The Sunken City

You won’t be able to put this down- great read. Looking forward to the sequel. You’ll be captivated from the first page until the last. Wonderful story line and plot.

You all… this book… 🤩🤩🤩🤩

I just devoured this and wish I would have read it sooner! It was beautiful and had all of the elements that I like in a fantasy story. I find that I seem to like pirate/water stories the more I read them and this one was perfect!

I can seriously picture this beautiful, underwater world and I loved all of the unique elements written in to this story along with the many surprises. The supporting characters are well written and I love that after growing up without girlfriends, Amare has two very loyal ones by then end of the book. It was fun to watch their friendships grow!

The best part though, is that Noyes perfectly writes the love interests. There is one clean cut and one dark, morally grey character. Of course my twisted heart is rooting for the darker hero but we will see!

Read this if you like:
🏴‍☠️ A Dark, morally grey character
🏴‍☠️ Hidden Identity
🏴‍☠️ Pirates of the Caribbean meets high fantasy (a dream, I know!)

"The Sunken City" is the last fantasy I read. As a matter of fact, I had no expectations and was pleasantly surprised by the book. Many thanks to BookSirens for the copy provided.

Amare grew up on a pirate ship. Her parents died when she was young and she was raised among pirates. After a terrible storm, Amare finds himself in an amazing underwater world. There are strange sea people in the depths of the sea, and besides them there are also those who use magic. Thus, Amare turns out to be a princess of one of the underwater cities, her father is alive, one of the most famous witches is on her heels, and to top it all off, she is part of some prophecy that does not bode well.

I liked the image of Amara. She was raised by men. Female habits are foreign to her and when she finds her first friends it is difficult for her to trust them. But they are great. I really liked the way they contrasted with each other, and their friendship with Amare was very good. Amare has a typical temperament for teenagers, but she is also very strong. I really liked how the author slowly reveals her strengths and weaknesses. Although she hides behind a mask, she actually has a tender side. We see how, in addition to trying to find her place in this new world, she also fights her demons.

Of course, there is also the love drama, which is very similar to the one from "The Vampire Diaries" - the good and the bad brother. I don't mind the bad characters we learn to love in the course of the story, but here I didn't particularly like Lucas. Finn, however, I liked and I'm sure that the author can play a lot with his character and reveal to us what's going on behind his restrained facade. A lot of twists and turns await us in the next two books. I really liked Maoke, the pirate witch, and I can't wait to see what happens to her.

If it didn't become clear, I really liked the book. The world the author has built is interesting and exciting and has great potential for a great series. I like books that include a water element. And also, the magic is presented in an interesting way and we manage to touch its various manifestations through the characters who possess it. I am looking forward to the next books and I am convinced that the author will break my heart at some point, but I hope for a beautiful ending.

I absolutely LOVED this tale of mermaids, witches, pirates, romance, and adventure! Amare was fabulous! She was the perfect character for this story! The love triangle was set up nicely, and I’m rooting for Lucas. Bad boys are the best!
I can’t wait for the next installment!!!! The fallen witch sounds evil!!!!

Amazing story, for the original setting alone. I was completely transported and captivated. I would definitely check out other works by this author. And perfect choice for the cover art!

This debut novel from Emma Noyes has so much excitement and intrigue packed it., found it hard to put down. The author has crafted a unique fantasy world full of pirates and witches and regular old friendships and lovers. While I was reading, I found myself empathizing with heroes and villains alike, always guessing what move was next and always impressed. I can't wait to see what comes next.

First of all. Dear NetGalley, THANK YOU! This book was beyond great, it was perfect under every aspect.
I saw the cover on bookstagram and I knew I had to get a copy. You don't know how much happy I was when I discovered you were giving us a chance to read it for free.
Going back to the review, this book has everything that should be in a story set above and under the sea. Pirates, underwater kingdoms, a lost princess, adventure, mystery and a love triangle that makes sense (I feel like the second book will give me great fangirl vibes).
Writing, characters, world building were just awesome and really fascinating; I can't wait to read more about the next installment.

What a surprise this one was! I had recently been in a pretty large reading slump before picking this one up and I didn't have many high hopes considering my last YA novel didn't live up to the hype.
Emma V.R. Noyes definitely delivered on this book. There were so many things to love, the main character Amare, the world building, and the romance. It's been a while since I read a book with a strong female main character that is not too overdone. Amare is headstrong, but she is vigilant and intelligent. She doesn't make rash decisions and is more careful which I really appreciated seeing.
I've always loved stories about mer folk, pirates, and the sea and I ate this one up. The world was mesmerizing and it was one that I enjoyed escaping to. The romance was 'chef's kiss' and the enemies to lovers aspect was done very well. I highly recommend this high stakes adventure on the sea for all fantasy lovers!

After her parents died when she was just a baby, Amare was raised on a pirate ship. Her father had been the captain and he and Amare's mother were washed overboard in a terrible storm, and her father's first mate, Omar, became the new captain, and Amare's surrogate uncle. Amare learned early that "the only thing pirates fear more than the Royal Navy's noose is magic aboard their vessel." Women on ships are considered very bad luck, so Amare does everything she can to make herself appear boyish. When she finds a hidden treasure chest buried under the sea and opens it up, her life is changed forever, and she really doesn't know if she likes that or not.

I loved everything about this book! Amare was a strong female lead who was so used to hiding her true self from those around her, she kept everybody at arm's length. It was nice to see her slowly open herself up and make friends, as well as fall in love with two different guys who are polar opposites. The supporting characters were well written and likeable, and the pacing was even and made this a quick read. That leaves us with the world building, which was extremely well done, from the descriptions of life on a pirate ship to the glittering underworld city. Throw in some magic and a prophecy, and this book literally had it all!

I enjoyed this book so much and can't wait to see where the author goes with this story in book 2.

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley and Emma V. R. Noyes for the opportunity to read and review this book.