Sweet Black Waves by Kristina Perez is a stunning read where you basically know the outcome but still hope against hope that it won’t come to pass. You see, Sweet Black Waves is the first in a trilogy that retells the story of Tristan and Eseult from the perspective of Branwen, Eseult’s cousin and maidservant with a magical twist. On the whole, I genuinely enjoyed this book and was SO invested that I did not want to read the ending (because I was rooting for Branwen).

Sweet Black Waves is about two kingdoms at war, they both keep raiding each other and making orphans of children. However, one day, a man washes ashore while Branwen is gathering plants. So, Branwen saves him. Turns out he’s from the enemy kingdom. Still, she is compassionate and nurses him back to health. They fall in love. The man, Tristan, is the nephew to King Marc and competes in a tournament to win Princess Eseult for King Marc. Eseult wants to pick her own husband but of course, the marriage of Eseult will cement peace between the kingdoms and must happen at all costs.

On the whole, I loved Branwen as a character, even when she’s making questionable choices. Whereas, I thought Eseult was so aggravating and would not have minded if she fell overboard during the journey to King Marc. I think it’s tough because you do end up rooting for Branwen and Tristan but know that it ends up being Eseult and Tristan who get together based upon the legend – that’s not exactly a spoiler. What a trip to get there though. I think to enjoy Sweet Black Waves you need to be patient and know that it’s going to be a long read but also quite enchanting. I actually find myself excited to read the sequel and then eventually the final book even though I’ve got no review obligation to do so.

Disclaimer: I bought this book! Support your authors!

Book Series: Sweet Black Waves Book 1

Rating: 5/5

Publication Date: June 5, 2018

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (slight gore, war, witchcraft, sex, and love. I also can’t remember if it’s in book one or two but there is a little cutting scene)

Publisher: Imprint

Synopsis: Not you without me, not me without you.

Two proud kingdoms stand on opposite shores, with only a bloody history between them.

As best friend and lady-in-waiting to the princess, Branwen is guided by two principles: devotion to her homeland and hatred for the raiders who killed her parents. When she unknowingly saves the life of her enemy, he awakens her ancient healing magic and opens her heart. Branwen begins to dream of peace, but the princess she serves is not so easily convinced. Fighting for what's right, even as her powers grow beyond her control, will set Branwen against both her best friend and the only man she's ever loved.

Inspired by the star-crossed tale of Tristan and Eseult, this is the story of the legend’s true heroine: Branwen. For fans of Graceling and The Mists of Avalon, this is the first book of a lush fantasy trilogy about warring countries, family secrets, and forbidden romance.

Review: Holy cow this book was so good. The writing was near poetic and the world building was fantastic. I loved seeing this classic tale told through the eyes of someone not in the original tale and I loved how the author filled in the details left behind in the tale!

However, the book is really slow. It’s really good, but really slow. You’re also going to be confused if you’ve never read the original tale, so Wikipedia it.

Verdict: It’s worth the read!

I give the book 3 stars. I had trouble getting into the story and liking the characters. It’s not the first I would recommend to a patron.

Ok, WOW. This was totally not what I was expecting... in a really good way. I thought this was just going to be another YA fantasy retelling that was just like every other book I've read. BUT IT WASN'T AT ALL. It starts out a little innocent and juvenile, but it quickly turns into an amazing drama filled and entertaining read. I absolutely loooooved Branwen's character and Essie, eh I could take her or leave her. She was pretty annoying to be honest, but that's how her character is supposed to seem so, I'll let that one slide. Tristan was also such an interesting character and he always gave me that "too good to be true" feeling. I let you find out if that feeling was accurate or not!

All in all, Sweet Black Waves was a wonderful surprise and I can't wait to read book two in this series. I would highly recommend this novel to readers who love YA retellings and YA fantasy. Thank you to Fierce Reads and NetGalley for sending this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 4/5

This book started off really well. Plot was interesting and I was engrossed enough to want to see it through. I might have felt that the pacing is a little too slow though because most of it is fixated on the protag's narrative on her dedication to her duty. Other than that it was a passable first book. I am still hesitant to read the second one because of this damn princess. I was already pissed off at how annoying she was and then... ta-da! Goodness! I have never hated a character as much as this stupid brat of a princess! I have to admit that I am curious as to how this will play out but I cannot stand how idiotic that character was. Look at me getting riled up over a fictional character, but then maybe that is a good thing. LOL

There were things that I liked and things that I didn't about this story. I do believe that this was a case of me and not the book because I do feel that it has people that will really love it.

Loved reading this! I wasn't sure what to expect, but this book is so much more than I first thought! So good!

This book did not capture my full interest, so I set it aside. The writing was good, but I did not connect with the characters. I am still curious. Just wasn't the right story for me at the time when I read it, but maybe one day I will pick it up.

This was a fun retelling of Tristan and Isolde but told from the perspective of Branwen, Isolde’s cousin. Ms. Perez truly made the novel come alive. It was full of rich and historical details. Branwen was a mature character, and I found her very relatable. I love how it gave us a spin on the classic characters and made them real. Isolde, who is called Essie in the novel, is a flawed character. Overall, this was a realistic and beautiful novel about these star-crossed lovers, and I’m excited to read the sequel!

This retelling of the tragedy of Tristan and Isolde takes place in a fictional Celtic world that highlights the ongoing conflict between two countries, Iveriu and Kernyv. Branwen is Princess Eseult's cousin, her lady's maid, and her dearest friend. She lost her parents many years ago in a Kernyv raid, and her hatred for the Kernyv is deep. When a seriously injured Kernyvman comes to the Iveriu shore, Branwen brings him to a cave to heal him in spite of her hatred. Tristan soon falls in love with Branwen, and she finds herself falling in love as well. When Tristan wins the tournament for Princess Eseult's hand in marriage for his Uncle Marc, Branwen is determined to create a love potion that will help Essy fall in love with Marc and travel with them to Kernyv. Though evil stands in her way, Branwen will stop at nothing to make peace between the two countries, even though it may cost her everything.
I enjoyed this book overall and thought it was very unique. The characters were so realistic and the settings were descriptive and atmospheric. There was a great deal of violence and some grotesque occurrences, so I would recommend this for older teens and adults only. Even though I knew going in that this book would be a tragedy, the ending was absolutely gut wrenching. It did seem to drag a little bit in the middle and that ending was so sad. I couldn't stand Essy for most of the book because she was such a selfish brat. Branwen disappointed me as well at the end because she didn't trust Tristan and pushed him away even though he openly declared his love. I will read the rest of the trilogy, and it's going to be very difficult to wait so long for the next book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Kristina Perez’s Sweet Black Waves Inspired by tale of Tristan and Eseult

SWEET BLACK WAVES, by Kristina Pérez, Imprint, June 5, 2018, Hardcover, $18.99 (young adult)

Have you ever really loved a book until a certain point and then had a complete turnaround? That’s what happened with me and Kristina Perez’s Sweet Black Waves.

Inspired by the star-crossed tale of Tristan and Eseult, Sweet Black Waves is the story of best friend and lady-in-waiting to the princess, Branwen.

"Branwen is guided by two principles: devotion to her homeland and hatred for the raiders who killed her parents. When she unknowingly saves the life of her enemy, he awakens her ancient healing magic and opens her heart. Branwen begins to dream of peace, but the princess she serves is not so easily convinced. Fighting for what’s right, even as her powers grow beyond her control, will set Branwen against both her closest confidant and the only man she’s ever loved." —synopsis provided by Imprint

Sweet Black Waves is the first book in a planned trilogy. And it has the makings of a sweeping tale. Perez’s writing style immediately draws you in, and I found myself quickly immersed in Branwen’s tale. Maybe too immersed.

About two-thirds of the way into Sweet Black Waves there’s a plot twist that really sucker-punched me. I did not like the path Branwen started down, and as I kept reading, I disliked it even more. Now I’m not super familiar with the tale of Tristan and Eseult, so maybe I should have been expecting this turn. Nonetheless, it was somewhat heartbreaking to see all these events unfold.

In the end, these changes were too much for me, and I did not finish. That’s not to say Sweet Black Waves is not good. It is. And Perez is a strong writer. There’s no reason to not recommend it other than my personal beef with the plot twist.

Sweet Black Waves focuses on Branwen, the cousin of Essy, the princess who is destined to make a marriage that will save their kingdom. Branwen is a strong character who goes from more meek in the beginning to coming into her own, in this first installment. This is the best part of the book. The prose is also strong. That said, I had a lot of issues with it. I liked some of the twists, but the big one I could see coming from a mile away and I was just dreading it for half of the book and just hoping it wouldn't happen, but it did anyway. And the fact that such smart characters made such dumb choices to manufacture this plot twist made me super frustrated. Not to mention how annoying Essy was. Because it ended the way it did, I think I'm done with the series.

A very realistic conversation between me and this book

Me: Feuding kingdoms, you say?

Sweet Black Waves: Oh, yes! But let me warn you that at least the first 70% of this book is just about Branwen blushing at her crush, who is--gasp!--the enemy.

Me: WELL I DO LOVE ROMANCE. Not too much, though... Anyway, this does feature a super awesome girl friendship, right?

Sweet Black Waves: More like martyrdom. Branwen does make some stupid decisions for the sake of her cousin, the princess Eseult, who is, by the way, the most childish princess you'll ever meet.

Me: *gets really iffy* How about the magic? The synopsis says something about powers growing beyond control! I've even prepared my evil laugh for all the defeating-evil-with-magic scenes!

Sweet Black Waves: There is some, yes. A little bit. Every now and then...

Me: *71% through the book* Yup, that's it. I'm done. 🤷🏻

[DNF @ 71%]

I loved this novel! Branwen is orphaned and serves her cousin Essy as her lady’s maid. Essy is a princess about to be betrothed to save her kingdom. Branny is a healer, and while out saves a young man who claims to be a pirate and a poet, Tantris. This is a familiar retelling of Tristan and Isolt, yet is filled with nuances of a brand new novel. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Hi, there! I’m back with another review, this one being on Sweet Black Waves by Kristina Pérez. I received this book via NetGalley by being one of the first few people to request the ARC and read it. Now, at the time, it did really seem intriguing, being a Tristan and Eseult retelling. I remember enjoying medieval romance a lot during my time at university. But then this book reminded me why I didn’t like Tristan and Eseult when studying it briefly in school and almost wish I didn’t request it.

Don’t get me wrong; I liked some elements of the book. For instance, the sisterly bond between Branwen and Eseult was one of the best things to come out of the novel, in my opinion. The way they cared for each other, even when Eseult was being self-centred or Branwen stoic, had me rooting for this femship. They’re each other’s balm and comfort, often referencing the hazelnut and honeysuckle tree that are entwined, neither being able to live without the other (from the original tale). Also, this book got me thinking about arguments and how even though Eseult had a point in that she’s being treated more as a symbol than a person, she seems to be in the wrong because a lot of the time, she acts like a petulant child. Meanwhile, everyone else acts calmly about the fact that she’s being married off to a person she didn’t choose, worse yet because their kingdoms are enemies. But everyone else sees this as an opportunity to stop the warring between the countries and don’t see it as a problem if she marries for duty rather than love.

A main reason I gave this novel a low rating though, wasn’t because of the writing style, but because by the time I figured out that the retelling included the love potion, I knew it was only a matter of time before it was administered. The only problem was that I didn’t know when. So afterwards, I couldn’t get into the story the same way as I did before. Maybe the sequels will add some more interesting twists…

Well, that’s all for now! If you’re interested in reading medieval retellings, I would suggest reading Sweet Black Waves, since the writing style is pretty engaging.

Sweet Black Waves was so beautifully written. I was absolutely entranced from the very first page. The characters are written so vibrantly and Perez did a beautiful job weaving together mythology with the classic Tristan and Isolde story.

I loved most of the characters. Branwen was a fantastic protagonist; she was smart, determined, and brave. She would do anything for the good of her country and to protect those she loves. The romance between her and Tristan was fantastic (if slightly devastating because I knew what happens in the original story and wasn’t sure if Perez would take the story that direction). I wasn’t a huge fan of Essy, she seemed a bit spoiled and self-absorbed, particularly in compared to Branwen.

Sweet Black Waves has a wonderful mix of magic and mythology. I loved how Perez wove those aspects into the tale, grounding the fantastical. The story was very much focused on both the romance between Branwen and Tristan as well as the political situations of their countries. The ending is an emotional sucker punch that will leave you anxiously awaiting the next book.

I‘d recommend this one if you like beautifully written historical fantasy novels or retellings.

I love retellings, it’s one of my favorite things to read so needless to say I was so excited to read this. I haven’t read many greek retellings and was pleasantly pleased with this one! Very lyrical and romantic.

Great first book in a trilogy so be prepared to throw your book at the wall in the end!lol
It's a twist on Tristan and Isolde. I'm excited to see where the author takes it!

Reminiscent of Diana L. Paxson's THE WHITE RAVEN, Perez has woven an engrossing twist on Tristan and Isolde. Those new to stories based on the Arthurian legend are in for a treat, but seasoned readers in the genre will be quite pleased. Highly recommended!

Holy mother of God.... I admit, I did not expect this book to blow me away. It sounded really good but I've been bitten on the butt a lot lately when it comes to YA novels but this one.... it's bloody amazing!!! It's got some wonderful Celtic vibes and the romance was cute. It did feel a little like... early YA but for this story and the world, I will let it slide. I'm not kidding when I saw I want to crawl into this book and just live in this world, never coming back.

The writing is great and the characters are flushed out well. The pacing is kind of weird at some times but again, nothing too bad. The ending.... I will say that I recommend waiting to read this one until the next one is out because the ending will rip your heart out and throw into the roaring flames of the bonfire.... yeah. Overall, it's a wonderful debut and I can't wait to read more from this author, I feel so lucky to have gotten an ARC from NetGalley, so thanks to them. Now, go out and get this book! You'll love it.


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