Sunken City was such a fun read!! I’m not much of a fantasy girl, but Amare’s story is captivating from the very first page. Everyday I looked forward to coming home and digging in to this one, and to me that is everything you should want in a book. Emma is incredibly talented and delicately balances a novel that is an equal parts coming-of-age, romance, and family story. Soooo looking forward to the sequel!!!

The Sunken City is such an incredible book. Pirates have always been one of my favorite things - take that, magic, battles, great friends, and a dark, trauma filled boy, and my recipe for an ideal book is complete.

The world that the author built for this series is unlike any other I’ve seen. I love how there is an “above” world and a “below” world, and how the main character is so clueless about both of them.

My favorite things about this book, though, are definitely the characters. They are all amazing, even the “bad guys.” There are certain people I started off hating, but by the end of the book I found myself starting to like them. The opposite is true as well.

I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

When I started to read this, I was pulled in by the world and the main character Amare. The pirate ships, the side characters and the magic that is later revealed.

Then when she got to the Sunken City, it just went downhill for me from there.

When Amare got to the city, she changed into a totally different person. On the pirate ship with her uncle, she was respectful, hardworking and mature. Then when she got to the Sunken City, she suddenly is unnecessarily rude, sarcastic and an immature person. It was a totally different vibe you got from Amare than when it started in the book.

Another thing that irked me a bit. So, this book started in the 1700's basically. Cool era and I was ready to go with it. When Amare gets to the Sunken City, that is tossed out of the window. Now there is miniskirts and tank tops, clubs, fake ids and so on and so forth. Such a totally whip lash and such a total turn off. There was no solid transition into that type of world that to me it didn't feel believable.

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

I am a big fan of Pirates of the Caribbean; I am not, however, a big fan of this book. I almost abandoned it, but I felt obligated to finish it because I received it as an ARC and kept thinking/hoping it would improve. As my husband pointed out last night, though, "How many books have you read that actually got better after you made it halfway through without enjoying them?" I'm trying to recall if I've ever had that happen.

Anyway.

This book sounded interesting--pirates and magic and all that. But I found myself hurrying to finish reading it so that I could move on to something more enjoyable.

I did not like Amare (17) at all. She's selfish, crass, rude, and reckless. Nothing is important unless it matters to her personally. I'm not sure how anyone fell in love with her, let alone two characters (supposedly). Finn (17) is more likable after a while, but he's obviously an idiot because he admires Amare so much. Still, I much prefer him to Amare. Lukas (20) is a bit more complicated, but I don't want to give anything away. I'll just say that I could have liked him but don't.

Which brings me to the dreaded love triangle. I am not a fan of love triangles, but there are a few that I can understand and accept (Jem/Tessa/Will in The Infernal Devices, for example). This one, however, was there simply to cause problems. It felt very contrived and forced. I could have gotten behind Amare/Finn or Amare/Lukas (not both) if it hadn't been a triangle (and other issues). Since, however, it was a love triangle for the sake of a love triangle, I just found myself annoyed. Let's be honest, here: the timing is extremely inconvenient and suspicious, and it brings serious doubt to the sincerity of Amare's feelings towards Finn. And it's yet another reason I cannot bring myself to like her.

The story was so-so. Again, pirates and magic and underwater kingdoms sound like the makings of a great adventure story, do they not? But somehow it just didn't work for me. Plus the time setting was very, very strange. I started out reading this book thinking that it took place in roughly the same time period as Pirates of the Caribbean because that's what it felt like. And then once Amare is in the Sunken City, the book suddenly feel like it's fast-forwarded to modern time and just transplanted Amare into it. The explanation is that the sereia are far more advanced than humans, etc. But it just felt weird.

So I will not be continuing this series. Should anyone who comes across this review finish any subsequent books, please message me so that you can spoil them for me. (I don't care enough to read them, but I still would like to know.)

Note: Really dumb love triangle. Language, including probably 10+ f words.

Thank you to NetGalley and Emma V. R. Noyes for the opportunity to read a free digital copy of this book for an honest review. (Published: January 29, 2022)
Rating = 3.5 / 5 stars (rounded up to 4 for NetGalley)

Description: Amare Bellamy is not a witch. Orphaned as a child and raised on a ship by the most dangerous men in the Caribbean, Amare is one thing and one thing alone: a pirate. And pirates hate magic.

“The Sunken City” by Emma V. R. Noyes immediately caught my attention with its gorgeous underwater cover art. The artwork reminded me of “The Little Mermaid” (which happens to be one of my favorite Disney movies), and when I read the summary about the plot centering on a pirate lass who becomes Princess of the Sunken City, I was all in!

Part One of this book is all about Amare’s amazing life growing up aboard a pirate ship called the Moonshadow. I found this section of the book to be fantastically well written and really showcased Amare as a fierce 17-year-old who could hold her own on a ship full of men. The author’s descriptive writing style took my breath away and quickly transported me to 18th century pirate life in the Caribbean.

Parts Two and Three are where the story takes a sharp turn and everything that was amazing about the previous section begins unraveling. Amare is now 267 feet below sea level in the Sunken City. All of previous characters are now gone and a new cast emerges. According to the timeline the author provides the reader, Amare was a newborn in 1717 when her parents were lost at sea. Amare is 17 years old when this story takes place, which would make the year 1734. In the Sunken City, while the water-breathing folk proclaim they’re much more advanced than human society, I found it hard to believe that they were all using modern language (including modern curse words – which really irked me) and that Amare was wearing miniskirts, going to bars and concerts, and eating modern food underwater in 1734. I just couldn’t buy into this without a better explanation. I also thought Amare’s character changed drastically from a smart, skilled pirate into a whiny, spoiled princess. Sadly, I found myself disliking her more and more as the story went on. Fortunately, the writing was consistently good and there were some very likable sub characters that helped me stay interested through the rest of the story.

Overall, I found the story line to be unique and was completely entranced by the first part of the book. It had so much potential but fell a little short in the world-building, believability, and character development. I certainly wouldn’t call it a bad book – it’s worth reading if you fancy pirates, are intrigued by underwater cities, and like a good rags-to-riches plot with a love triangle twist. Oh, and dash in some witches for good measure. Since this book is part of a trilogy, I’m hoping that the next two books will redeem this one for me. I’m looking forward to reading them!

"There is darkness in everyone, Amare," he says at last. "Most of us run from it, hide from it, push it into a box they hope it will never escape. Others accept it. And fewer still, well... they embrace it."

Amare Bellamy is a pirate and life aboard the "Moonshadow" is all she's ever known. So, when she is plunged into the sea and finds herself in the middle of an underwater city, where magic is omnipresent but strictly prohibited, she has to rethink everything she's ever known. Especially since she turns out to be the city's lost princess and that isn't even the most life-changing revelation she has to come to terms with...

"The Sunken City" is one of the most entertaing YA fantasies I've read in a long time.
Pirates, sereia (merpeople), mchawi (witches) - this book has them all. Also, the author has included ALL the tropes - prophecies, found family, a love triangle, arranged marriage, marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers - and I'm pretty sure I'm still missing some.
This novel has a lot going on and I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. I loved the story, the characters, Amare's journey of self-discovery, the twists and the way this story also has some elements of time travel to it since it takes place in the early 1700s, but the underwater folk are way ahead of their human counterparts in terms of technology, their understanding of propriety etc.
The only drawback is that some things don't make a whole lot of sense to me, especially when it comes to the anatomy of the sereia and the way gravity works in the sunken city, but I'm hopeful all of that'll make more sense in the sequels.

"The Sunken City" is the perfect read for everyone who enjoys books about prophecies, quests and self-discovery. Also, witchcraft and pirates - need I say more?

Amare Bellamy has grown up on her uncle’s pirate ship, the only girl onboard since her parents perished when she was just a newborn. The sailors think her presence is a curse, her gender linking her to the witches they’re so afraid of. – never mind that Amare is as terrified of magic as they are. But when a find on a treasure hunt leads to Amare accidentally awakening an unknown something, she finds herself whisked away to a city under the sea, a kingdom whose king declares himself her long-lost father. Amare must reconcile who she thought she was with her new identity of princess of the Sunken City – and stay safe from the dark powers she feels steadily growing inside of her.

This book was an interesting mashup of classic pirate fantasy with wholly modern language and lifestyle/activities. I was expecting the former, and did get a taste, but the majority of the story is the latter. The worldbuilding is solid but a part of it does feel like a cheat, underwater beings declaring themselves light years ahead of humans as far as progress, and the human world is your classic 1600s/1700s vibe while the Sunken City is a mirror image of our actual reality in the 21st century. And I mean exact, iPads and raves and technology galore, all underwater somehow. But it kind of works?

Amare’s narration was fun and innately readable, not to mention understandable given the situation she finds herself in. I got behind her perspective in every way save for the romantic aspect; the love triangle was entirely predictable and decently annoying to watch unfold. I’m personally not a fan of back and forth and wishy-washy, not-able-to-make-up-your-mindedness, which is the main portion of what we were given here. I may also be biased because one side of the triangle has a clear advantage over the other, despite what Amare’s heart/mind/body might be telling here.

Overall, it was a quick, entertaining read that will likely appeal to the younger side of YA. The modern language paired with the fantasy aspect lightens the stakes so no conflict ever feels so dire it’s inescapable. I’ll likely continue with the series to see how the story continues to unfold.

Content warning: a quick mention of bulimia-adjacent activities that might be triggering to those recovering from eating disorders; attempted sexual assault.

Amare has spent her entire life on a pirate ship and her life has followed a fairly expected pattern (as much as a pirate can follow a pattern). When a magical chest is found within the depths of the ocean, all of that changes. After Amare opens the chest, she learns that she is more than a normal girl and has access to magical abilities. These abilities lead to her jumping into the ocean during a storm and finding herself in a world beyond her imagination. In this underwater world filled with beauty, magic, and for the first time ever, friends, Amare must do what she can to protect her new life from threats she never saw coming.

If there is one thing that I have learned about myself since I first started reviewing books, it’s that I love books about pirates. So, when I saw this book, I got really excited. Not only does it have pirates, but there is an entire city underwater. Guess what? That’s something else I’ve learned that I love. Add these two things together and I was destined to love this book.

The Sunken City takes two of my favorite settings and winds a plot so carefully throughout them that it was impossible not to get sucked right in. From the very beginning, the story was creative and fun to read. I enjoyed the fact that I was able to jump from one fun setting to the next. The world building was thorough enough to be immersive, but there was still enough left unknown that the story will have a great opportunity to grow during the other books in the series.

While the world of Sunken City was fascinating, our MC could be whiney or annoying at times and that made it hard for me to truly root for her throughout the books conflicts. The supporting cast made up for what I felt Amare was lacking. Her best friend and both of the boys in her life were interesting enough that they balanced the times when Amare was struggling. I think part of why I felt disconnected from Amare was simply the faster pacing. There was so much going on and so many characters, that it lacked a little fluidity.

Overall, this was a quick, fun read and I was left wanting to know what happens next! I will absolutely be starting the next book in the series as soon as I possibly can!

⅘ stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Emma V. R. Noyes for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

There are parts I absolutely LOVE in this book. and parts that annoy the crap out of me. Noyes’s writing is an acquired taste, and it took some getting used to in the first two parts. Later in the book, I felt like the main character fell in love a little too quickly, but I suppose with the isolated environment she was raised in, it makes sense. I will say that Lukas is by far the best character, not just because of WHO he is, but because his character has depth and is so understanding of Amare’s inner battle. “You deserve someone who won’t try to change you. Won’t try to shape you into the mold he desires. You deserve someone who will love every part of you-the good, the dark, the angry, the broken…” Tell me more, Lukas… Tell me more.. (there is a second book, so I’m definitely going to be picking that up soon).

I was really inrtrigued by the stunning book cover and the description.

The main character is a girl named Amare. She lost her parents and was raised by her uncle and his team on the pirate ship. That's quite an interesting begining! It was realistic as the author describes how Amare faces all the dificulties on the ship among different types of men. I also got some nostalgic feeling when Tortuga is mentioned. Here are the Pirates of the Caribbean vibes.

But then the setting changed and I got lost with all underwater world witches, cretures and devices. It is really a strange mixture. I don't quite get it.

I really like to know the truth about wicthes in this world. This line captures my interest.
So if I have a chance to continue with a story, maybe I read the second book.

A pirate who ends up as a lost princess in an underwater world that includes magic, witches and monsters? Sign me up! I loved how spunky Amare was and who doesn't love enemies to lovers and a love triangle. There are some flashbacks in the beginning of the book that feel like they are there to fill space. They seem ill placed and have no bearing on advancing the story.

A magical and whimsical read that reminded me of why I loved YA fantasy. I'll definitely pick up the next installment.

Amare was orphaned as a baby and raised by pirates. She must learn the hard way how to fend for herself; a pirate ship is no place for a girl. Until one day she comes across a sunken treasure that turns her world upside down. From the very beginning the story is mesmerizing. The Sunken City is everything I look for in a book set at sea: pirates, adventure, morally gray characters. I don't think I should say more to convince you, but I really enjoyed this book.

received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

4.5 stars. Oh what the heck. I was wrapped up in this, merrily reading along and then it's just done?! Talk about a cliffhanger lol. I really enjoyed this. The world building was great. I'm so glad the second one is out already lol.

“On the day I ruin my mortal life, I think I’ve struck gold.”

The Sunken City is about seventeen-year-old Amare Bellamy who lives on a pirate ship after her parents died (or at least one of them I think). She then one day realises she is "not who she thinks she is", and she gets brought back to her home, underwater where her father is the king and she is the Lost Princess. She now has to try to fit in, and find out who she really is. But obviously, it doesn't go as planned.

I hate Lukas with my whole heart. I also don't like Amare. I really hate her. I love Finn though. He deserves better after what Amare did? Seriously? I'm not sure how to feel about Shoa, I liked her because she was funny but she was a bit annoying at some parts.

This is a YA pirate-fantasy-royalty book set on a pirate ship at the beginning but after that mostly takes place underwater. There is the element of mystery too, and of course there's romance. I'm pretty sure there's gonna be a love triangle in the next book.

FINN. I didn't like him much, but my heart aches for what happened with Amare and Lukas. On top of that she doesn't even tell Finn.

The first few chapters were a bit slow paced but it definitely gets better near the middle. Most of the action starts happening in the end.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing this ARC.

I DNF'd this novel at 25% for a few reasons:
-This book really just isn't for my demographic and that's on me. This is very YA and it reads very YA. Sometimes YA can be a bit more mature, but this was more on the younger side of YA.
-Amare was great in the first few chapters, and when she's a pirate she really shines. I loved her backstory. Then, we get to The Sunken City and all of the sudden she's brash and reckless and nothing made sense. She threatens the King who claims to be her father within a minute of meeting with him and doesn't ask great questions in that time.
-I'm not sure what era this was supposed to be in. It seems like the 1700s when we're with the Pirates, but then we're under the sea and Amare is wearing mini-skirts and speaking with modern vernacular? What era are we in? What century is it even?
-The heroine seemed like the typical YA heroine we always get: brash but somehow always gets away with it, taken under someone else's wing to guide her through everything, etc. It was just a very standard heroine once she got to The Sunken City and I liked her a lot more when she was a pirate and not a princess.

Altogether, I'm not going to finish this novel, I think it's overall good for a younger demographic. If I was 16-17 I can definitely see myself really loving this novel.

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚞𝚗𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝙲𝚒𝚝𝚢 🏴‍☠️
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First off I’d like to say that in the last few years I’ve stayed away from YA novels, since my tastes have definitely changed. But I wanted to give this book a try for a few reasons, the cover is gorgeous, I’ve only seen good reviews and lastly I love anything pirates and adventure.
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𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚞𝚗𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝙲𝚒𝚝𝚢 has a great premise, I loved the idea of a underwater world with magic and witches- teenage me would have been obsessed with this.
I think that the author fell short on the world-building a lot of the description and facts were told in more of a conversational way between characters which I didn’t love.
I feel like I didn’t connect to the characters, I needed more from them especially our two brothers.
Some aspects I just found immature and unrealistic, like when Amare finds best friends she can trust 5 minutes after finding out she’s the lost princess of an underwater world. I should also mention she accepts this fact easily and just moves on… And the love triangle 🙄 how predictable.
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Overall the storyline was interesting and unique, I do think it has a lot of potential and I hope readers can find that in the next two books

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-book!
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－𝐶𝑎𝑟 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 📖

The first part of the book was good, though it's so info-dumpy. There are a lot of instances where it's more of a "tell" than a "show". The main character is sometimes annoying because she resents herself being a woman and then talks about feminism. The romance part was good at the start but when it reached the 70% mark it was so rushed. The plot of this is over the place too, it was too predictable.

I just reviewed The Sunken City by Emma V. R. Noyes. #NetGalley
I thought this was an interesting debut novel by Emma V.R. Noves, it features mermaids, tritans and love triangles. It was a fun read!

"Can I tell you a secret? There is a darkness within me. An anger so black, so profound, that even to graze its surface feels as painful as death."

Raised on a pirate ship after losing her parents, Amare Bellamy grew up facing danger, protecting herself by hiding her womanhood amongst a crew of men on the Moonshadow. As a pirate, she was taught to fear witches and magic, viewing them as evil to be avoided. She lived in a world with limited possibilities, yet she still had hopes and dreams for the future.

In the midst of a powerful storm and pulled by an invisible force towards the water, Amare falls into the depths of the ocean and discovers an entire underwater kingdom where she learns the King is actually her father and she is the Lost Princess. As she tries to assimilate herself into this new world, a world in which magic exists but is strictly forbidden, Amare is enchanted by the freedom and adventure the Sunken City seems to offer. But as she learns more about who she is, she unlocks hidden powers within herself which defy everything she was taught to believe.

The Sunken City begins this trilogy quite well and was so much fun to read. The world building is detailed and creatively imaginative, layered with so many components to reveal. At its core, this is the story of Amare finding herself, accepting and embracing who she is, even the darkest parts. It is a story of lies, secrets and betrayals with underlying questions of who to trust, if anyone. With nothing as it seems, unexpected alliances begin to form in an effort to fight the battle between good and evil.

I was entirely immersed into this underwater kingdom and could empathize and feel everything Amare was experiencing as she transitioned into her new life. I loved her inquisitive nature and her fearless and independent spirit and how she was unafraid to stand up for herself. I admired how she fought for what she believed in, persevering regardless of what obstacles she faced. Her newfound friendships with Shoa and Cora also provided such a great support system through times of uncertainty and confusion.

The author developed the characters so well and the romance added the perfect level of angst to the story, featuring an enemies to friends to lovers angle mixed with a love triangle highlighting the choice between good brother and evil brother. With the sea now becoming Amare's destiny and with so much more to learn and explore, this story sets the stage beautifully for the second book while leaving several questions unanswered. I'm looking forward to reading what's next in this story and how the events unfold as everything in Amare's world has been turned upside down and the internal and external struggles between good and evil continue.

"The ocean sings to me like the sirens to Odysseus, and, in the end, there’s nothing I can do to fight it."

** Special thanks to author Emma V. R. Noyes and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Available January 29, 2022. **