Sapphic witchy fantasy with a super cool setting and concept that takes well known tropes and dynamics from typically heterosexual stories and makes them GAY AF.

Content warnings include: human sacrafice, injury and mild gore, drowning, male character with anger issues, dyslexic protagonist.

The setting and concept is where The Dark Tides shines and absolutely swept me away. There’s the island queendom of Caldella, where many years ago people persecuted for various reasons (heavily hinted that those reasons were queerness and being witches) fled to live in peace, which is already such a cool idea. But Caldella is in danger of sinking, so each year the witch queen has to sacrafice a boy she loves to appease the sea.
Then there’s the fact that the book starts out rather… well, straight. It seems super heteronormative in so many ways, except it absolutely isn’t, and I loved that.

Sure, the witch queen sacrafices boys, and sure, Lina, the islander protagonist, wants to save the boy she loves, thus offering herself up as sacrafice. But witches can be of any gender, the gender of the sacrafice doesn’t matter either, and Lina might actually be more in love with the idea of saving the boy she loves than actually in love him.

I also loved the characterization of the protagonists. Lina is a romantic and idealistic, she dreams of her own big love story, of being special, and it’s both her biggest strength and biggest weakness. She was almost painfully relateable because of that.
Eva, the witch queen, was also relatable. She hates people, and is rather introverted, coming across as cold and stern. I loved that she had a limit of how much human interaction she could stand per day, and struggled with ruling her people not because she lacked competence, but because she had no interest in opening herself to her subjects.

Beyond the story of human sacrafice and finding a resolution that doesn’t include death, the story heavily deals with themes of romantizing sacrafice, romantic stories, sacrafice, and tragedy to the point of losing sight of one’s own worth and what life is all about. There’s a lot of talk about guilt and forgiveness, and I particularly adored the focus on complicated sibling dynamics.

While there were many things to love, there were also quite a few to… not.
I both liked and disliked the writing. It was beautiful an descriptive at some points, but hard to follow and leaving me scrambling to piece together what was happening at others, and sometimes at the same time.
I had issues with the pacing, some scenes seeming missing completely so I had to reorient myself with how much time has passed and how dynamics had shifted off-page, while other events happened completely out of nowhere and I had a hard time placing them, figuring out how they all fit into the grand scheme of things. Why? was a big question that I had a lot of the time, and it unfortunately only seldomly got answered.

Even more unfortunate, at least for me, was the romance. I did enjoy Lina and Eva’s interactions, and I think they make a great couple, but somehow I felt like I was missing something completely. The entire buildup to their attraction, how they get closer and how the actually feel about each other was absent for me.

I praised the setting earlier, but I did also have some issues with the worldbuilding. One the one hand, the island is free of queerphobia – Lina has two moms, for example – and yet it’s always the witch queen who has to sacrafice the boy she loves. This is never questioned or phrased differently, even as it becomes clear that it doesn’t matter what gender the witch or the sacrafice is. But apparently it has always been a queen who sacraficed a boy (also thought it was weird that it was always “boy”, never “man”, and the age of the queen was never mentioned?!) which I found a weird choice for what is ultimately an inclusive setting.

I think I generally missed exposition. I wanted to know more about the island, the mainland, the island culture, the witches and the magic. What was there was good and intriguing, but just under what would have been enough for me to not become frustrated. I particularly felt this with the side characters. So many were so interesting and I wanted to know more, but in the end I had almost no concept of who they were or what role they were supposed to play. There were hints to their dynamics with each other and what they did, but I wasn’t quite able to figure it out, which frustrated me.

In the end, I think The Dark Tide has a strong concept, and while the execution didn’t quite work for me I hope it will enchant others as much as I hoped to be!

Will be posted to goodreads, blog, amazon and linked on instagram and twitter.

For a debut, this book is okay. I  was expecting more from it. I don't know, but I was with this this feeling reasing the book, like, "I think I've seen this before" but with a sapphic romance.

TW: drowning, smoking, underage drinking, one instance of blood magic, blood

When I heard that this is a city constantly flooding, I didn’t realize that the city was heavily inspired by Venice. I was a fan of it, and it does make sense for a city to be constantly under threat of flooding if it’s made entirely of canals.

Both of the main characters, Lina and Eva, the Witch Queen, were really solid characters. Lina is a dancer and it’s evident in her thoughts and actions. She’s a dreamer and while sometimes her thoughts bordered on breaking the 4th wall, they were relatable. Eva was stubborn and fighting the ghosts of her past, but in a way that didn’t feel overdone.

Also with Lina, I want to comment on the representation. This is a society where people are free to marry who they want, as Lina and her brother have two moms and a side character is trans. That being said, I really liked how Lina struggled with her sexuality still. There’s a reference that all her romantic stories were about men and women, so it was easier to figure out her attraction to men than her attraction to women. I like that commentary, that ever when we have gay marriage, we still need representation in media.

It’s as much of a slow burn romance as you can have in a book that isn’t even 350 pages, but I still really enjoyed it. It’s slow but their moment together really have an impact because of it.

This book, besides the romance, is also about challenging traditions and norms that seem immovable

I rated this book 3.75 stars! I’ll have to read the summary to the sequel to see if I want to finish the duology, as it almost ends too cleanly to warrant a sequel.

Though the pacing in the book felt off, the characters, plot and writing really helped elevate this book to a level where I still really enjoyed it. And of course I"m a massive sucker for a sapphic retelling of my favourite fairytale.

This book is the best sort of slow burn there is. Like a simmering fire with something delectable in it just slowly going from good to better to even better as it goes on. Both in terms of the plot which starts out subtle and easy to follow and goes in places I definitely didn’t expect, to the characters that added depth and nuance to this already fantastical book. I loved every second of reading it. 

10/10 for good dark magic, good queer content, and good sea monsters who deserve love too!

I loved the atmospheric quality of this book! It was also a fun read for Pride month since it features LGBTQ+ characters. I did have a hard time learning the world/magic system a bit and it did feel a bit disjointed at times. Overall I enjoyed it and I look forward to reading what this author writes next.

A spooky, magical book about two very different girls that fight hard for what they want while trying to fight the feelings growing between them.

The sacrifices don't work anymore, and island of Caldella is drowning. Every year for centuries, a victim is chosen by the Witch Queen at the festival St. Walpurga's Eve as a sacrifice to the sea. The victim is kept trapped for a cycle of the moon, showered with magic, before the ritual. This year, Lina is convinced that her brother will be chosen, and she enlists the help of Thomas Lin, the boy who was chosen two years ago who somehow convinced the then-queen to sacrifice herself. But through an unexpected chain of events, Lina finds herself as sacrifice, trapped with the young new queen and unexpectedly falling in love with her. 

This is a dark, atmospheric read with fairy tale elements, a bi protagonist, and sapphic love, a delightful combination. The setting and the world building are really captivating. The Water Castle, the setting for most of the events, is practically a character in itself (I really wanted to spend more time with the castle). I love how the story intriguingly begins several years after a paradigm-shifting event, Thomas Lin's survival as sacrifice. We slowly learn more details about the events that transpired, and it works really well.

However, the budding interest/relationship between Lina and Eva, the core of the book, didn't grab me. This is a case of irritation turning into love, one of my least favorite relationship types. It felt rushed and superficial despite some nice touches, like Eva's reaction to seeing Lina dance and their first kiss.

But there's still a lot of good stuff in here, and I confess I devoured it quickly. I think a lot of people will like this. I'd typically give it three stars, but I'm leaning toward 4 because of the lovely world building and because we really need more stories that aren't hetero romances.

“The Witch Queen comes on wings of night.
The Witch Queen has your heart's delight.
Hold him, hold him, hold on tight.
Hide him, hide him, out of sight.”

Okay so this was very much dreamy writing with those atmospheric details that make you experience the magic of the setting and and I LOVE that. You've got witches, enemies to lovers, dark lush writing, sibling and family dynamics, F/F rep.....I'm IN you all. Side note: as I am not a member of the LGBTQ+ community I can not attest to the quality of the rep. That's not my lane. I can just say it's there. Then add in the mystic lore and myths and *heart eyes* you all! 

My only complaint would be that I wanted MORE from some of the characters. Especially Eva. I want her backstory. You have: a witch *swoon* who is infamously heartless *swoon* with a devouring sea serpent "pet' *swoon* and can I just have her backstory and history please...just more?!?! I wanted more on Thomas too and his relationship with Natalia (but I want to be there in his head and experience it with him) and his history with Lina....like this was all a very complex situation so I wanted those details? Those secrets, and feelings, and thoughts,and tension, and regrets *on the page*.

All in all, Alicia Jasinska is for sure a talented writer and I for sure be looking out for her future works. 

I received an advanced copy of this title via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is no way influences my opinion. Thank you Sourcebook Fire and Alicia Jasinska for the review copy!

Beautiful writing.  And I already can't wait for the second book.

Girl loves boy she doesn't know. Vows to save him from the evil queen and ends up falling in  love with the queen.   Discovering she never really loved the boy.

This book is very atmospheric and beautifully written. It was a bit slow at times because of how intricately told it was. I also found a few holes in the plot that just didn’t make sense and took me out of the story at times. However it was still very enjoyable.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I wasn't a fan of the writing style and the story felt a bit weird because there were so many plot holes that didn't make sense.

I tried finishing this book but the writing is too juvenile. The prose tries hard to conjure up a certain fairytale-esque aesthetic...but it always veered into purply territory. The characters are one-dimensional (all men seem 'bad'). I don't know, this just didn't grab me. Hopefully younger readers won't be as put off by the writing or simplistic characters as I was.

*arc provided by the publisher through net galley, all thoughts are my own*

WHEW, I knew I was gonna like this and I was NOT disappointed.

let me first preface this review by saying that I definitely don’t think this book is perfect nor do I think it will jive with everyone.

it does have inconsistencies with pacing and structure. there were a lot of times where I didn’t really know where the story was going. I think certain elements should have been introduced better and explained better.

BUT.

this book is SO beautifully written and SO gay. both things that will make me forget about your book’s shortcomings.

if you are an aesthetic driven reader, a atmosphere driven reader: THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU! I cannot tell you how many highlights I had for this book (in fact I’ll share them here!) I even had to tweet the author to see if she had a Pinterest board for this book. I was so captivated by the masterpiece the author painted with her words. It was INCREDIBLE.

AND HELLO SAPPHICS, WE WON AGAIN!!!! I think if you’re not queer in any capacity (or even if you are!) you may also have some issues with the romance. it is definitely “irritation to lovers” and the transition isn’t really there. BUT I DIDNT GIVE A SHIIIIITTTTTTTT. their tension?? IMMACULATE. their first kiss??? HARD AS FUCK. their growth?? POETRY. I stan (1) cancer x capricorn pairing.

overall, if you love an atmospheric sapphic read, you’ll really enjoy this. if you’re a plot driven reader? proceed with caution.

**Review will be posted to my blog on July 14, 2020**

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

My Reactions:

My Attention: wavered

World Building: dark fantasy world with witches

Writing Style: atmospheric

Bringing the Heat: 🔥 – not much heat, there is a slow burn romance

Crazy in Love: Lina has a major crush on Thomas and basically sets off to rescue him so is she crazy about him? YES…but…things change when Eva comes into the picture.

Creativity: love the dark witchy vibe

Mood: gave me a little but of The Hazel Wood vibes

Triggers: violence

My Takeaway: the Witch Queen is not all she seems

What I Liked:
*I like when a book about witches goes into the dark side. When Lina and her brother Finley make it to the Witch Queen’s palace is where things get fantastical, and dark! The world building is great – we learn about the cursed island and the witches that have to sacrifice a boy to keep the curse away. It’s a very dark story.

*The Witch Queen Eva at first comes off evil…but…we learn she’s more than a witch queen needing a sacrifice to the sea serpent. She’s complicated. I liked learning about her past and her motivations, she has a lot riding on her shoulders to do the right thing.

*Lina and her brother’s relationship made me a laugh a few times because they bicker like siblings do. They do not hold back with one another!

Things That Made Me Go Hmm:
*Lina was so in love with Thomas (the boy who escaped being sacrificed), that went to the witch’s castle to free him…like whoa…but at the end of the story, she starts having feelings for Eva. Like where did that crazy crush on Thomas go?! Haha…

*I think Eva was the most interesting character in this story. At times the other characters felt flat and the story lacked depth.

*Triggers: violence

Final Thoughts:
I definitely would have been more in the mood to read this in the fall. I enjoyed the dark and witchy vibe. The world building with cursed island and the witch’s castle intrigued me and kept me reading until the end. At times I thought the story fell flat but I think if you like stories about witches, you may enjoy this one.

I should have known not liking the comp books, I probably wouldn't enjoy this but I wanted to love it so much because there isn't near enough wlw Fantasy out there. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into The Dark Tide and I chose to DNF. 

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The Dark Tide.

This was a magical story, beautifully written of a girl who falls in love with a boy, and wants to save him. In the end she falls for the villain who wants to kill her. I have not experienced a trope of enemies to lovers like this before, but really enjoyed it. It was interesting and unexpected to say the least, especially when the said villain is a girl. Hey, LGBTQ rep. 

The writing was like a lullaby. Floating, rising and dipping just like the tide the book is about. It was really lyrical. However, the one negative was the characters. They were quite flat, and there wasn't much growth to them. I didn't care for them or their struggles, and in the end I was kind of just waiting for it to be over with. 

I liked the end, and how the queen found a way to solve an old problem, but it left the future quite uncertain. A big cliffhanger if you want to call it that is left, even though the story for the characters seems to be over. 

It wasn't a fantasy story I expected going into this, but I would still recommend to those that like lyrical writing.

I was given an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Fleeing from the Mainland that burns witches and looks down on those who love outside the accepted norm, a witch queen made a deal with the sea. As long as their new home doesn't sink, she and all her successors will sacrifice someone each year to keep the tide at bay. 

When the boy Lina loves is chosen to be the sacrifice, she refuses to accept it and storms the castle to save him. 

Already I was intrigued because it's very different from the usual guy saves girl. Lina is by no means a damsel in distress and bravely faces the witch queen for the boy she loves. Anger, resentment, betrayal, love, acceptance and forgiveness all play a part. 

There is a strong sense of family and right and wrong in the story. It takes one person to enact change and change doesn't happen over night, it is a constant battle and won in small increments. 

I enjoyed the story a lot and there are many revelations regarding The Dark Tide and how it came to be. The population is diverse and no one bats an eye at couple dynamics or a boy who wears his sister's dresses. They are very accepting in some ways and narrow minded in others, especially so when the island starts sinking. Some people revert to their old way of thinking before they fled the Mainland, looking to place blame on anyone for the dilemma they are in.

Overall, it's a good read with interesting characters and a lot of revelations. It's easy to relate with each character and I found myself agreeing a lot with the most unlikely one.

4.5/5 stars — a darkly magical, subversively queer story

The Dark Tide explores themes of love and sacrifice against the backdrop of a small and stormy island. I enjoyed how character-driven this book was. The interplay between the two main characters’ points of view followed their relationship through enmity to fascination even as each pursued her own goals, often at the cost of the other.

I recommend The Dark Tide to readers looking for one or more of the following: a bi protagonist; an enemies-to-lovers(ish) wlw relationship; a queernorm world; an atmospheric small island setting around the 1920s or ’30s; complex family relationships; bittersweet but hopeful endings. This is a fairly quick read, tightly plotted and easy to devour in a couple of sittings. It will likely appeal particularly to fans of Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton.

Content warnings: family member with anger issues, plot revolving around human sacrifice; smoking (cigarettes)

My relationship with The Dark Tide is the biggest "it's not you it's me" scenario that I have every experienced with a novel. The Dark Tide includes so many aspects I love and the idea is so interesting and so exciting but I can't get past the first initial segment of world building. I'm struggling mainly with the writing style more then anything else. I'm more dissapointed in myself then in this book, right now it isn't for me. But I will be giving it a shot again some point in the future.