A Dream Within A Dream: Dark Shores Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway

Dark Shores

Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Publication Date: May 7, 2019
Publisher: Tor Teen

Description:

High seas adventure, blackmail, and meddling gods meet in Dark Shores, the first novel in a new YA fantasy series.

In a world divided by meddlesome gods and treacherous oceans, only the Maarin possess the knowledge to cross the Endless Seas. But they have one mandate: East must never meet West.

A PIRATE WITH A WILL OF IRON

Teriana is the second mate of the Quincense and heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people are born of the seas and the keepers of its secrets, but when her closest friend is forced into an unwanted betrothal, Teriana breaks her people’s mandate so her friend might escape—a choice with devastating consequences.

A SOLDIER WITH A SECRET

Marcus is the commander of the Thirty-Seventh, the notorious legion that has led the Celendor Empire to conquer the entire East. The legion is his family, but even they don’t know the truth he’s been hiding since childhood. It’s a secret he’ll do anything to protect, no matter how much it costs him – and the world.

A DANGEROUS QUEST

When an Empire senator discovers the existence of the Dark Shores, he captures Teriana’s crew and threatens to reveal Marcus’s secret unless they sail in pursuit of conquest, forcing the two into an unlikely—and unwilling—alliance. They unite for the sake of their families, but both must decide how far they are willing to go, and how much they are willing to sacrifice.
Praise for DARK SHORES:

“Richly-woven, evocative, and absolutely impossible to put down―I was hooked from the first lines! Dark Shores has everything I look for in a fantasy novel: fresh, unique settings, a cast of complex and diverse characters, and an unflinching boldness with the nuanced world-building. I loved every word.” ―Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"The book grabs readers from the beginning with its stellar worldbuilding and multidimensional characters, and the mythical elements are truly believable within the constructs of the story. The perspective shifts between the viewpoints of Teriana and Marcus from chapter to chapter, offering readers greater insights into each. ...A gripping introduction to a new series." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred)

"This is a lush, imaginative world, and as the focus shifts between Teriana and Marcus, it becomes clear that the readers are only getting a glimpse of its complicated history and mythology. ...Their secrets don’t, of course, stop Teriana and Marcus from embarking on a steamy romance, and fans of Rutkoski’s sighworthy The Winner’s Kiss and the high-stakes sea adventure of Levenseller’s Daughter of the Pirate King will want to know where Marcus and Teriana journey to next." ―Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

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Dark Shores is the first book in a new young adult fantasy series that fans of the genre and of pirates are going to love. It seems that YA fantasy is a huge thing right now, with an almost epic fantasy feel. This one fits right into that category but also stands apart from it. Everything about this book was incredibly well done and I can't really think of anything I didn't love about it. I adored the main characters, Teriana and Marcus, and enjoyed getting to know each of them throughout the book. They were both complex, well rounded, and realistic with plenty of faults to make them easy to connect with. I loved seeing them grow on their own as well as when they're working together against their common enemy.

The setting was great with amazing world building. I felt as though I could close my eyes and be transported to these places. The author uses detailed descriptions and vivid imagery to bring it all to life right in front of our eyes. It was like I was beside the characters experiencing everything right along with them. I loved learning all I could about the Empire, the Dark Shores, the pirates and their lifestyles, and everything in between. I'm looking forward to getting to know even more about it all in the coming books. The writing style was well crafted with a dual narrative - that of Teriana and of Marcus. The only tiny thing that bugged me personally is the author's choice of writing style. The third person point of view is used throughout the novel and while I completely understand the reasoning behind using this style, I always seem to prefer first person. I have to admit that even though this wasn't my favorite writing style, it fit the novel well and we learned a lot about each of the main characters and got to see things from both perspectives. Overall, this was a fantastic first book in a promising new YA fantasy series and I'm already looking forward to reading the next one. I highly recommend this for fans of YA, fantasy, epic fantasy, pirates, and adventure.

Photo Credit: Katherine Calnan Photography

Danielle L. Jensen is the USA Today bestselling author of The Malediction Novels: Stolen Songbird, Hidden Huntress, Warrior Witch, and The Broken Ones, as well as The Bridge Kingdom (Audible Originals). Her latest novel, Dark Shores, will be released by Tor Teen in May of 2019. She lives with her family in Calgary, Alberta.