This was a well written slow paced fantasy compared to the first novel. This stepped up a level with a daring adventure on rough seas. This was a long journey but a great one about pirates and magical kindgoms and would recommend to all.

I’m seriously in love with this series. The male leads are delicious!! 🔥

The banter between the Bassettes is so damn good. The familial ties they have are so strong that even when one of them messes up big time, they’re there for her and don’t make her feel worse about the mess she’s made.

So I liked Larkyra and her journey and was excited for Niya’s story but it didn’t start off too good for me. She was very annoying! Thankfully, as the story developed so did her personality.

Like I had said in my review of Song of the Forever Rains, I knew where the overall big baddie arc was going and it does go the way I’d thought. However, not everything is as it seems.

Niya’s stubbornness can be both annoying and it cane make you relate. She was severely hurt by Alos in the past and she fights tooth and nail against her resurfacing feelings. And while she sort of gives in, she’s aware of how things played out last time and she’s not willing to let herself fall all the way. So I appreciated that once Alos came to terms with his stuff, he puts in the work and effort to demonstrate that his ruthless rep can work for the better.

I have to say, I wasn’t ready for who Alos turned to be. The real reasons for doing the things he does, acts the way he does. Wasn’t ready for the soft side but I have to say I really REALLY liked it. This might’ve just put him on my book boyfriend list! Lol

Book 3 is going to be Arabessa’s story and I’m guessing Zimri will be her guy, we’ll see how the eldest Bassette sister handles the pressure of a relationship.

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Dance of a Burning Sea and I hope I'm lucky enough for EJ Mellow's next book.

Dance of a Burning Sea is a magical tale of love, honor, and family. E.J. Mellow sweeps the reader away to a wonderfully imaginative world, with characters as colorful and entrancing as the vivid locales they travel to. It's a perfectly titled seafaring epic fantasy that’s spellbinding from start to finish.

This book was just as beautifully written as the first book. A slow burn enemies to lover, that you are not only immersed in the romance but the individual characters. Niya and Alos's story and complexity of characters is really what draws you in. It is a bigger book, but didn't feel slow at any point. A little more mature than the first one as a warning. Would recommend to anyone who loves enemies to lovers.

*Provided this ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
“‘Where you are born only defines your blood,’ said Achak as he sipped his wine. ‘And even that is too easily spilled. Your home is where you’re happiest, and that my children, can be anytime, anywhere, and with anyone.’”

I must say E.J. Mellows deserves an award for the best slow burn romance writer, on top of that she adds themes of enemies to lovers and in her last book friends to lovers. I cannot wait to see what does with Arabessa’s book. I read the first 3 chapters of this book and then set it down because I had a crazy work week. I picked this back up last night and was thoroughly entrenched in this story. E.J.’s stories and writing feels like home, there is no other way to describe, it is a feeling I only get with authors like SJM or Leigh Bardugo or Carissa Broadbent.
This second installment of the Mousai series follows the fiery Niya Bassette through her journey to self discovery. Niya is the middle child, sandwiched in-between perfect and poised Arabessa and golden heart Larkyra. With such sisters one feels sometimes inadiquate, Niya knows she is not but often feels that all she is good for is her looks and she does not have the poise or brains of her two sisters. Her sisters and her verbal sparring and her heart break has done a number on her, this story focuses on Niya healing herself, finding freedom, and a home.
This second book is a wild ride. I had expectations that it was going to be crazy as it focuses on Niya, and where she is involved you know it will be an adventure. Niya out of all the sisters deserved this freedom and independence most, she is so duty bound even more than Lark that many times her need for chaos is a release from her duties. She does not know where to separate Niya and the fire dancer of the Mousai. As a person she struggles with stagnancy but on the flip side of that coin she struggles with difficult change. At the very beginning when things were beginning to change and her and her sisters could wreak havoc as they once did she was very much struggled to grasp that change, and by the end she thrived on change. I loved seeing her go from a spoiled little girl to a bad ass pirate. This along with her and Alos’s dynamic was everything; from the very start their verbal sparring had my jaw on the floor. I feel that for Niya being a member of the Crying Queen gave her the ability to be a part of something as Niya and no longer hide who she was and to be herself. She learned that her loyalty to the Thief King was important but Achak's quote above told her that she did not need to be in her birth city to be happy and be home. I would love to delve deeper into her story along with the Thief King’s. Niya is by far the most irrational and reckless sister, she is very true to her powers and the metaphors they are compared to. But she comes out of this journey just as wonderful as she was before yet with more confidence in who she is as a person and that who she is is just as important as her beauty. I could not see Niya anywhere else then where she ended the story at.
I loved this book and journey more than the last, they keep getting better and I am so excited to read Arabessa’s installment as she is the sister I most see myself in. I love every bit of these books, the characters, the writing, the places and the magic. I cannot wait to reread and officially own the Dance of a Burning Sea. GOD IT WAS MAGNIFICENT. I have not binged a book this fast in such a long time.
100000/5 stars for me!!

**ARC provided for an honest review** Niya is the headstrong and fiery dancer of the Mousai trio and often finds herself getting into trouble either through her gambling or her insistence on handling problems on her own. The journey that we follow shows Niya tackle these challenges head on (sometimes rather clumsily) and evolve from the brash middle sister to a strong, confident, mature woman who understands that a world exists outside of her own.

EJ Mellow’s Dance of a Burning Sea is a triumph. You will laugh, you will cry, you’ll have second-hand embarrassment, and you’ll fall along with Niya but you will also soar when she soars. This universe feels like home and Niya is one of the most relatable book characters you will ever travel with. There is action, a slow-burn romance, and emotion all bundled up into this book.

Mellow’s writing is immersive, engaging, and stunning. In Dance of a Burning Sea, we follow Niya, the middle sister of the Mousai, through her own journey. This book is a continuation in the Mousai universe, but is also strong as a standalone.

If you can, read this book. You will be smiling from ear to ear through the last page. This is easily one of my top reads of the year.

I knew from the very moment these two characters interacted in the first book, I was going to love their book. I just knew it. And I was right. So right. Obviously the love was initiated by it being enemies to lovers, but it was just so much more. The way this story just flows flawlessly taking you on this fantastic journey had me entranced. I couldn’t put it down.

Niya’s hated for Alōs burns so vehemently. But there are so many layers to why that is, that breaks your heart in different ways. I loved these two so much! They just are both so stubborn in their own rights. The chemistry between them crackles. You just are waiting for the moment they finally succumb to the tension constantly being built!

There were so many obstacles along their course. Just when you think there is some reprieve another spanner is slammed in the works. It was wild. I loved every single second and when I felt the end drawing near, I found myself not wanting it to end. I wanted to stay in this extraordinary world.

I love all the feelings it invoked in me. I loved how all the characters grow on you. There was so much more than way meets the eye.

I loved this book incredible amounts and it will no doubt be a reread for me. Highly recommend, go read this series! And now I impatiently await the next sisters book which will no doubt also be incredible.

Oh oh oh!!! I am so so so happy that I was able to read this book because I was dying to read more about the world of Aadilor and see how the story would develop. The story is so very well written, with characters that leap off the page and feel like they are there telling you the story themselves. On a bad note, you will be sad and have a massive book hangover after you finish this story. Try to read it on a weekend so you can recover before being forced to function at work.

Thank you, NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

I compared the first book in this series to a leisurely Sunday stroll, as it was a very slow and relaxed fantasy. Well, this sequel steps it up a notch. It's a daring adventure on rough seas. And as journeys tend to be laborious, so too is this book.

Similar to ‘Song of the Forever Rains,’ the pacing in this is also very drawn out, which leads me to believe that's just EJM's writing style. Fortunately, the stakes in this particular installment are higher and the characters go on more escapades. I am personally drawn to pirate stories, so this definitely suited my preferences. I think the mission, the travelling to various lands, and the sly characters all work well together to create a fun plot.

So while I enjoyed the first book, I found this sequel to be much more interesting overall. If you don't mind a long journey and like roguish pirates and magical kingdoms, then I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you, Montlake, for the ARC!

I really wanted to like this second installment of the series...but it just didn't meet my expectations. I loved the heroine so much in the first book, but in this one she had a lesser impact on me. I felt that her character had grown too "perfect" in the sense that she had little flaws, which made her more relatable in the first book. All in all, this is still an adventure packed book that will thrill you and teach you more about the fantasy world E.J. Mellow has crafted. This world is so rich and will consume you till the very end!

I enjoyed the first installment in this series, but this book absolutely blew it out of the water!

I loved this story! It was soooo good. Watching Niya's character growth, learning more about the infamous pirate lord, and watching my favourite trope of enemies to lovers unfold... *swoons* The plot was fantastic too, so much so that I'd been staying up far too late reading to my heart's content. This book was worth losing sleep over.

I'm looking forward to the final installment!

At first, I was not really attracted by the concept of this second book. The pirate’s univers is not really my type, but I decided to go for it anyway, and I don’t regret it. The love story, the action, all was so good. Although, the first part is a little bit slow, but I really loved the second part of the book. I really recommend this book.

I first discovered E.J. Mellow while browsing through ebooks on Amazon and came across the cover of book one in the Mousai series. After reading the synopsis I was sold, I mean who wouldn't want to read a dark, moody series based on the muses.
Let's fast forward to about a month after I had read book one. I was browsing NetGalley and found this Gem on there. I could not believe that the second book would be out so quickly afterward. Montlake graciously accepted my request to read and review and, 1. I need a physical copy for my library and 2. I'm in desperate need of the next book.

OK, here's your warning. This is the second book in a series, there will be no spoilers for the second book but, there may be spoilers for book 1.

Dance of a Burning Sea is a delightful fast-paced, action-packed book with our same beloved characters from book one. In this book, we follow Niya the dancer of the Mousai, and her adventures with our rugged sea Captain Alos.
She finds herself on his ship and making a deal after he blackmails her. Make the deal or he will reveal who all the Mousai are. In her city The Theif Kingdom, identities are leverage and worth a great deal.
Niya will do anything to protect her family considering, it was her fault Alos knows who they are in the first place. But will Niya get her revenge or will she fall prey to Alos's charms again? And all this while battling sea storms, giants, and control over her powers in a quest to save a kingdom.



Tropes include:
enemies to lovers
bound/stuck together
Revenge
deal with the devil
slow-burn romance
save the kingdom

I can honestly say there has yet to come a day when I did not love an E.J. Mellow book. Mellow is a genius when it comes to world building. Her writing beautiful and lush. This series owns my soul now. And the women?? This author knows how to write them! Strong, independent, FIERCE. Her men are written just as wonderfully. We love a great, well written, redeemable villain. I am obsessed. My favorite aspect may have to be the sister bond. I just love to see it.

ARC Review:

“Scars, struggles, and flaws made one interesting.”
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I loved this story. It was glorious. Full of adventure, magic, wickedness, and tons of tension. This is an adult, enemies to lovers, fantasy romance book. It had just enough spiciness too. Focusing on another one of our favorite sisters, Niya, and a handsome, ruthless pirate, Alós Ezra. Two people with a past that still haunts them have to come together to resolve a new adventure. Both constantly are wanting to kill each other any chance they get. Will they survive this new chapter together or will they both leave broken hearted?
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Niya is a strong willed, sarcastic, loving woman. She absolutely adores her family and will do just about anything to keep them safe. However, a mistake she made in the past now haunts her, and puts her family at risk. In order to keep it in the past, she is now throw into close quarters with a ruthless, delicious pirate. Niya is now having to deal with the trauma of the past while also discovering a new part of her she didn’t even know existed. Along the way her heart and feelings start to grow and change. Will she survive the end result?
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Alos Ezra has always been know as a ruthless, power hungry pirate. He is captain of the Crying Queen full of thieves and scoundrels. All just as ruthless as their captain. However, this pirate has a secret past that has lead to who he is today, but that past has also come to haunt him now. He will now do anything to fix this new problem. Even by bringing abroad an old friend that could end up thawing his cold heart.
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After reading this I cannot wait for the next sister’s book. I enjoyed this story so much. This cover is also gorgeous and perfect for this story. It is definitely a slow burn, but E J Mellow does an amazing job at adding so much more adventure, and action to the story that the slow burn fades to the background. You’re engaged the entire time with all that is going on. If you haven’t already preordered this book you must do it as it releases real soon!

[ARC e-reader]

Thank you to the author and her team for providing me with an e-book copy of this incredible, magical book in exchange for an honest review. This can be read as a standalone.

I loved Song of The Forever Rains--Larkryra's story and Darius'--but even then, I knew Niya and Alōs would have my heart if not already. And I was right.

The worldbuilding was out of this world as in the previous one, but what I loved most were the seas and Esrom and how this journey included...GIANTS. Can you believe that? I didn't know I loved reading about them as much as watching them in movies but here we are.

The writing style? Immaculate. I adored how Mellow described every detail with so much care, every word spoken not in vain, with purpose and beauty.

The plot was done well and interestingly. There was never a dull moment, and although it took a while to fully dive into the first parts of the story, I did faster than I thought, and good lord.

As for the characters, stop there. A female character--aka Niya--who is indeed a fire dancer as Alōs calls her, who is so hot-headed, stubborn, and STRONG, she doesn't take no for an answer and doesn't stop until she's gotten what she wanted. Niya reminded me so much of myself and I related to her so much it brought tears to my eyes when I read the thoughts going through her head. A middle daughter who loves her family and sisters SO much, she hides her worries and pain behind her fire. I love you Niya.

I loved seeing her grow as a person and so did Alōs. He, the villain, perfectly portrayed so. Cruel, ruthless, the man who broke Niya in the past and the same one who brought her back together. Loved how Alōs was described as indeed a villainous pirate that cared about nothing but himself, and then we got proved wrong. His past overwhelmed me and I felt for him. Mellow knows how to make the reader despise, then after a second, love a villain who is actually misunderstood.

And the sisters bond?? Everything I seek in a book, this one has it all!!

Niya's and Alōs' relationship was😍. Enemies to lovers, slow burn, more like past lovers-to enemies, to lovers. I LIVE for this trope when it's done well, and it was. Totally recommend and PLEASE read this masterpiece of work! Totally my favorite in the Mousai Series, but again, I have to tell after Arabessa's book is out as well.

Until then, read this. Thank me later.

Dance of a Burning Sea is an epic adventure that gifts readers with richly developed story and characters in an extension of the world that Mellow created in Song of the Forever Rains. I fell for Niya's passionate expression of life as she impacted the world around her and was spellbound through the last page!

After reading book one in the series, I was begging for Niya and Lord Ezra’s story - and it far exceeded the high expectations that I had for it. While I enjoyed Song of Forever Rains, I absolutely loved Dance of the Burning Seas! Niya Bassette is feisty and impulsive, but extremely loyal and passionate. She is still trying to figure out who she is and what she can contribute to her family, and being kidnapped by the handsome and similarly lost Alos only complicates matters further.

While her character could read like a classic middle child or like a shallow YA heroine, E.J. Mellow’s Niya was endearing, and I found it easy to rally behind her. (Although I could have KILLED her for making another bet!) Lord Alos Ezra is the sexy pirate captain of my dreams who, of course, has a sad backstory that drives his motivations (and kidnappings!).

I’m a sucker for an enemies to lovers trope, and this one did NOT disappoint. It’s a slow burn, but it’s filled with witty banter and adventures that move the plot forward. While the main twist in the plot is predictable, I felt it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story and watching these two fall in love!

All in all, I would read an entire series based around the high seas adventures of Niya and Alos!

I enjoyed E. J. Mellow's ‘Song of the Forever Rains’ which was book one in the Mousai series. I knew I would enjoy the second installment featuring Niya! Niya is such an interesting character in book one so I was eager to see her journey play out.

Wow. I did not think Larkyra’s story could be outmatched but Niya and Alos book was freaking fantastic. I loved the back story and now Niya’s attitude makes sense and I love how she loves a good gamble or dare. Alos was the perfectly imperfect hero. Can’t wait for Arabessa’s story.