Dark Shores (Dark Shores, #1) in Danielle L. Jensen's Reader Group

Dec 21, 2020 AJ rated it it was amazing

”This was how it was supposed to feel. Like standing on a cliff high above a turquoise sea, terrified to jump but desperate for the thrill of the fall.”

Danielle L Jensen’s writing is amazing so I knew I’d love this book and I was not disappointed. The political differences were done tastefully and If you read my reviews you’ll know how much I love books with a action packed sea voyage. You know I love slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romances and ancient Roman vibes. This book had it all!

Marcus ...more

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Jan 15, 2021 Ariel rated it it was amazing

I will write a proper review in a few weeks but I have to say, this book blew me away and exceeded every single expectation I went into it with. I haven’t read Dark Skies yet, but I think it’s almost safe to say I’m #TeamMarcus. Killian would have to be one heck of a man to win this.

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Mar 10, 2020 Julie - One Book More rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, ya, netgalley

https://onebookmore.com/2020/03/14/re...

The Calendor Empire, which is influenced by Ancient Rome, has taken over the entire Eastern Hemisphere. Now, under the leadership of the dastardly Cassius, they find out about the existence of the Dark Shores and are determined to conquer the Western Hemisphere. The only problem is, they need an easier and quicker way to get there that doesn’t risk the lives of their armies.

Teriana is a fierce protagonist. She lives on the sea, and she knows the secret to https://onebookmore.com/2020/03/14/re...

The Calendor Empire, which is influenced by Ancient Rome, has taken over the entire Eastern Hemisphere. Now, under the leadership of the dastardly Cassius, they find out about the existence of the Dark Shores and are determined to conquer the Western Hemisphere. The only problem is, they need an easier and quicker way to get there that doesn’t risk the lives of their armies.

Teriana is a fierce protagonist. She lives on the sea, and she knows the secret to get to the Dark Shores. This makes her very valuable. To save her mother and her crew, Teriana agrees to travel the sea with Marcus, a blackmailed legionnaire, using her knowledge of the vast ocean to reach this unexplored place.

The story switches perspectives from Marcus to Teriana, giving the reader an in-depth perspective of the story-line. This type of narration also contributes to the character development, as we can further understand their thoughts, feelings, relationships, and motivations.

Speaking of relationships and motivations, I have to talk about the slow-burning, enemies-to-lovers romance. I admit, I am a sucker for romance, and I enjoyed this aspect of the book. It wasn’t overdone, but it wasn’t too subtle. There was a good buildup (and great chemistry) that left me rooting for the young couple.

The introduction of gods and goddesses is another fascinating element of the story and reminded me again of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The story includes people who have been “touched” by the gods and, thus, have special powers, god-like beings that live in the sea, persecution against the believers of the gods, and an epic battle between two gods! I have a feeling these mythical beings will become even more significant in the second book and will influence the actions of the characters.

This story is filled with rich detail, and the setting is vivid and strong. The author has created a unique world with exceptional detail, and her knowledge of sailing adds to the setting. Her knowledge of politics, religious discrimination, family dynamics, and human behavior contributes to the complex plot progression and character development.

My only criticism is that the story starts off slow. It took several chapters before I was pulled into the book. That being said, it was totally worth it. This is a unique, well-developed, and action-packed story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can’t wait to read Dark Skies, the second book in the series. 🙂 ...more

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Apr 27, 2020 Bookish Selkie rated it really liked it

Shelves: enemies-to-lovers

While I was initially under a very different impression about what this book was about due to the synopsis, I still enjoyed the journey. My favorite thing about this book was the complex world-building and magic systems. It’s clear that a lot of work went into building this world and it shows in a very positive way. (view spoiler) ...more

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Apr 29, 2020 Natalie Reddy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Amazing!

Dark Shores was an amazing book! I can't believe I waited this long to read it. The concept was so original the same as all of Jensen's books. The world building was perfect. Not too little and not too much. The characters and friendships were by far my favorite part of the book. I loved both our main characters Marcus and Teriana and their relationship, but the side characters and their relationships and friendships were equally wonderful. I can't wait for the next book! ...more

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Jan 01, 2021 Kaelyn Grace rated it it was amazing

Shelves: forced-to-work-together-trope

Realizing that I didn’t review this book back when I read it for the first time right when it came out, I decided to add a piece here. Because you NEED to read this book! It’s so underrated and if more people read it, they would understand the hype I put behind it. Enemies to lovers, Roman inspired world, magic, AND a strong-willed main character, it has everything you could want in a book! I cannot recommend this series enough. Please read :)

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Aug 27, 2019 Zahra Z rated it it was amazing

Update 2 : it was worth it to reread again
Now I understand looots of things I didn’t from the first reading
Can’t wait for Gilded serpent in 2021 and back with Marcus and Teriana again!

Update 1: Amazing! The beginning was slow but what just happened?
I loved Teriana she’s thick head but really amazing
Can’t wait for Dark skies and other books from this amazing series

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