Sea of Kings is a fun midde-grade adventure by Melissa Hope. Released 27th April 2021 by North Star Editions on their Jolly Fish imprint, it's 352 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is a well written epic quest adventure for more advanced middle grade readers. The length of the book and the methodically developed plot are better suited to readers who already have a reading habit. It's almost certainly too long for a classroom read, but would make a good choice for a long-project bedtime read. There are tons of secondary characters with potential for fun narration possibilities.

Protagonist Noa is a bookish 13 year old. His relationship with his burly brother, Dagan, is full of (mostly) affectionate sibling rivalry. Their dialogue is impressively written, full of teasing and competition between them, but solidly supportive when it's them against antagonistic forces from outside.

The book is full of pirates, an ensemble group of young adventurers, villains, and a little magic. There are themes of family, friendship, loyalty, and making difficult choices. The epilogue strongly hints at a sequel. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story develops.

I enjoyed it a lot, with the codicil that it's a long read for younger kids.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

I would like to thank Jolly Fish Press for the review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Sea of Kings by Melissa Hope is an action-packed, middle grade fantasy adventure story that follows a thirteen-year-old prince who goes on a quest to save his kingdom and his people.

I really enjoyed this novel. There was never a dull moment while reading it. The writing style was straightforward and very easy to follow. Even when the pacing was fast, it did not feel rushed at all. I liked how the plot also kept me make my own theories revolving around the mysteries. I just couldn’t stop myself form turning the pages. Morever, the world-building was well-thought out. The legends, history, and mythical creatures were detailed. There were also lots of twists and turns that were completely unexpected.

My favorite thing about this novel was probably the brothers’ dynamics. Even when they were completely opposite: Noa was a bookworm and reserved, while Dagan was out-going and athletic, they had a great relatioship and always looked out for each other. I also really enjoyed their rivalries and banters, which always made me laugh. Aside from the characters being fleshed out, their development was also well-written. A diversity of characters was also present in this novel.

Lastly, this book had great lessons and messages at its core. It discussed forgiveness, hope, bravery, and loyalty. I am sure younger readers will learn a lot of things from this amazing novel.

Overall, Sea of Kings is an epic high-sea adventure filled with humor, pirates, fantastic creatures, and a dash of magic. I cannot wait to read the second book.

5/5 stars!

Sea of Kings follows the journey of Prince Noa with his brother Dagan, and their fun and quirky crew as they flee to save their kingdom from pirates.

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Sea of Kings is an entertaining and adventurous read. Full of adventure, action, pirates, and mythical creatures perfect for middle-grade readers!
The plot is fast-paced and as it progresses, it gets more interesting and action-packed. The world-building was well-crafted. The characters are fun and quirky! We have bookworm and smart main protagonist, Noa, and his fun and impulsive brother, Dagan. The banters between brothers are such a delight. The twists were well laid out and the ending really surprised me! Need to read the sequel ASAP!

Thank you, Melissa Hope, Jolly Fish Press, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read Sea of Kings.

Noa's mother died, and it was all the ocean's fault. That's what Noa tells himself, but as prince of a tropical island, he knows he can't avoid the ocean forever. His brother, Dagan, doesn't always make good decisions either, which keeps Noa on his toes. At least Dagan is strong, but that strength isn't enough when pirates come to their tropical home and lay waste to it. The brothers, escaping with not much but a purloined ship and ragtag crew, sail to find help in other kingdoms. Finding help doesn't prove easy, because the ocean seems just as determined to take Noa's life as it did his mother's, and the magical map they escaped with proves inscrutable. Can the brothers find help, save their kingdom, and solve the map's mysteries before their tropical home is reduced to a memory-filled pile of sand? They'll have to bring all of their strengths together to overcome the greatest challenge of their lives.

A young teenage prince must find his courage and use his formidable thinking abilities to outwit a band of pirates and save his island home? I think this story had a great hook from the start, and I liked the brotherly banter and antics between Noa and Dagan. Of course, it's not all fun when the pirates show up and make a mess of things, but at least the brothers were able to get away in a ship with some other young kids, and start looking for a way to reclaim their home. The mysterious map and the interesting settings provided a great backdrop for the central mission, and there is plenty of peril along the way, some that might be expected from any sailor, and others that are magical, and threaten death. In between the darker moments, humor and fun is peppered in, and Noa uses his intellect in many cases to solve problems. Sea of Kings is a fun, entertaining middle grade read aimed at ingenuity, discovery, adventure, brotherhood, and bravery. It also takes time to have fun, which I believe you'll have if you read this book.

Thank you Jollyfish Press for including me in the Bookstagram tour for Sea of Kings and for sending me a finished copy to enjoy. All opinions are my own, as usual.

The only bad thing about this book was that I couldn't join in on the pirate adventure! This book follows princes Noa and Dagan going on a voyage after their island is taken over my rival pirates. With such a plot heavy book, I loved how the end goal was very clear from the beginning and every event had a purpose. It was full of action, but the action was necessary for the story to move along. Some of the magical creature were based on common things like mermaids, but they were all elevated and added more stakes to the journey. Since the cast of characters were almost all boys, I can see this as a perfect book for reluctant middle grade readers, especially boys. If you're looking for a swashbuckling read, you've found the buried treasure!

Sea of Kings by Melissa Hope is an action-packed middle-grade ode to fantasy and the sea. With a fast-moving plot, an abundance of pirates and fantastical sea creatures, and a crew of swashbuckling kids ready to take on the world, this book has everything young readers are looking for!

Sea of Kings takes readers on a journey across the seas! When pirates take over their father’s kingdom, frequently fighting brothers Noa and Dagan are forced to team up with each other and their friends, taking to the waves in a stolen ship to face danger and adventure galore. Author Melissa Hope uses clever worldbuilding to give readers a clear sense of her story’s setting, which is filled with unique assortments of mythical creatures and magical mysteries. The island kingdoms of this world under threat are interesting and innovative.

The character dynamics that appear in Sea of Kings are among the story’s greatest strengths—a credit to Melissa Hope’s writing skills. Noa and Dagan are brothers only a year apart, but they could not be more different. Their high-stakes journey only adds to their rivalry, making for entertaining, realistic, and engaging interactions. Still, both characters use their own unique skillsets—for Noa, his book smarts and intelligence; for Dagan, his athleticism and courage—as they fight to save each other and their kingdom. Together, they and the rest of the kid crew—who are easy to keep track of despite being large in number—are capable of achieving great things.

Sea of Kings addresses themes of friendship, family, adventure, and hope. If you like epic middle grade adventures and were a fan of Jane Doe and the Cradle of All Worlds by Jeremy Lachlan, this might be the book for you!

Thank you to the wonderful team at Jollyfish Press for providing me with this eARC.

Thank you so much to Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley for the earc to read and review.

When Noa’s kingdom is under attack by another king it’s all up to him to use the magical map his father gave him and rescue his kingdom. With his brother and a team full of kids from his school they set sail together in the treacherous magical seas.

I have to be honest I didn’t know if I was going to enjoy this book at all, but it was such a thrill and adventure, so many unique beings mentioned and mysterious characters and a deep rooted mystery to solve that honestly I failed at solving miserably.

I had one small issue with the story and that was that Alya didn’t board the ship, I wanted her to be on it so badly and see how her and Noa would have dealt with being together in close quarters and together constantly. Plus we needed a few females on the ship seriously it’s important to show that girls can steer a ship just as any boy can. I was happy when we did eventually get females aboard but would have been nice to have had that included from the start.

This story was one that seriously threw me through a loop, what a bumpy journey they ended up being part of and all the lost history that Noa was having to solve during the trip. As I was reading I found myself making theories as to who the Death King was, what was really going on with the kingdoms, who was the bad guy really and what was going to happen. I couldn’t have guessed further from what actually happened and that made this story incredible to me, a complete shocker and twist and it was so thrilling to be wrong and learning the truth.

I loved exploring the mythology of the story, getting introduced to the kingdoms, meeting with the pirates and the uniquely created mythical beings of the seas. I liked that as the story progresses Noa starts to mature enough and starts acting as though he’s next in line to be a king.

It’s such an action packed story, such a fun read, I found it had elements from so many classic children’s stories all mixed up into the one book with its very own unique take on each one. I would recommend this book to any child that likes an adventure and escape, they’ll love being sunken into this book.

The perfect middle-grade book for someone who is up for a sea adventure filled with pirates, mythological creatures, and a fun, quirky crew with two princes and a magical map. One believes in magic, the other in facts. They are put to the test when pirates attack their island, and they are off on adventure following a map that they hope will lead to their rescue. They're an extensive list of characters traveling along with the princes, so at times I got lost on where I was at in the story. The author stays true because the characters are kids, and they have no clue what they are doing, which makes the story more relatable—a fun middle grade adventure to pick up and enjoy.

Sea of Kings was fun adventurous middle grade fantasy that revolved around 13 yr. old Prince Noa and his journey to save his kingdom and his people. It was about secrets, friendship, family, teamwork, loyalty, trust, betrayal, and forgiveness.

Writing was easy to follow, engaging, and entertaining. Story was written in third person narrative from Noa’s perspective. Plot was fast to steady paced filled with lots of adventure on sea, magic, mythical creature, interesting islands of the world.

It started with introduction of Prince Noa and his younger brother Dagan, how they spent their days on island, life as princes, their relationship with each other and their father. Noa never believed in magic or mythical creatures, he was happy to follow one rule among many rules of his father on them and their island, never leave the island. But when a perfectly normal day turned to series of bad events and island was attack by pirates on the day of his sister’s birthday celebration, his father thrust a magical map into Noa’s hand and asked to leave island and follow wherever it leads to save his island and people. Noa was sceptical following his instruction but it seemed his only chance. With his adventurous brother, stolen ship, magical map and unlikely crew, he set out to find help for his kingdom needed and follow the map but a legendary pirate was on their tail who had his own plans that might destroy all the realms and people he loved.

During the journey Noa and his crew discovered a lot about the world outside their kingdom, had many questions – why the world and facts about mythical creatures were kept secret from them, why adults lied to them, why magical map only revealed the route to Noa, where it led and how that relate to Noa’s destiny. It kept the story intriguing and we get all of the answers by the end.

Plot, characters and the world were well balanced. There was right amount of darkness, fun, adventure and entertainment. Whenever story turned too dark or gloomy, responsibility of saving kingdom and staying safe weighed down the characters, it instantly turned light and fun with quirky and fun characters and scenes that made me smile and laugh making it perfect for young readers.

Characters were interesting I enjoyed reading about many secondary characters specially the crew of Evangeline, the ship they stole. They were all preteen, only few of Noa’s age and other younger than him. Vim- the village bully, who kept criticising everything and everyone. He also developed along with Noa. Chaston- Vim’s best friend. Aron- the youngest. Notorious twin brothers Fig and Pan- who kept crew and readers entertained throughout the book with their pranks and mischievousness. Bones- Smithy boy, craftsman of the ship and Noa’s best friend. Malloch- Only person who knew a little how to sail the ship but never had experience before. Other two member also joined them on the way which was lovely surprise.

Dagan was my most favourite of all. He was fun mischievous, adventurous, brave, and fearless. I have to say he wasn’t dim-witted like said in synopsis. He wasn’t as smart as his brother but he was amazing at fighting and all outdoorsy things. He never backed down to challenge. He always wanted to visit other islands and when he found out they were sailing out to sea, he was happiest person among the crew. His enthusiasm was infectious and I admired how he fought the pirate, stood up for his brother and kept the crew under check with his royalty card if they went against Noa. He won my heart when he saved Noa and what he did to keep him safe. He and twins made the dark and tense scenes light and entertaining.

Noa was great throughout the book. With brother like Dagan it was obvious Noa was sensible and more grown up among the siblings. He was smart, uptight boy who kept his nose buried in books, knew lots of things through books, was great at drawing and following maps, and kept saving his brother from many mischiefs. He was angry at his father for abandoning them when they needed him most. His outburst and fight with him didn’t make sense at first but it felt realistic when, along with him, we discover how many secrets his father kept. It made sense why he wasn’t ready to forgive his father when he revealed what happened to his mother and along with it, we see why he was always serious, uptight, kept to books and also what made him what he was. He was down to earth and I liked how he never took advantage of him being royalty. I admired him for leading the ship in sea and keeping his crew safe at all cost. His development was amazing. I loved how he realised his mistakes and understood it’s not just books and brain one need to survive in world but courage, confidence in oneself, trust and love of family are also important.

That cover perfectly shows the nature of both brothers in their expression. Their bond was amazing to read and I loved how they both loved their sister. I specifically liked that scene where Noa told explained why there was no jealousy among them or never envied each other.

The world was amazing. It was interesting to read about Aztrius realm, theories and history about realm’s beginning, five kingdoms that made Aztrius, trade and treaty between kingdoms, islands and places characters discovered outside the realm, dangerous mythical creatures, death king and his legend. There was electric octopus, magical shell, glowing jellyfish, many other interesting things and species.

I liked the message of forgiveness, bravery, and perseverance in the book. The mystery of map and what awaits at the end of the journey was brilliant. Climax was sad, tense and thrilling at the same time. I couldn’t imagine what crew decided to do at this point. Noa’s decision made me admire him and how he pulled his plans was great. What he discovered on arriving at the destination was interesting and surprising, and all the events after that were well written. End was perfect but with a minor cliff hanger just indicating there will be another book in future.

Overall, Sea of Kings was entreating, adventurous and enjoyable middle grade fantasy with captivating world, quirky characters, and intricate plot. I highly recommend this book to middle grade readers who love adventure and books set on seas.

This was such a fun adventure story! It has travel, mythical creatures, and good character development. The plot had plenty of twists and turns, and I was fully invested in it as I read it.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and I will definitely read more books by this author when she publishes them! Sometimes it is hard to find good books that boys will enjoy, but I’m happy to say that this one will be added to my list for my son. I highly recommend it for middle grade and up, and for both boys and girls.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unfortunately I was unable to finish reading this book. I loved the idea of it and was so excited for a piratey adventure, but I wasn't captured by the first chapter and as it went on, the plot was slow with certain aspects feeling predictable. Perhaps it got better later on, but I really struggled to immerse myself in this novel and eventually decided to not continue. Thank you for the opportunity and I'm very sorry that this didn't work out.

Prince Noa lives on an island, and he hates it. Ever since his mother died at sea, his father has made it a law that children cannot leave the island. Noa understands that his father doesn't want anything to happen to the rest of his family, but he is still tired of being stuck there.

Be careful what you wish for.
When the King's closest friend betrays him and takes over the island, the King gives Noa a magical map to follow. Noa and his brother must follow the map in order to save their family and home.

This is a fun, action-packed adventure story. I loved the characters and the world. I loved the magical creatures. I hope this becomes a series. I would definitely read more with these characters.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review*

This was so fantastic! Action-packed, thrilling and exciting every step of the way!

The character dynamics were fantastic and the character development was so excellently done. Even secondary characters grew so much from the start of the book to the end. Noa was a fabulous protagonist, he contrasted so well with his brother that it brought out the best in both of them. I was also very impressed with how well-structured the interactions between the crew were considering there were more than 10 of them in any one scene.

One of the many strengths of this book was the complexity of the plot. The many many surprising revelations were perfectly hinted at before being sprung on the reader. And the secrets only helped to make the adventure even more thrilling.

What I loved a lot was that so much of this fantasy world was explored and yet there’s still much more left to see. The ending hinted at a sequel and I, for one, would absolutely love to read a sequel to this amazing book! This was a fantastic read and I know a sequel would be just as good, if not even better!

This was such a fun, sea-faring middle grade adventure!

Full of mythical creatures, friendship and brotherly love, pirates and islands--this debut isn't one you're going to want to pass up.

The author keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering what shenanigans Noa and the gang are going to get in next.

And if the ending is any indication, I am definitely looking forward to a sequel set in this swashbuckling world!

DNF at 25%

I am so sorry for dnf-ing this book. Based on the cover and the blurb, I was looking forward to reading this book. I was so excited when I received an arc from NetGalley and Jolly Fish Press. But I came to realise that I'm an indeed not the target demographic for this book. I can imagine pre-teens adoring it, but for me the characters and the way they behaved felt unnatural and honestly a bit forced. Even only at 25%, the storyline felt too trope-y and I just couldn't find myself enjoying it.

So while I personally didn't like this book, I honestly think it could be a great choice if you have a kid around 12.

This novel was an automatic 5/5 for me.

The story was interesting and drew me in immediately. The concept was perfectly unraveled and didn’t leave me wanting more. This was a perfect adventure story and one that I will definitely save for when I have children of my own.

I found myself laughing out loud at the character interactions more than once. The relationship between Noa and Dagan was typical for brothers and I loved how realistic the author was able to make it.

I adored the writing of this novel because it always left me wanting more of this book. It was easy to read and very addictive.

Tons of adventures, interesting places and characters, and whoa pirates! It felt a bit slow in the beginning and just hope the dialogues are more engaging but it is charming and intriguing.

I would say Melissa Hope is an another Enid Blyton and loved this book! A book is adventure packed with witty dialogue especially between Noa and Dagan and I loved how different characters have given a beautiful role to make this novel a great book to read.

I would recommend this book who loves Famous Five The Chronicles of Narnia series.

I really enjoyed this story - it took me on an epic sea adventure from cover to cover! Not only was it an engaging read including pirates, sea monsters, betrayal, fear, and bravery, it also includes a great cast that grows together throughout their journey.

I especially enjoyed the banter between Noa and Dagan throughout their journey. Noa is the smart, grounded one, while Dagan is overconfident and rash. Despite their great differences, it was evident that Noa loves his brother so much and would stop at nothing to protect him and his friends.

Having worked with elementary and middle school-aged students, I know they’ll love this and really relate with the mindsets these characters have. (Especially the very cute mispronounced words that we see once in a while!)

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am confident that whoever picks up this book will as well. Not only is it a magical adventure across the sea, it also packs in a great message of perseverance, bravery, and loyalty!

A big thanks to Netgalley and Jolly Fish Press for providing me with this eARC in return for an honest and fair review.

I was excited for this book. I mean, pirates! seafaring adventure! what could go wrong?

Unfortunately, this. For a book that promises such excitement it was.... boring. Noa is supposed to be 13, but he reads much younger. The writing style is just clipped enough to bleed all the tension out and it feels like the reader is being talked down to. I couldn't bring myself to read more than a third. I just don't care. At all.

Actually no I skimmed a few more chapters and the action scenes are abrupt and sometimes strange and I still don't care.

The King's mysterious decree not to leave the island, then his insistence that Noa take the map and follow it to its end was an abrupt about-face.

Also. That the pirates and rival king just *happened* to have the equivalent to 'seafaring for dummies' on the cabin shelf -- conveniently, as none of the boys knew how to sail -- pushed suspension of belief rather too far.

Also there are way too many boys and way too few girls in this story. Are we expected to believe that the children of the island are almost entirely boys? Because that's just weird.

Thanks to NetGalley and Jolly Fish Press for providing an e-arc for review.