Prince Noa might be next in line to rule his Island kingdom, but he'd rather spend his days in the library reading. When the Island comes under attack, Noa has no choice but to set out on the sea with his brother and a band of other kids (some friends, and some foes) to get help from neighboring Island kingdoms. With a magical map to guide them, it should be a straightforward task.
If only the map made any sense, and if their nemesis wasn't a diabolic one-eyed pirate!
Now Noa must confront his fears and embrace his real strengths to help save his home. Oh, and figure out how to read this crazy map!

An action-packed adventure complete with magic, evil pirates, and a wry sense of humor, SEA OF KINGS is an exciting ride from start to finish! Perfect for readers who love epic adventures with a side of humor, hope, and a good dose of magic!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the E-Arc!

This is a really gripping adventure story. I appreciated that it was fast paced but also gave a good amount of exposition and history as the mystery unfolded. You got a good overall sense of the history of the islands and enough more specific details to satisfy your curiosity without disrupting the narrative flow. I also really enjoyed the characters. The princes’ relationship was well done and I enjoyed that their group of friends kind of had a lost boys dynamic and brought a great balance of comic relief and serious concerns for their adventure. The one area that I think may be an issue for some readers is that the book does rely on a lot of adventure tropes which may bother some readers. That said I think they were done well and are a great example of why authors continue to use those elements. I particularly loved the way the magic map worked and overall appreciated how the magic was used throughout the book. I think this would be a great book for any middle grade reader looking for adventure.

There's never a dull moment in SEA OF KINGS, starting from when heir-to-the-throne Noa finds a skull in the first chapter to the thrilling teaser in the epilogue. I seriously could hear the "dun-dun-DUNNN!" sound effect in my head! This fast-paced, action-packed, humor-filled MG quest story has everything a kid could want--a magical map, a dim-witted brother (LOL), fantastical creatures, and plenty of secrets and intrigue. Although there are few girls among the cast, they are fierce and that's all that matters!

From start to finish, Sea of Kings was incredible! As a middle school teacher for the last five years, I can say with confidence that this is a story that boys and girls will love. Here are some of my favourite parts of this book:

- The story: I absolutely loved the gripping story. The concept and execution was incredibly engaging. This is the type of epic adventure I always looked for as a child and I cannot wait to share it with my own children.
- The characters: the banter between the characters is laugh out loud hilarious. Noa and Dagan's relationship, in particular, is so relatable and is a perfect representation of brothers.
- The writing style: the writing in this novel is so accessible. It really draws you in and keeps you wanting to read more. I longed to pick it back up whenever I had to stop reading.

I highly recommend Sea of Kings and cannot wait to see what Melissa Hope comes up with next!