favourite character is definitely Analesia. I have no valid reason for it other than that I think her name is pretty. She sounds kind when she is helping Illyse even though they are not close or know each other really well.
The flow of the story is really good. It is fast but it didn't feel rushed. I like descriptive writing so this book is totally up to my ally. The author manages to capture and describe every little thing in the world so prettily. Honestly, if you told me that the Kingdom of Sjokanten exists, I believe you. The world feels so real to me and I feel how frustrated and vulnerable Illyse is in the world that sees her as a monster. Although Garit and Illyse fell in love pretty early (not at the first sight though), their love didn't make me cringe... so that is a compliment :)))))
I do read this in one sitting, so that already tells you something about how amazing this book and world are. Well, I do wish that Garit actually take the eyes though…. Nobody could be as selfless as him. Oh and, I still don't understand the connection between the book and its title... what starlit sea means actually?
All in all, if you like We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal, you might like Beneath the Starlit Sea although these two are actually different in their own colours, they still have a similar vibe. Powerful and badass woman, the world is in her hands. I rated it 4.25/5
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 11, 2022
Beneath the Starlit Sea is a lovely fantasy-romance book which is perfect for getting out of those pesky book slumps.
Illyse wears her heart on her sleeve, is extremely impulsive emotionally and tends to make the odd mistake… but that’s what makes her real and relatable.
Garit on the other hand was quite hard to like, I found him standoffish and the typical brute and then all of a sudden he’s all poetic and has bard worthy love? But I think that was down to the book be so short and it having a quick pace.
The story overall is amazing and the plot is super interesting but personally I prefer fantasies to be a bit longer. At best a series! I just love world building and intense plot lines which unfortunately this one didn’t have as much.
All in all it’s a sweet romantasy book perfect for someone who wants a quick and easy read with a loveable main character.
*thank you Netgalley for sending me an ebook of this in exchange for an honest review*
Illyse wears her heart on her sleeve, is extremely impulsive emotionally and tends to make the odd mistake… but that’s what makes her real and relatable.
Garit on the other hand was quite hard to like, I found him standoffish and the typical brute and then all of a sudden he’s all poetic and has bard worthy love? But I think that was down to the book be so short and it having a quick pace.
The story overall is amazing and the plot is super interesting but personally I prefer fantasies to be a bit longer. At best a series! I just love world building and intense plot lines which unfortunately this one didn’t have as much.
All in all it’s a sweet romantasy book perfect for someone who wants a quick and easy read with a loveable main character.
*thank you Netgalley for sending me an ebook of this in exchange for an honest review*
July 6, 2022
I read this one in an afternoon because I really did get hooked. I have to say the idea behind this one was really cool and it’s got the skeleton of something beautiful but needs a little more work. I wanted more of everything, more to the romance, more depth to the world, and more background for each character (I felt like we got dropped in with no background for a lot of this). Again, I really think it has potential to be great, it just needs a few tweaks.
September 11, 2022
Illyse is a sorceress or, in the perspective of her nation, a monster. She is dragged out of her peaceful life by iron chains in order to assist in putting an end to the mysterious killings taking place in the realm. She must work with Garit to find the answer to this issue while adhering to the kingdom's fundamental prohibition against man and monster relations.
I was quite fascinated by the book because it moved along so quickly. I adored the descriptions of the world and magic of Illyse.
I was quite fascinated by the book because it moved along so quickly. I adored the descriptions of the world and magic of Illyse.
September 24, 2022
I really liked the concept and the synopsis of this book. Sadly, I struggled a lot with getting through it and was not able to finish it. ( 25& in ). I think that this book had a lot of promise and the concept sounds amazing. But like quite a few others it just didn't quite make it for me. I missed the world building and I believe it just went a little bit too fast for me to actually get invested.
July 10, 2022
received an Advance Reader Copy of Beneath the Starlit Sea by Nicole Bea in exchange for an honest review.
"I ONCE WAS a little girl with an affinity for fire. Now, many moons later, I am a king’s sorceress from Strandkant with a weakness for staying alive."
As a sorceress living among humans, Illyse's lives a lonely life with three foxes as her companions. Humans don’t seem interested in being near “monsters”or witches, and it wouldn’t entirely matter if they did as the law forbids magical and non-magical people to be in love.
The story begins with Illyse being kidnapped by the Kings guards. She is very aware that this can only end badly as it would likely end in death or imprisonment. This quickly comes to fruition as the King stifles her magical connection to the earth with an iron bracelet. Two of her foxes meet an untimely end shortly after she reaches the castle and is forced to begin working alongside the King’s trusted advisor, Garit, to solve the murders taking place along the coast. Despite the fact that Illyse has an affinity for fire, not water, she is expected to find the source of the murders with Garit. With that, Illyse is not left entirely alone. She has one remaining companion, her black fox, Thierry. And along the way she finds a friend and lover in Garit, who is willing to defy the laws of the land for a chance at love.
This is my first ARC since learning of NetGalley and Nicole did not disappoint. She has a way with words and is able to, capture the feelings of the characters so clearly that the reader is able to feel them too. Her attention to detail comes with ease. Fantasy Romance is by far one of my favorite genre combinations and Beneath the Starlit Sea is definitely a book I will gladly recommend.
"I ONCE WAS a little girl with an affinity for fire. Now, many moons later, I am a king’s sorceress from Strandkant with a weakness for staying alive."
As a sorceress living among humans, Illyse's lives a lonely life with three foxes as her companions. Humans don’t seem interested in being near “monsters”or witches, and it wouldn’t entirely matter if they did as the law forbids magical and non-magical people to be in love.
The story begins with Illyse being kidnapped by the Kings guards. She is very aware that this can only end badly as it would likely end in death or imprisonment. This quickly comes to fruition as the King stifles her magical connection to the earth with an iron bracelet. Two of her foxes meet an untimely end shortly after she reaches the castle and is forced to begin working alongside the King’s trusted advisor, Garit, to solve the murders taking place along the coast. Despite the fact that Illyse has an affinity for fire, not water, she is expected to find the source of the murders with Garit. With that, Illyse is not left entirely alone. She has one remaining companion, her black fox, Thierry. And along the way she finds a friend and lover in Garit, who is willing to defy the laws of the land for a chance at love.
This is my first ARC since learning of NetGalley and Nicole did not disappoint. She has a way with words and is able to, capture the feelings of the characters so clearly that the reader is able to feel them too. Her attention to detail comes with ease. Fantasy Romance is by far one of my favorite genre combinations and Beneath the Starlit Sea is definitely a book I will gladly recommend.
May 7, 2022
I received an Advance Reader Copy of Beneath the Starlit Sea by Nicole Bea in exchange for an honest review.
"I ONCE WAS a little girl with an affinity for fire. Now, many moons later, I am a king’s sorceress from Strandkant with a weakness for staying alive."
As a sorceress living among humans, Illyse's life is marked by loneliness. She has her three foxes, and she has the energy the land gives her for fire, but she is kept apart from others by prejudice and by the King's law. Magical and non-magical people are forbidden to be in love.
The King takes her solace from her, throttles her magical connection to the earth with an iron bracelet. Two of her foxes die in the task he sets for her, working alongside his trusted advisor, Garit, to solve magical murders. But Illyse is not left alone. She has her fox, Thierry. And she finds a companion in Garit, who is willing to defy his King for love.
Nicole has a gift for language, for turns of phrase that perfectly capture a mood or a moment. She captures perfect details–a fox playing with a stick, the sweetness of a candy, the heat of a fire. It's a fairy tale, a fantastical story of love in a world that holds a mirror to our own.
Nicole will capture your heart when you read this, as she always does in her stories.
"I ONCE WAS a little girl with an affinity for fire. Now, many moons later, I am a king’s sorceress from Strandkant with a weakness for staying alive."
As a sorceress living among humans, Illyse's life is marked by loneliness. She has her three foxes, and she has the energy the land gives her for fire, but she is kept apart from others by prejudice and by the King's law. Magical and non-magical people are forbidden to be in love.
The King takes her solace from her, throttles her magical connection to the earth with an iron bracelet. Two of her foxes die in the task he sets for her, working alongside his trusted advisor, Garit, to solve magical murders. But Illyse is not left alone. She has her fox, Thierry. And she finds a companion in Garit, who is willing to defy his King for love.
Nicole has a gift for language, for turns of phrase that perfectly capture a mood or a moment. She captures perfect details–a fox playing with a stick, the sweetness of a candy, the heat of a fire. It's a fairy tale, a fantastical story of love in a world that holds a mirror to our own.
Nicole will capture your heart when you read this, as she always does in her stories.
December 21, 2022
1.5⭐
🦊🧚♀️Uh... what just happened?🤔
🦊🧚♀️Plz don't be one of the cranky Hs who's rude for the sake of it. They're so overrated.
🦊🧚♀️We're in the first chapter and our heroin managed to get captured from her daily life blackmailed, imprisoned and fell in love with a character whom we only saw nodding and towering in shadows.
🦊🧚♀️Ok so it's mutual. But we need some details asap.
🦊🧚♀️I would have been very insulted if he doubted me like that.
🦊🧚♀️The way she's pursuing garit one would think she doesn't have an ounce of care for her life. Since a relationship with human means death for her.
🦊🧚♀️I always despised "The talk" but this one is so cringey. I feel like I'm reading amateur Romeo and Juliet.
🦊🧚♀️Oh I thought she's imprisoned for life. But it's a one year deal. And she doesn't really mind it and maybe renew it? When tf did that happen?
🦊🧚♀️After all this why I feel he doesn't trust her wholly.
🦊🧚♀️Illyse be like I could do that I could do this meanwhile doing nothing but bite her cheek and lips.
🦊🧚♀️Denying. I really hate when someone deny to see the discrimination happening around them. Just because they're not affected.
🦊🧚♀️Umm... Why would he bring that letter to her room anyway? That's just foolish if it's not a skim by the king.
🦊🧚♀️"When I'm down on the shoreline of the Kincajd serving as bait for those nixies, you're not going to let me die" he just asked that to her after the fight. Like she might do that. It's not trust ffs.
🦊🧚♀️They kissed but didn't make up. Whatever, another pet peeves for me.
🦊🧚♀️That was such a dumb plan.
🦊🧚♀️I give up. I'm never gonna like this book. Yes I'm gonna finish it but it's a romantic fantasy and the romance is shit. H keep lying, keeping secrets, kinda two timing, their trust in each other is non existent.
🦊🧚♀️So the bard is going to be true? It was foreshadowing this?
🦊🧚♀️Illyse is kinda self absorbed. He should not lie to make you feel good. He already forgive you for turning him into a partially blind fox.
🦊🧚♀️It felt like a story written by a kid.
🦊🧚♀️You know some romances where you know they're not gonna work? It's this one. Felt forced Wouldn't route for them.
🦊🧚♀️End thought - Such a bullshit story.
🦊🧚♀️Uh... what just happened?🤔
🦊🧚♀️Plz don't be one of the cranky Hs who's rude for the sake of it. They're so overrated.
🦊🧚♀️We're in the first chapter and our heroin managed to get captured from her daily life blackmailed, imprisoned and fell in love with a character whom we only saw nodding and towering in shadows.
🦊🧚♀️Ok so it's mutual. But we need some details asap.
🦊🧚♀️I would have been very insulted if he doubted me like that.
🦊🧚♀️The way she's pursuing garit one would think she doesn't have an ounce of care for her life. Since a relationship with human means death for her.
🦊🧚♀️I always despised "The talk" but this one is so cringey. I feel like I'm reading amateur Romeo and Juliet.
🦊🧚♀️Oh I thought she's imprisoned for life. But it's a one year deal. And she doesn't really mind it and maybe renew it? When tf did that happen?
🦊🧚♀️After all this why I feel he doesn't trust her wholly.
🦊🧚♀️Illyse be like I could do that I could do this meanwhile doing nothing but bite her cheek and lips.
🦊🧚♀️Denying. I really hate when someone deny to see the discrimination happening around them. Just because they're not affected.
🦊🧚♀️Umm... Why would he bring that letter to her room anyway? That's just foolish if it's not a skim by the king.
🦊🧚♀️"When I'm down on the shoreline of the Kincajd serving as bait for those nixies, you're not going to let me die" he just asked that to her after the fight. Like she might do that. It's not trust ffs.
🦊🧚♀️They kissed but didn't make up. Whatever, another pet peeves for me.
🦊🧚♀️That was such a dumb plan.
🦊🧚♀️I give up. I'm never gonna like this book. Yes I'm gonna finish it but it's a romantic fantasy and the romance is shit. H keep lying, keeping secrets, kinda two timing, their trust in each other is non existent.
🦊🧚♀️So the bard is going to be true? It was foreshadowing this?
🦊🧚♀️Illyse is kinda self absorbed. He should not lie to make you feel good. He already forgive you for turning him into a partially blind fox.
🦊🧚♀️It felt like a story written by a kid.
🦊🧚♀️You know some romances where you know they're not gonna work? It's this one. Felt forced Wouldn't route for them.
🦊🧚♀️End thought - Such a bullshit story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2022
Beneath the Starlit Sea was a book full of wasted potential. The characters were all lackluster. The plot lacked the tension that the world building kept telling us should have existed.
I left this book not caring one bit about anything. The romance was boring. The characters even more boring. My god how many times did Illyse bring up that the shackle weakens her powers. So many times. I don’t need to be reminded constantly, and it just made her annoying.
We are told that relationships between humans and monsters is illegal, creating what could have been an angsty forbidden romance. Instead, THE KING knew about their relationship and just didn’t care. Nobody cared. It made the whole plot thread completely pointless because there weren’t any real consequences. I also just hated that Illyse and Garit were like already in love at the start and we didn’t see their early interactions. This is a fantasy romance, meaning the plot is the romance, so give me them falling in love and getting to know each other. The hesitation about breaking a law and getting caught. The fear of Illyse being imprisoned in an ore for acting on their feelings.
The sorceresses that were locked in the ores supposedly are dangerous because of their anger of being locked away, yet they just were nice and easygoing. Immediately willing to help. GIVE. ME. TENSION. Let one double-cross them.
The conflict with Pieretta needed to be fleshed out more. I just didn’t care, and she didn’t seem evil to me. The nixies were cool in the action scenes, but once again, I wanted more development.
I did love Thierry(?) though. A pet fox is pretty damn cool.
I left this book not caring one bit about anything. The romance was boring. The characters even more boring. My god how many times did Illyse bring up that the shackle weakens her powers. So many times. I don’t need to be reminded constantly, and it just made her annoying.
We are told that relationships between humans and monsters is illegal, creating what could have been an angsty forbidden romance. Instead, THE KING knew about their relationship and just didn’t care. Nobody cared. It made the whole plot thread completely pointless because there weren’t any real consequences. I also just hated that Illyse and Garit were like already in love at the start and we didn’t see their early interactions. This is a fantasy romance, meaning the plot is the romance, so give me them falling in love and getting to know each other. The hesitation about breaking a law and getting caught. The fear of Illyse being imprisoned in an ore for acting on their feelings.
The sorceresses that were locked in the ores supposedly are dangerous because of their anger of being locked away, yet they just were nice and easygoing. Immediately willing to help. GIVE. ME. TENSION. Let one double-cross them.
The conflict with Pieretta needed to be fleshed out more. I just didn’t care, and she didn’t seem evil to me. The nixies were cool in the action scenes, but once again, I wanted more development.
I did love Thierry(?) though. A pet fox is pretty damn cool.
July 13, 2022
**This review contains spoilers**
I have picked the wrong book to review.
As someone with an incurable eye disorder, I don't take kindly to a blind character miraculously being able to see again due to magic. This book would have been a 3.5 or even 4 star, if not for that. In fact, the "spring" section of the book should have never existed. We did not need a second nixie battle, just like we did not need Garit to have a second love interest. 🙄 And we definitely didn't need the king's eyesight to be healed, when there wasn't enough character development for me to even care about the king. Should have cut that whole part of the book out and worked more on developing the characters and details.
Right from the beginning, this book was a struggle. If I have to read one more time about how red hair is what marks an Aske witch, or how it's forbidden to be with a human,or how her power is seeping out of her.. It'll be all too soon. This book was SO repetitive.
As for my recommendation:
-If you love the thrill of insta-pining over someone, and not so much the chase of it, this book is for you!
-If you like a plot to have lil to no details, but still be fast-paced, this book is for you!
-If you like idiotic characters who keep sneaking around even though they risk death, and an "evil" king who gives a million warnings, this book is for you!
-If you like plot holes such as a magic sucking ore band, that still somehow let's you have magic, this book is for you!
2⭐ because I finished it and it wasn't a dnf.
I have picked the wrong book to review.
As someone with an incurable eye disorder, I don't take kindly to a blind character miraculously being able to see again due to magic. This book would have been a 3.5 or even 4 star, if not for that. In fact, the "spring" section of the book should have never existed. We did not need a second nixie battle, just like we did not need Garit to have a second love interest. 🙄 And we definitely didn't need the king's eyesight to be healed, when there wasn't enough character development for me to even care about the king. Should have cut that whole part of the book out and worked more on developing the characters and details.
Right from the beginning, this book was a struggle. If I have to read one more time about how red hair is what marks an Aske witch, or how it's forbidden to be with a human,or how her power is seeping out of her.. It'll be all too soon. This book was SO repetitive.
As for my recommendation:
-If you love the thrill of insta-pining over someone, and not so much the chase of it, this book is for you!
-If you like a plot to have lil to no details, but still be fast-paced, this book is for you!
-If you like idiotic characters who keep sneaking around even though they risk death, and an "evil" king who gives a million warnings, this book is for you!
-If you like plot holes such as a magic sucking ore band, that still somehow let's you have magic, this book is for you!
2⭐ because I finished it and it wasn't a dnf.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2022
**This review contains spoilers**
I have picked the wrong book to review.
As someone with an incurable eye disorder, I don't take kindly to a blind character miraculously being able to see again due to magic. This book would have been a 3.5 or even 4 star, if not for that. In fact, the "spring" section of the book should have never existed. We did not need a second nixie battle, just like we did not need Garit to have a second love interest. 🙄 And we definitely didn't need the king's eyesight to be healed, when there wasn't enough character development for me to even care about the king. Should have cut that whole part of the book out and worked more on developing the characters and details.
Right from the beginning, this book was a struggle. If I have to read one more time about how red hair is what marks an Aske witch, or how it's forbidden to be with a human,or how her power is seeping out of her.. It'll be all too soon. This book was SO repetitive.
As for my recommendation:
If you love the thrill of insta-pining over someone, and not so much the chase of it, this book is for you!
If you like a plot to have lil to no details, but still be fast-paced, this book is for you!
If you like idiotic characters who keep sneaking around even though they risk death, and an "evil" king who gives a million warnings, this book is for you!
If you like plot holes such as a magic sucking ore band, that still somehow let's you have magic, this book is for you!
2⭐ because I finished it and it wasn't a dnf.
I have picked the wrong book to review.
As someone with an incurable eye disorder, I don't take kindly to a blind character miraculously being able to see again due to magic. This book would have been a 3.5 or even 4 star, if not for that. In fact, the "spring" section of the book should have never existed. We did not need a second nixie battle, just like we did not need Garit to have a second love interest. 🙄 And we definitely didn't need the king's eyesight to be healed, when there wasn't enough character development for me to even care about the king. Should have cut that whole part of the book out and worked more on developing the characters and details.
Right from the beginning, this book was a struggle. If I have to read one more time about how red hair is what marks an Aske witch, or how it's forbidden to be with a human,or how her power is seeping out of her.. It'll be all too soon. This book was SO repetitive.
As for my recommendation:
If you love the thrill of insta-pining over someone, and not so much the chase of it, this book is for you!
If you like a plot to have lil to no details, but still be fast-paced, this book is for you!
If you like idiotic characters who keep sneaking around even though they risk death, and an "evil" king who gives a million warnings, this book is for you!
If you like plot holes such as a magic sucking ore band, that still somehow let's you have magic, this book is for you!
2⭐ because I finished it and it wasn't a dnf.
July 26, 2022
Ratings 3 stars
*I received an ARC from NetGalley for my voluntary and honest review.
Illyse is a sorceress who has been forced to serve the king or face being ored, which is being encased in iron ore for all time. She, along with a human doctor Garit, have been tasked with finding the cause of the murders of men which have plagued the kingdom for months. By the time we are brought into the story it has been two months already and all the can determine is that the creature murdering the men is a magical creature. Complicating the situation both Illyse and Garit are fighting growing feelings as their love, between ‘monster’ and man, has been outlawed.
Slight spoilers ahead.
I will start this by saying that I did enjoy the story. The murder mystery aspect was what drew me to the story. And I enjoyed it. However I feel like there were some problems with the relationships. It seems that between Illyse and Garit everything was unspoken for two months as the feeling grew, but then in a matter of weeks the escalation is quite steep. I mean she almost kills him out of jealousy. Also the secondary relationship between Garit and Pieretta seems like it was only added to add a main villain. And on that note, that reveal of Pieretta felt like it came from nowhere. Maybe it's just me though. Like I said though, I did enjoy the book but I feel like some things could have been better.
*I received an ARC from NetGalley for my voluntary and honest review.
Illyse is a sorceress who has been forced to serve the king or face being ored, which is being encased in iron ore for all time. She, along with a human doctor Garit, have been tasked with finding the cause of the murders of men which have plagued the kingdom for months. By the time we are brought into the story it has been two months already and all the can determine is that the creature murdering the men is a magical creature. Complicating the situation both Illyse and Garit are fighting growing feelings as their love, between ‘monster’ and man, has been outlawed.
Slight spoilers ahead.
I will start this by saying that I did enjoy the story. The murder mystery aspect was what drew me to the story. And I enjoyed it. However I feel like there were some problems with the relationships. It seems that between Illyse and Garit everything was unspoken for two months as the feeling grew, but then in a matter of weeks the escalation is quite steep. I mean she almost kills him out of jealousy. Also the secondary relationship between Garit and Pieretta seems like it was only added to add a main villain. And on that note, that reveal of Pieretta felt like it came from nowhere. Maybe it's just me though. Like I said though, I did enjoy the book but I feel like some things could have been better.
July 1, 2022
I received a copy of this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
WARNING: SPOILERS
The pacing of this was off and there wasn't quite enough worldbuilding to really pull me into the story. I never really felt I had a good grasp on the world as a whole - what the history was like, the motivations of the characters, etc. The romance felt rushed and unrealistic and the spicy scenes weren't good enough to make up for that (I also didn't realise it was romance when I started reading, so those came as quite the surprise).
The more I think about this book, the more confused I am about the lack of substance. If I hadn't been on a plane when I read it, I probably wouldn't have finished.
WARNING: SPOILERS
The pacing of this was off and there wasn't quite enough worldbuilding to really pull me into the story. I never really felt I had a good grasp on the world as a whole - what the history was like, the motivations of the characters, etc. The romance felt rushed and unrealistic and the spicy scenes weren't good enough to make up for that (I also didn't realise it was romance when I started reading, so those came as quite the surprise).
The more I think about this book, the more confused I am about the lack of substance. If I hadn't been on a plane when I read it, I probably wouldn't have finished.
August 31, 2022
Beneath the Starlit Sea, Nicole Bea
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Sci-fi and Fantasy.
I enjoyed this book, it was an interesting read with some different takes on the supernatural. Where it fell down for me was in the backstory, the witches in ore, why, when, how, what exactly did it mean. Illyse and the foxes, how did they get together, what was her story. How did the king just have to power to pull her in the way he did.
I liked the characters but felt they could have been fleshed out a little more, so we understood them better. Of course I'm way past the NA tag I've just noticed ;-) so that could be part of the issue.....
There was a lot going on here, and at times it seemed Illyse and Garit ignored the real world and its issues that they were supposed to be solving. That didn't really feel like the type of person they were.
The story and the characters/creatures were believable but for me things could have been a bit more in depth, so that it didn't feel quite so disjointed. I did enjoy the fact that the story was very different to so many “witch” stories.
Stars: Three and a half, a story that I enjoyed, which has some unique aspects but when I felt needed a little more clarity and depth.
Arc via Netgally and publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: New Adult, Romance, Sci-fi and Fantasy.
I enjoyed this book, it was an interesting read with some different takes on the supernatural. Where it fell down for me was in the backstory, the witches in ore, why, when, how, what exactly did it mean. Illyse and the foxes, how did they get together, what was her story. How did the king just have to power to pull her in the way he did.
I liked the characters but felt they could have been fleshed out a little more, so we understood them better. Of course I'm way past the NA tag I've just noticed ;-) so that could be part of the issue.....
There was a lot going on here, and at times it seemed Illyse and Garit ignored the real world and its issues that they were supposed to be solving. That didn't really feel like the type of person they were.
The story and the characters/creatures were believable but for me things could have been a bit more in depth, so that it didn't feel quite so disjointed. I did enjoy the fact that the story was very different to so many “witch” stories.
Stars: Three and a half, a story that I enjoyed, which has some unique aspects but when I felt needed a little more clarity and depth.
Arc via Netgally and publishers
July 3, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Sword and Silk books for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the storyline of this book. I also enjoyed the relationship between Illyse and Garit. I like how they were open and helped each other through their struggles. There was a lot going on during this book and Illyse and Garit helped each other to grow and become stronger. As for the story, I enjoyed the water theme and how Nicole leaves you on your toes during the fight scenes with the antagonists. I was a bit confused when the story didn't finish after the first fight, but I really enjoyed seeing how Illyse and Garit lived during the spring. It was a great addition because if the storyline ended in winter there would have been a lot of unanswered questions!
I wish there was more world-building to understand more about the character's past and how why everything in this world is the way it is. I wish there were more information about what happened when Illyse got captured and when she and Garit started investigating the murders. I would say that their relationship is instalove, but I would be wrong. With that being said, I wish there was a more in-depth perception of their relationship and how they got to where they were when they started to become fond of each other in the book.
Overall, this book would be great to read on a winter's day in front of a fireplace with some hot chocolate. If you are looking for a nice quick fantasy book, give this book a try. The beginning is a bit slow, but keep with it.
I really enjoyed the storyline of this book. I also enjoyed the relationship between Illyse and Garit. I like how they were open and helped each other through their struggles. There was a lot going on during this book and Illyse and Garit helped each other to grow and become stronger. As for the story, I enjoyed the water theme and how Nicole leaves you on your toes during the fight scenes with the antagonists. I was a bit confused when the story didn't finish after the first fight, but I really enjoyed seeing how Illyse and Garit lived during the spring. It was a great addition because if the storyline ended in winter there would have been a lot of unanswered questions!
I wish there was more world-building to understand more about the character's past and how why everything in this world is the way it is. I wish there were more information about what happened when Illyse got captured and when she and Garit started investigating the murders. I would say that their relationship is instalove, but I would be wrong. With that being said, I wish there was a more in-depth perception of their relationship and how they got to where they were when they started to become fond of each other in the book.
Overall, this book would be great to read on a winter's day in front of a fireplace with some hot chocolate. If you are looking for a nice quick fantasy book, give this book a try. The beginning is a bit slow, but keep with it.
Read
July 20, 2022"For someone who doesn't often have much to say outside of sharing from medical texts and work-related conversation, you certainly are particularly eager to discuss matters of the heart."
Thank you to the author for a free review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Beneath the Starlit Sea follows Illyse, a sorceress who is captured by a king in order to be forced to assist in a string of mysterious and supernatural murders. Together, with medical practitioner Garit, will they solve the murders before it's too late? Will they be able to resist the temptation of being attracted to each other when sorceress and human relationships are strictly banned?
The Witcher is one of my favorite TV shows to binge (Yennefer 😍), but I am also most well-known for my obsession with the slowest of slow-burn romances, so take my review with a grain of salt! I would have liked to see more romantic build-up between the main characters instead of being told they'd fallen in love over a gap of time not in the book. I think this would have really increased my attachment to the characters and level of intrigue, because this story had a great premise. Foxes are my favorite animal, though, so I loved seeing Illyse's familiar, Thierry, being a fox!
Thank you to the author for a free review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Beneath the Starlit Sea follows Illyse, a sorceress who is captured by a king in order to be forced to assist in a string of mysterious and supernatural murders. Together, with medical practitioner Garit, will they solve the murders before it's too late? Will they be able to resist the temptation of being attracted to each other when sorceress and human relationships are strictly banned?
The Witcher is one of my favorite TV shows to binge (Yennefer 😍), but I am also most well-known for my obsession with the slowest of slow-burn romances, so take my review with a grain of salt! I would have liked to see more romantic build-up between the main characters instead of being told they'd fallen in love over a gap of time not in the book. I think this would have really increased my attachment to the characters and level of intrigue, because this story had a great premise. Foxes are my favorite animal, though, so I loved seeing Illyse's familiar, Thierry, being a fox!
July 24, 2022
This is the story of a sorceress who is called to help the kingdom from which she was outcasted. She was called to aid in the investigation of the dead men washing up on the shore. As she begins to work with the castle’s physician to solve the mysterious murders, she starts to feel more and more at home in a place that labelled her a monster.
If I am being honest, I struggled with this book. But I do want to say from the beginning, I think Nicole Bea is a fantastic writer. Her prose flowed so smoothly and pulled me in at the beginning, but I had a difficult time connect to the story. From the description, it should have been right up my alley. It was compared to The Witcher, and I can see the similarities of the story in how the people view anyone different as “monsters.” The concept was interesting, but I think where it lost me was how little I connected with the characters. There really were not any characters that I genuinely cared about, and that made it difficult to get through the book. The story was just not for me, but if the concept appeals to you should give it a go! I really enjoyed Nicole’s writing style. She is one of the most talented authors I have read in a while, and I can’t wait to read more from her.
If I am being honest, I struggled with this book. But I do want to say from the beginning, I think Nicole Bea is a fantastic writer. Her prose flowed so smoothly and pulled me in at the beginning, but I had a difficult time connect to the story. From the description, it should have been right up my alley. It was compared to The Witcher, and I can see the similarities of the story in how the people view anyone different as “monsters.” The concept was interesting, but I think where it lost me was how little I connected with the characters. There really were not any characters that I genuinely cared about, and that made it difficult to get through the book. The story was just not for me, but if the concept appeals to you should give it a go! I really enjoyed Nicole’s writing style. She is one of the most talented authors I have read in a while, and I can’t wait to read more from her.
July 25, 2022
Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The story was told well and was interesting. The writing flowed and was paced well, I could've probably finished this in 1 to 2 days if I really wanted to. It was pretty predictable with like one exception, but still managed to be enjoyable. There were a lot of cute and beautiful moments. Sometimes it did feel like the author was trying too hard to make Garit (the Male MC) seem extremely poetic and I just wasn't getting that vibe. Garit was still an amazing character. I kind of wish Illyse had a bit more character growth by the end. She learned to love but she still seemed a bit too selfish and unforgiving. I understand it's meant to be a work in progress thing for her, but it just didn't feel like she learned much. I like that the main focus of the book was on love and romance not so much the conflict that was happening. I really liked that the magic felt natural and fit into the story well. I especially liked the little details of ingredients that were used for spells and the how/why of it. I'd love to read more from the author and think there's even room for a sequel to this book which would be awesome! Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2022
This book caught me off guard with how much I enjoyed it!. The story was told well and was interesting. The writing flowed and was paced well, Took me two days to finish. At times predictable with one small exception, but still managed to be enjoyable.
I enjoyed the cute moments between the two characters in their quick-paced romance. Normally I am a slow-burn kind of person, but the chemistry was good even with their romance happening so quickly.. Sometimes it did feel like the author was trying too hard to make Garit seem poetic, and that really wasn't the vibe I got from him. Honestly, half the time I was waiting for some kind of betrayal Garit was still an amazing character. I kind of wish Illyse had a bit more character growth by the end.
I enjoyed that the main focus of the book was on love and romance and less on the conflict that was happening. The magic felt natural and fit into the story well. I especially liked the little details of ingredients that were used for spells and the how/why of it as well. It made the fantasy aspect and the character being a witch seem easier to become emersed with.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed the cute moments between the two characters in their quick-paced romance. Normally I am a slow-burn kind of person, but the chemistry was good even with their romance happening so quickly.. Sometimes it did feel like the author was trying too hard to make Garit seem poetic, and that really wasn't the vibe I got from him. Honestly, half the time I was waiting for some kind of betrayal Garit was still an amazing character. I kind of wish Illyse had a bit more character growth by the end.
I enjoyed that the main focus of the book was on love and romance and less on the conflict that was happening. The magic felt natural and fit into the story well. I especially liked the little details of ingredients that were used for spells and the how/why of it as well. It made the fantasy aspect and the character being a witch seem easier to become emersed with.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
Beneath the Starlit Sea follows a powerful sorceress, Illyse. Captured by the king and bound by iron to dampen her powers, Illyse is forced to find the source of the strange murders occurring throughout the kingdom. With the help of a human doctor, the two spark a forbidden romance as they uncover secrets and face grisly creatures.
The synopsis of the book really caught my attention and all the elements of a great fantasy romance are there. However, this book unfortunately reads like a first draft. It's missing key emotional building, tone and character development that helps makes a story complete. The main characters are very 2 dimensional and the romance is so insta lovey that it just left me bored. And much of the dialogue and narration is repetitive.
I'm trying not be a negative Nancy, but the story just simply feels unfinished. The premise has real potential and I can see what the author was trying to accomplish. If this story ever gets a rewrite I'll definitely give it another go. However, as it is, I can only give this book 2 stars.
Beneath the Starlit Sea follows a powerful sorceress, Illyse. Captured by the king and bound by iron to dampen her powers, Illyse is forced to find the source of the strange murders occurring throughout the kingdom. With the help of a human doctor, the two spark a forbidden romance as they uncover secrets and face grisly creatures.
The synopsis of the book really caught my attention and all the elements of a great fantasy romance are there. However, this book unfortunately reads like a first draft. It's missing key emotional building, tone and character development that helps makes a story complete. The main characters are very 2 dimensional and the romance is so insta lovey that it just left me bored. And much of the dialogue and narration is repetitive.
I'm trying not be a negative Nancy, but the story just simply feels unfinished. The premise has real potential and I can see what the author was trying to accomplish. If this story ever gets a rewrite I'll definitely give it another go. However, as it is, I can only give this book 2 stars.
August 19, 2022
DNF @ 15%
Interesting premise for this YA fantasy (sorceresses are kept separate from human society unless the king needs their help, in which case the chosen sorceress will be bound by a chain that limits her magic), but this novel read like a first draft, not a thoroughly edited final manuscript.
The pacing was way off (looooong sentences, lots of tell and little show, the MC Illyse falls in love with her love interest almost instantly and with nothing done to make us believe in their attraction). We simultaneously knew everything that was going on in Illyse’s head and yet had no idea what her surroundings were like, why her feelings for Garit were so intense (she falls in love with him off screen almost and we’re made to root for that). After the first three chapters I still didn’t have a sense of the stakes, the world the characters lived in (what did it look like??), or any real reason to keep reading.
I hate not to give a better review to an ARC but this book could use several more rounds of edits for its full potential to shine through.
**Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Interesting premise for this YA fantasy (sorceresses are kept separate from human society unless the king needs their help, in which case the chosen sorceress will be bound by a chain that limits her magic), but this novel read like a first draft, not a thoroughly edited final manuscript.
The pacing was way off (looooong sentences, lots of tell and little show, the MC Illyse falls in love with her love interest almost instantly and with nothing done to make us believe in their attraction). We simultaneously knew everything that was going on in Illyse’s head and yet had no idea what her surroundings were like, why her feelings for Garit were so intense (she falls in love with him off screen almost and we’re made to root for that). After the first three chapters I still didn’t have a sense of the stakes, the world the characters lived in (what did it look like??), or any real reason to keep reading.
I hate not to give a better review to an ARC but this book could use several more rounds of edits for its full potential to shine through.
**Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.**
July 4, 2022
I’d like to thank Netgalley for giving me an e-arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.
From the description of this book, I could tell I could really love it or I could be disappointed. It seemed like my type of fantasy novel.
The romance left much to be desired. I can handle some unrealism in rom-com books, however in a book such as this that deals with high stakes and dark themes, the unrealistic relationship is much to be desired. It breaks the immersion and doesn’t fit. The best way to describe it is it just kind of happens.
The wording and mental imagery were absolutely beautiful. I was enamored by the flowy language. However, it was not enough to make up for the subpar character development, plotting and scattered pacing.
The premise for this book was fascinating, it just needed a bit more refining on certain points. I enjoyed the novel for what it was.
(2.5 rounded up to 3 stars)
From the description of this book, I could tell I could really love it or I could be disappointed. It seemed like my type of fantasy novel.
The romance left much to be desired. I can handle some unrealism in rom-com books, however in a book such as this that deals with high stakes and dark themes, the unrealistic relationship is much to be desired. It breaks the immersion and doesn’t fit. The best way to describe it is it just kind of happens.
The wording and mental imagery were absolutely beautiful. I was enamored by the flowy language. However, it was not enough to make up for the subpar character development, plotting and scattered pacing.
The premise for this book was fascinating, it just needed a bit more refining on certain points. I enjoyed the novel for what it was.
(2.5 rounded up to 3 stars)
June 21, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an eARC copy of this novel for free in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this book. I didn't love it. I found it was a quick read with an engaging lead couple. But I was frustrated that there was little background or context provided for things like why sorceresses were hated or the outlawing of relations between humans and 'monsters'. The relationship between Illyse and Garit was pretty much an insta-love. There was no build-up, no tension and very little will they or won't they (hint: they did lol).
I think the premise of this novel was great - had all the makings of forbidden love/enemies to lovers mixed with an interesting mystery side plot involving the murdered men. It just needed a lot more meat - world building, character development, plotting, etc.
2.5 rounded up to 3 stars for me. .
I liked this book. I didn't love it. I found it was a quick read with an engaging lead couple. But I was frustrated that there was little background or context provided for things like why sorceresses were hated or the outlawing of relations between humans and 'monsters'. The relationship between Illyse and Garit was pretty much an insta-love. There was no build-up, no tension and very little will they or won't they (hint: they did lol).
I think the premise of this novel was great - had all the makings of forbidden love/enemies to lovers mixed with an interesting mystery side plot involving the murdered men. It just needed a lot more meat - world building, character development, plotting, etc.
2.5 rounded up to 3 stars for me. .
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