I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the advanced reading copy of Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen. I can't wait to start this book.

Before Reading:
I have read Danielle’s Malediction trilogy and loved it so much (it is one of my favourite trilogy’s of all time). That combined with the concept of this book I knew I had to get my hands on it immediately.

Danielle L. Jensen has described this novel as having:
- a world inspired by Ancient Rome
- lots of political intrigue
- a villainous, power-hungry senator
- a slow burn romance (Jensen does this amazingly)
- exciting sea voyages
- legions engaging in epic (land) battles
- meddlesome gods (my favourite)
- friendships
- family drama
- a fierce heroine
- a brilliant hero
and I am so here for all of it!

After Reading:
- a villainous, power-hungry senator ✔️
- a fierce heroine ✔️
- a brilliant hero ✔️
Danielle L. Jensen creates marvellously, flawless, unique, and interesting characters. Terinana is the second mate to the ship Quinsence. She is strong willed and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. Marcus is the commander of a brutal army. He is brave and cold. They are both wonderfully developed characters that add so much more depth to the story. The fact that this book (like the Malediction trilogy) is told in two perspectives adds so much love of these characters, it is indescribable. Danielle L. Jensen’s writing is something I can always get lost in.

- a world inspired by Ancient Rome ✔️
- lots of political intrigue ✔️
- exciting sea voyages ✔️
- legions engaging in epic (land) battles ✔️
Another thing Danielle does is create such strong world building! Everything always falls into place. I love the different dimensions of the West to the East. The East and West needing protection from one another.

- meddlesome gods ✔️
As mentioned this is something I love in books and don’t get enough of! Some characters in this book are marked by one of the six gods who are only known about in the Dark Shores. Those marked get an ability that resembles the god that marked them.

- a slow burn romance ✔️✔️✔️
Jensen did not let down! You could cut the tension with a knife!

- friendships ✔️
- family drama ✔️

Jensen did not let down me down at all. Everything she promised we got! She added the perfect amount of suspense. Give me the next book!!!

Danielle L. Jensen, you get all the stars!

Dark Shores delivers a wonderfully complex world fueled by political power struggles, seafaring traders, and a bevy of mysteries many are eager to uncover. We see the wonders of a world filled with hidden worlds and embodied gods living alongside a harsh, war driven society reminiscent of Ancient Rome. Beliefs clash, ambitions threaten to drown anyone different from the norm of the empire and through it all, we get to follow two protagonists who couldn’t be more different. It’s a masterful bit of worldbuilding that’s exciting to discover.

Dark Shores plays well with juxtaposition of opposites. With Celendor, you have everything wrong with modernized civilization. Their only goal is to control everything they discover, no matter the cost to the indigenous people and lands. They’re monsters from the beginning. With Maarin and the Dark Shores, you have a world filled with beautiful mysteries that are kept private and special in the hearts of their citizens. Life is about more than power and conquerors, focusing instead on a complex religion and a respect for the natural world.

By featuring a character from both regions, we get to see their alternate worldviews at play. Marcus was raised under the military system, pulled from his family at a young age and intent on nothing but bloodshed and dominance over his enemies. Teriana was raised at sea amidst the beliefs of her people. She has experience the wonders of the world and respects them deeply. She’s also defined by her powerful personality and her refusal to give up when the going gets tough. There are monsters aplenty in the book and she does her best to stand strong, even when it becomes impossible to resist.

Overall, Dark Shores is an extremely entertaining journey across a well-developed world. We get to see the growth of two strong characters amidst a dark empire and a villain who lives up to every expectation of an evil politician. This is sure to be a compelling series for years to come.

I definitely enjoyed this book, even if it wasn't of the "I will die if I put this down" variety. There's tons of adventure, political intrigue, and complex relationships. The plot was a bit slow in places (thus my ability to put it down), but it was well-crafted, and I think that matters more than pure suspense. I was invested in the characters and wanted to know their secrets. I would have appreciated spending more time in Teriana's childhood, though; for some reason, I felt a little disconnected from her background and worldview. The world building was lovely, and I didn't struggle to picture settings or characters at all. The romance didn't do much for me, but I'm bizarrely picky when it comes to that, so I'm sure most readers will love it. I would have liked there to be more piracy going on; when you pick up a book with a pirate ship on the cover, you don't expect to spend most of your time with politicians and invading legionnaires, but both those aspects worked for me more than I expected them to, so I didn't really mind. Overall, this was a pretty good read, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

I devoured my ARC copy of Dark Shores by Danielle Jensen last night.... go buy it! A pirate princess who becomes a political pawn, Terania's fate is irrevocably linked to a man harboring a secret that will destroy her trust in him. She is a fierce, independent woman, who carries the burden of her crew, her family and the future of her nation on her young shoulders. Marcus is a legionaire commander, and every decision he makes is about ensuring the safety and future of the men who serve under him. They are the family that protects and loves him, unlike the blood ties that abandoned him. He is compelling and ruthless, tortured and vulnerable. It is set in a world modeled after the Roman Empire, with intrigues, magic and warmongering. Terania and Marcus are unforgettable and now I have a book hangover to get through while I wait on the next installment.

I really liked this book. I did go into it expecting a book about pirates, which is not what we get. There are pirates in this book. One of the main characters is a pirate. But this book is not about pirates. It is about the plotting and politics of a roman-esque society that our main characters get pulled into. The first half of this book has a lot of world building and felt quite slow at times. The last half of the book is all action. Other than the branding and pacing, I quite liked this book. I thought the characters were intriguing and the atmosphere was tangible. I did think it was going to be a standalone but I plan on reading the sequel when it comes out.

4 out of 5 stars.

I loved the setup for this book, which was basically: a fantasy Roman Empire (“the Cel”) inhabits one side of the world and a mysterious group inhabits the Dark Shores on the other side. The two are separated by an impassable ocean (as far as they’re aware) and neither knows about the other. That’s how the world stays safe and balanced.

The only ones who know of both are the Maarin, a group of sailors who are sworn to keep the secret at any cost.

But, of course, the secret is let loose. And thus, this story begins.

The stakes are high right from the getgo and they only get higher. And then Jensen piles things on: questions of morality, the guilt of making any choice in an impossible situation where every outcome is unthinkable, the weight of responsibility, a forbidden romance, underlying themes of colonialism and what people will justify to themselves… oh, and toss in a friendly sea monster and the discovery of magic.

It’s a lot. And I loved that! The fantasy world is rich. The questions the POV characters struggle with aren’t easy. And the characters are interesting! I really enjoyed watching Teriana’s and Marcus’s stories unfold. And I enjoyed learning more about the world Jensen created.

Do note that despite the pirate billing, this story is really only briefly about sailing and life aboard a ship. Much of it takes place on land or in the heads of the characters.

The start and middle were strong, holding my attention quite well. The ending did leave a bit to be desired (it’s anticlimactic), but it’s the first book in the series and there are some interesting questions and storylines set up for the next book, so I wasn’t too bothered.

I did also find my attention drifting with some of the repetition - specifically the guilt and some of the romance bits. Though that last part may be a case of “it’s me, not you,” since I have very little patience in general for romantic elements.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I’m looking forward to reading the next installment in the series! Recommended for anyone who finds the Roman Empire fascinating (it me), enjoys the interplay between two cultures meeting for the first time, and loves stories of forbidden romance.

Advanced copy received from Tor Teen via a Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

NOTE: review shared on Goodreads & Amazon. Hype story posted on Instagram stories + link to review in IG profile.

3.5/5 stars

A seafaring adventure that was slow to start but ended strong with characters I would love to learn even more about in the sequel! While there was no actual pirates, this story did focus on a nautical adventure packed full of seafaring traders, warring nations, legionnaires, hidden lands, mythical gods, and plenty of magic.

Setting
The world itself was very detailed and interesting. The first part of the story was based on the western known world reminiscent of ancient Rome filled with politicians and legionnaires. The most interesting part of the world was Dark Shores! Be forewarned that it's not a pirate book. The Maarins are more seafarers dealing in trade with other nations and returning to their country. Even though the story touches on the hidden lands of Dark Shores, I can't wait to read the next book to read even more of this magical part of the world.

Characters
There were multiple characters in the beginning and I felt I needed to take notes. It felt like the story was packed so full of characters that you never got to know any of them very well, except the two main characters. However, I did like Teriana and Marcus! Teriana reminded me of a younger, seafaring snarky Michonne from 'The Walking Dead'. She felt like a combination of lethal and sass. Out of all the characters, I felt we knew Marcus the most from dealing with his legionnaires, close officers, and his past. The enemy to friend to possible romance trope definitely holds true in this story for these two. It did feel like there was a little lack of emotional connection between the main characters and hopefully it develops more in the next story.

Pacing
The pacing could have been a little better in the beginning. The very detailed world building and multiple character development caused the beginning of the story to drag a bit, but stick with the story! Almost halfway through the book, the story shifts and it's where the action and magic happens!

Overall
The world building was amazing, but it definitely took too long to get to the sea adventure and Dark Shores part of the story. I liked the characters and really hope we see deeper character development in the sequel from Teriana, Marcus, and all the side characters. I'm definitely interested to see where the characters and this story will go in the sequel.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Teen for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Danielle Jensen always impresses me with her story and writing craft. In Dark Shores, the characters are flawed but easy to connect with and care about. It is easy to see the motives behind their decisions. Although Dark Shores is clearly a fictional world inspired by the Roman Empire, Jensen has created a unique world of magic. The plot is driven on Teriana's mistake, Marcus's secret, and Cassius's hunger for power. As in all Danielle Jensen books, there is a slow-burning romantic sub plot that only adds to the story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes high seas fantasy-adventure!

Posted to all links 4/30/2019- Amazon 5/7

Danielle Jensen's new fantasy series Dark Shores has no right being the first book in a new series. It just doesn't feel like the first book in a series. It is rip-roaring adventure that grabs you from the first page and doesn't let go.

Two worlds are built simultaneously and fluidly, but it never feels like it. The ancient Rome inspired Celendrial and the pirate ship Quincense, the ocean it navigates, along with multiple countries visited brilliantly come to life throughout the story without their dominating it.

Simultaneously, the people and characters that inhabit each (the pagan Cel people from Celendrial and polytheistic Maarin Pirates that inhabit the Quincense) have the depth and breadth of life that breathe life into a story and take your breath away. Once again, Jensen is able to not just introduce but develops main and many secondary characters that have true story arcs and again, it is the first book in the series. A first book doesn’t have a right to be this good, this quickly.

Multiple storylines take shape and take off at breakneck speed without sacrificing relevance, context or reader buy-in. Everything that happens initially has a domino effect later throughout the story within the first book and will, continuing consequences throughout the series.

Dark Shores is told through the point of view of main characters’ Teriana and Marcus. Both hold numerous secrets and conduct acts to protect their people and brethren. Soon they realize that while considering each other enemies, the morally grey ground they stand on to save those they consider family gives them more in common then they think.

As these acts and secrets are revealed the two become closer with each other and unwittingly, with those around them. They form alliances with people they never would have expected to protect originally planned, and others they never would have originally considered. However, even by the end of the book all is not what it seems.

Even though there are the two points of view, there is an element of an omniscient narrator that gives the readers information and insight that characters don’t have. So, while the Dark Shores ends on one obvious cliffhanger, it also sits on a ticking time-bomb that only the readers know. Other secondary storylines loom in the distance for later exploration.

The addition and creation of seven Gods never muddles the story, characters or worlds that are shaped. Instead the dramatic intensity provided by the Gods is shattering. A battle for the ages amidst the ocean as they confront each other for the right to sink or save the Quincense’s attempt to cross from east to west had me holding my breath. Meanwhile, the revelation of an army general led by the seventh, most treacherous God, provides an additional layer of danger that will touch every character.

Dark Shores is a thrilling, rollicking read that will leave everyone desperate for more.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Macmillan - Tom Doherty Associates & Tor Teen for the eARC of Dark Shores in exchange for an honest review.

I am going to say my sorest point first and then write about all the good things. As a nurse and literally in a respiratory/ventilator/breathing speciality, if you shove a tube down someone's throat (into their stomach) and hold it there, you are doing nothing for him. How is this helping his breathing? If anything now he's vomiting and choking as well. He isn't intubated and you aren't ventilating the tube. Poorly written segment that was supposed to be a big action point. Congrats, you killed the guy off well before the healer got there. Why not just write an herbal nebulizer or something that in any way shape or form makes sense?

Anyway...for the most part, this is a quick read and a fast flowing book that kept me interested. I really liked the book until she lost me with the above segment. The world is set in a roman conqueror-esque era where the Maarin traders and the Dark Shores are out of bounds....for now.

"East must not meet West"

Teriana, the heir to the Maarin Triumvirate, and Marcus, a feared Legate, both end up doing what they feel they need to do in order to save themselves and their loved ones when corruption turns it's eye on the Dark Shores, aka the west.

Ok, so long story short I did like how the gods were portrayed and how the magic was done. Book 2 is set up for a very interesting villian. I also liked the morally gray zone of each of the main characters, as their relationship and understanding of each other deepens.

I just can't ship the relationship itself. We are talking a slowburning hate to love, but does it make sense? Teriana is a fire breathing dragon of a strong main character, I feel like she would have stayed spitting mad at Marcus as long as her ship and family was kept off in left field somewhere.

I am giving it a strong 3 stars and will definitely read the next book, I would recommend to anyone who likes fantasy, young adult reads, epic adventures, or strong women

I absolutely adored Ms. Jensen"s trilogy Stolen Songbird. And when I found out she was doing a rollicking pirate book, I knew I needed it. I can say without a doubt that Dark Shores was everything I was hoping for except for one thing. Despite the synopsis Dark Shores is far more a political read that has magic and deity's, than a pirate adventure book.. Although I was hoping for more piracy I really did enjoy the political aspect of Dark Shores and my disappointment was soon gone.

Dark Shores is told in dual POV's Teriana and Marcus. I quite enjoyed both POV's. I loved Teriana's her spunk and determination albeit reckless. And if you love main characters dealing with inner turmoil you will love Marcus. I also really enjoyed the world the author was making based on ancient Rome and having a world where the East cannot meet the west was super fascinating. There is romance in the book but if you've read this author before you know she intertwines romance into the plot and I did enjoy it but hope we get a more fleshed out romantic plot in book two.

Overall despite the misleading plot. Dark Shores is a great historical fantasy. And the best comparable title would be The Winners Curse will.

4/5 Stars

*This review is based on an e-ARC edition received from the publisher via NetGalley. These are my honest opinions. Thank you.*

Initial Thoughts, Setting, & World:

I finished reading Dark Shores this morning, and I enjoyed many aspects of this book. It was my first time reading anything written by Danielle Jensen. It took me a little while to really get into the story. But once I did, I was pleasantly surprised. Dark Shores is not exactly a pirate story, but there is plenty of action on land and at sea. I love a good, action-packed story!

First of all, I loved the setting and the world! The Empire in this book is inspired by Ancient Rome. I love settings inspired by ancient civilizations. The people of Celendrial are basically like the Romans, with togas, militant legions, tumultuous politics, and a thirst for conquest. One thing I should mention is the slight info-dumping in the beginning of the book. The world can be a lot to absorb at first. But the information seemed important in order for the reader to understand the world, so it didn’t bother me too much.

In this world, there are also meddling gods/goddesses with cool powers. And the author created creepy, zombie-like beings that will suck the life out of their victims through touch. Eek!

Characters:

Here are my thoughts regarding several of the characters. I enjoyed the witty dialogue among the humorous side characters, but I loved the two feisty main characters even more.

Spunky seventeen-year-old Teriana is a member of the Maarin people, who are seafaring traders and merchants. The Maarin people are the only ones not under the control of the Empire in their part of the world. Teriana’s people also hold the key to traveling to the other side of the land of Reath, called the Dark Shores, which has been kept secret from the rulers of Celendrial. But Teriana is forced to give up that secret when the lives of those she loves are threatened.

Legatus Marcus is the commander of the Empire’s most notorious legion. He is tasked with finding a route to the Dark Shores, holding Teriana and her crew members hostage. But there is more to Marcus than meets the eye. He is not exactly who he claims to be. Separated from his family at a young age, he survived his grueling military training despite his asthma-like condition. As commander, he makes tough choices in order to protect the lives of his soldiers, his brothers-in-arms.

I think the romance between Marcus and Teriana is done well. It is a tension-filled, slow burn romance. And I mean, real slow. No insta-love here. They are real enemies at first, and it takes quite a while for them to even develop and then actually admit their feelings for each other.

I do question the way Lydia’s character (Teriana’s friend) is handled in the book. I feel that perhaps her potential wasn’t fully utilized; her purpose in this book is primarily to help initiate the main conflict. I kind of wish for more from characters like Lydia – especially if they are introduced in the beginning in a way that makes them seem as if they will play a larger role in the story. But Lydia doesn’t really play any other role.

I also noticed that several other characters, such as Bait, weren’t very fleshed out and kind of faded from the main storyline. At least, that’s how it felt when I was reading.

Final Thoughts:

That ending left me reeling! I had been reading the entire book as if it were a standalone novel. Then it suddenly ended, and I was like, “Wait, did I miss something?” Apparently, there is a sequel planned. Hooray! Because there are several conflicts and loose ends that are left unresolved at the end of the book. I was a little disappointed that there isn’t more closure in the first book, but I look forward to seeing how the author will wrap things up in the sequel.

Another thing that stuck out to me is that we don’t actually get to see Teriana’s homeland in this book, and I kind of wished we had. But perhaps we will in the sequel.

I also noticed that there is no actual appearance of Urcon, the corrupt ruler that Marcus’s men fight against near the end. Because there is so much talk about how evil he is, I was slightly disappointed that there is no scene with him specifically in it.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this action-packed adventure! If the story interests you, feel free to check it out when it releases tomorrow. Thanks for reading, and I hope my review was helpful 🙂

*Content warnings: violence/torture, some swearing throughout (multiple uses of the s-word and at least one f-word), one intimate scene that sort of fades out.*

Wow! What a ride this book was! Dark Shores promises a high seas adventure and it definitely delivers. I love any book that has pirates and dangerous adventures, and this book does not disappoint. I started reading this book with not many high expectations, and Dark Shores proved me wrong; it proved to be a story worth reading and loving.

The idea behind this story is wonderfully unique. Members of the East cannot communicate with members of the West. But a politician wants that to change; he wants to conquer and destroy. And in doing so, he blackmails two unlikely people to find the secret way across the dark shores. The many twists and turns Dark Shores has will keep you entertained and wondering just what is in store for the characters on their journey.

Marcus is a skilled soldier who never anticipated being blackmailed into working for a dangerous politician. It goes against everything he has been taught. He also never thought he’d have to work with a pirate. Teriana comes from a fierce line of Maarin people, and like the people aboard her mother’s ship, she harbors a secret that protects the other half of the world from the cruel Celendor people. She never expected the secret to come out. But it does, and it has dire consequences for her and her shipmates. In order to save her shipmates, she will have to work with Marcus and others to bring the dangerous politician what he wants.

I really enjoyed Jensen’s world building of Dark Shores. There are so many moving parts, and she brings them all together nicely. The characters fit well with the world and develop as new pieces of the world are uncovered. The mythology aspect of this book is fascinating and fit so well with the world Jensen has created. Learning about the gods and the magic gave the book a lighter feel and provided a wonderful backstory for the world. What I also enjoyed reading about were the different cultures between the Maarin and Celendor people. Maarin people are diplomatic like the Celendor people, but they don’t deceive and kill to get what they want. It was nice to see two cultures depicted so differently.

All in all, Dark Shores provided a beautiful storyline with well-developed and well-liked characters. I’m always looking for books with those aspects (and any book that reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean) and outstanding world building, and Dark Shores delivers all of that. If you’re looking for a story with adventure, political intrigue, high seas, meddling gods, enemies to lover’s trope, and more, then Dark Shores is a book that is right up your alley.

I did receive this book as an eARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book really delivered!

I adored Jensen's blend of the Roman inspired Celendor Empire and the amazing Maarin traders.

Teriana is more than just a Maarin Sailor, she is a heir to the Maarin Triumvirate and best friend to the daughter of a Cel Senator.

In an attempt to save her friend, Teriana jeopardizes her people, their way of life, and the fate of multiple countries.

Forced to enter a bargain, Teriana's fate, and the fate of the Maarin are now tied with Cel Legionnaire and Legatus, Marcus.

He is the reason she's alive, and she's the reason he's escaped the eyes of the Senate but their voyage is a dangerous one and despite have their fates intertwined, it does nothing to give them a shared cause other than survival.

Jensen's world building is great and if this weren't a trilogy I'd be screaming for more in this novel but I'm rest assured there'll be more to come and temporarily appeased though I'm still just as impatient for book two.

Teriana and Marcus seem quite tangible in their feelings and not just in romance but I mean their regard of one another and what is occurring around them. Not to mention they're both faced with limited choices.

One could easily judge them but they have done what they have to protect those that matter to them. And really in the same situation what wouldn't most do to protect those they care about.

Teriana is for appearances fearless but she runs deeper than that, she's as complex as any one would be in her situation and I love her all the more for it.

Marcus definitely has you realizing not everything is quite so black and white but I think Teriana really steals the show for me.

I loved this adventure of the high seas and unchartered lands (well unchartered to the Cel!) and hope the wait isn't too long for book 2!

Thank you to Tor Teen (Macmillan-Tom Doherty Associates) and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC to read and review.

Brilliant.

I can only describe this story as brilliant. Let me explain and I will do my best not ramble in the feels.

Dark Shores had me on the edge of my seat. I loved every moment of it despite being so angry (stories involving conquest usually do) at certain characters who were awful and did horrid things.

I loved the Roman vibe and makeup to the setting. The whole world-building is just so interesting and fascinating. Roman-like warriors meets seafaring merchant folk. Genius. Gods and goddesses. Magic and wonder. Yes, please!

Once they set sail things just took off and epicness unfolded. I didn't know how the story would go, how it would end, who would come out on top. Everything seemed stacked against Teriana (MC). There were surprises at every turn, emphasized by detailed action and engaging character interactions. The characters were well-crafted: some loveable, some honorable, and some sinister.

I loved that not everything was resolved in this first book. This was a fantastic start to what I'm sure will be an epic series. I can't wait to read more from this author!

Since she was a little girl, Teriana knew that East must never meet West, however, once her best friend Lydia confessed that her father is dying and she's to marry a horrible man, Teriana betrayes her people's secret, the Maarin people, that there is a different world that lays across the ocean called "The Dark Shores" where the empire has no reach and other Gods rule. There Lydia could have another life. Her confession has it's cost and shortly after, Teriana has to make a decision, whether to rescue all her loved once in exchange for information about The Dark Shores or keep the secret and die with her people.
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This book was outstanding. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. This Roman inspired world was well written, kept me wanting more and never disappointed.
I loved the pirate aspects of this story, the life on the ship, the significance it had to the Maarin people was exquisitely portrayed.
Teriana was such a strong female main character. She was so sarcastic and funny. She was willing to sacrifice so much for her loved once even when the most important people for her turned away.
The romance was very satisfying, it wasn't a case of instalove or a cringey teenage love. It was beautifully written and lived up to my expectations!
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🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars for sure!
Looking forward to other books from this author!

I loved Dark Shores and in fact, it would have been a 5-star read if not for a couple of issues I had which really shows up late in the book. This is going to be a spoiler warning but I would still suggest you read on otherwise. However, if you don’t want spoilers and would like to read the book and judge for yourself, I’ll put it in a separate section with another spoiler warning.

First of all, this was a really easy read. The moment I started reading, it was just hard to stop. I fell in love with the world and characters from the moment I started reading and why wouldn’t I? Dark Shores was very fun, full of adventure and great characters, plus it features a great fantasy world clearly inspired by the Roman Empire. Really, it’s very good.

The plot mainly concerns the Celendor Empire’s expansion into Dark Shores, a continent on the opposite side of the world, long-rumored to be legend. In this continent dwells people who still worship gods, beings long forsaken by the Celendor Empire. Teriana is a Maarin sailor who, in order to save her people, makes a deal to bring the empire’s legions into Dark Shores. It is a perilous journey since some gods are not exactly keen on bringing legions intent upon conquest. Marcus on the other hand, is a commander of one of the legions, blackmailed by a power-hungry senator who agrees to help conquer the other side of the Reath in order to protect his secret and his family.

Dark Shores features a world divided into two. On one side of this world, the Celendor Empire has conquered all lands and now turns its greedy eyes on more- or rather, a senator does. More on this later. Dark Shores is a very diverse world. It doesn’t do that annoying thing wherein there’s a country of white people (or two, or three), and there’s a country for Asian people, a country for Africans, and maybe one for Middle Eastern people. Honestly, that kind of thing gets annoying fast when authors just make kinda lazy fantasy stand-ins for POC with a clear lack of nuance or research. That’s why I appreciated the fact that in Dark Shores, Celendor was shown to be a diverse and metropolitan empire (like Ancient Rome). Its legions are filled with people of all colors and races- like Ancient Rome. POC are everywhere and are not confined to maybe one or two stand-in countries which I really appreciated.

One of the things I like the most about this book is how nuanced it is when it comes to portraying conquest, colonization, and would-be colonizers. Not everyone is a fan of never-ending conquering and war in the Empire. Many citizens want peace, for resources to be diverted to civic projects, like schools. It presents a nuanced view of what the common people may want versus what their rulers want and how those two things don’t necessarily align. As for those who do support it, I liked how the book digs into the psychology of conquest and why otherwise good people may support something like colonization.

I loved the strong characterization of Teriana and Marcus in this book. I liked how conflicted, yet politically-savvy Teriana is, and how strong yet vulnerable Marcus was. They are two characters on opposite sides of a conflict and it’s interesting to see how their dynamic evolves throughout the book. I do have to say that I’m not a fan of how quickly their romance developed near the end, especially since they have been enemies since practically the moment they met. I think I’d have preferred it if the romance was a slower burn since I really do feel like it’d make more sense for both of their characters. If it was a slower burn (like, if the romance happened in later books than this one), I think it’d make for a great enemies-to-lovers story arc.

Overall, I can still recommend Dark Shores. No, it’s not a book with pirates as the Maarin are a merchant sea-faring people, not pirates. But it does feature sea voyages and a lot of adventure, plus strong characters. If you read the spoiler-y trope part I mentioned, I do advise a bit of caution especially if you hate the said trope, but I do still recommend it overall as it is a pretty strong book. I do hope it will get better in the sequels. It’s fun, fast-paced, has good world-building and hard to put down. Will I be reading the sequels? Yes!

East must not meet West.

All her life, Teriana has been told this. All her life, she has held the secrets of her sea-faring people close. East must not meet West. West must not meet East. Take no passengers. Tell no one.

The Maarin are the only people who know that there is a way to cross the Endless Sea, to get past the doldrums that have stranded thousands of men to their deaths, and reach the other side of Reath. They sail shore to shore, selling goods and making gambles, but never once telling the secrets that another land exists across the sea. And yet, as political unease settles over the Empire of Celendor and Teriana finds her best friend, Lydia, in the middle of a dangerous arranged marriage, Teriana finally slips.

The Empire never keeps secrets for long, and Teriana finds her crew at the mercy of the ruthless Thirty-Seventh Legion, given no choice but to sail them across the sea in their aspiration to conquer the Dark Shores.

A story filled with vile conquerors, beautiful friendships, meddling Gods and emotional strife, Dark Shores is an epic tale with a tribute to the bloodshed of humankind.

Review on Characters (the characters were EVERYTHING that brought this book together for me)

Teriana: our main character is a fierce Maarin pirate, her people being worshipers of Madoria, the goddess of the seas. As the second mate of her mother’s ship, the Quincense, she is respected by members of every clan across the Reath. Having been one to hold her own on the seas and on land, Teriana is tough as nails, hilariously fierce (even at the worst of times), and loyal in her faith to the Six Gods. Throughout the story, I sympathized with Teriana through all her struggles. She is forced to make impossible decisions for her people, go through emotional turmoil regarding her faith, and deny her true feelings in order to survive the Dark Shores. I loved how true her character was, how her wit and attitude brought relief to the story, and how she never once tried to change herself and took strength in her differences.

Marcus: our other main character is the Legatus of the Thirty-Seventh Legion, taken from his family at a young age, stripped of his identity and forced to fight for the Empire, despite the feelings he’s buried deep in order to survive. Marcus is widely feared for the bloody history of his Legion, and known to be stone-cold and unfazed. I respected Marcus’s character more than any others, for the desperate authenticity that is layered deep below the surface. Not only are there piles of lies placed on him, tragedies that he is forced to bear witness to, and emotions that are revealed only to us as the reader, but he also suffers from a mental illness. His character is revealed layer by layer, and I loved him more and more, both as the hero and as the villain he is portrayed to be.

The Thirty-Seventh Legion: part of the cast of secondary characters I HAD to mention, the young men of the Thirty-Seventh are Marcus’s brotherhood. They provide comic relief, intense battle scenes and heartwarming relationships that show there is more than one side to every character and more than one type of person that makes a solider. They are a group of ruthless, deadly and violent men, forced to serve no one, trust nothing, and know no family but the Mother Empire. But beneath these hardened Legionnaires are remnants of the boys they had been, taken from their families and their homes, with a shred of hope left that they can still make a better future. The bonds they formed are beautiful and strong and I loved them being the background of the story.

Overall:

The Ancient Rome-inspired world Danielle Jensen creates is full of fantastical twists and turns, with new secrets unveiled with each turn of the page. She doesn’t shy away from representing the truths hidden in each of her characters, good or bad, and uses them to build a diverse cast. The story of explorers and conquests is known to have disastrous consequences, and yet our characters bring us hope things will work out differently for them. No detail was misplaced, every plot line beautifully woven into the magical tale that creates Dark Shores. With an open ending fit for a sequel, our characters find themselves at a crossroads, waiting to find their true path.

High seas adventure, blackmail, meddling gods and pirates. Yes please!

The story starts in the East in the Celendor Empire which is similar to the Ancient Roman Empire. On this half of the world, the empire rules and has conquered everything. Much of this is thanks to Marcus, the commander of the thirty-seventh legion who has a secret from his childhood that he’ll do anything to protect. We also have Teriana heir to the Maarin Triumvirate. Her people guard the secrets of the seas and what lie across. One of their most sacred rules: East must never meet West. This soon changes after Teriana breaks this rule in order to try to save her friend resulting in the capture of her crew. And thus starts an interesting pairing between Teriana and Marcus as they travel to the West. A pirate trying to save her crew and a soldier blackmailed into conquering more lands. They need each other but they know that they can’t trust each other.

After reading the description, I was all ready to cozy up and immerse myself in a new world full of piracy but you won’t be getting much of that in this book. Instead you find yourself in the East for a short part of the book and the seas for an even shorter part.

Even though the book turned out quite differently than I was expecting, it was a good thing. Most of the story takes place in the West. The more I found out about the different gods/goddesses and the marked ones, the more engrossed I became. I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge person for romance so I enjoyed that it didn’t show up until later on in the book and seemed more natural than if it had happened right away.

My only real issue with the book was the characters. Although there was a lot of interaction between a variety of them, you don’t really know much about anyone other than Teriana and Marcus. And even with them you only know a couple of things about their pasts. Hopefully this will be explored more in the sequels. I think it would be interesting to have novellas for the two main characters and their friends showing their lives before this book. It would be nice to see more of their pasts and would help the reader to care more for the characters.

This is the first time I’ve read anything by Danielle L. Jensen and it won’t be the last. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to come out. It can only get better as we learn more and more about the world. We’ve only gotten a small glimpse of the world so far and there’s so much more to discover.

I would like to thank Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy for an honest review.

The book was really good. I’m glad I got to read it early. The characters were well developed the only thing lacking for me was world building in the beginning but it still was a good read