A pirate x underwater city (gives off Atlantic City vibes) story that has adventure, friendship, family, magic, and a bit of romance.

Amare, grew in a pirate ship, knows she gotta be the next in line for Captain. However, she found herself longing for something more in the sea. Then one day, she goes underwater, turning into a sereia and found out her father still alive, and is the King of the Sunken City.

As I recall, I had a hard time reading the pirate language because they had a thick accent yet I'm not an English native. Later on, when Amare has gone to the Sunken City the language become clearer and easy to understand. However, I still enjoyed reading the story and I really like the concept to choose it like this, despite my hardship, because it shows the culture.

Being the Lost Princess and choosen one, Amare had a prophecy awaiting to fulfill (tho we still don't know will she fulfill it?) Definitely going to read the sequel!!

I know this is coming late but when I joined Netgalley, I read the books I requested but forgot to give the feedback. Now I was checking the books I have to read and seeing the deadlines and all and saw there's quite a few books I read and didn't review.
I'm so sorry. I went to Goodreads (where I'm active) to gather my thoughts on the book from when I read it.
Wow this book. First of all I love pirates. So our main character had a positive point for me as I started. The worldbuilding of the sunken city was incredible, I was so captivated by the plot of it all. And the romance... Enemies to lovers feeds me every time and in here it didn't fail.

This really gave reverse My Little Mermaid in a good way. I haven't read about an underwater community in a long time, if ever, and it was a lot of fun. A quick, entertaining read.

The sunken City ist ein großartiges Buch. Eine Enimes-to-Lovers Story eingetaucht in eine Welt über und unter Wasser mit magischen Wesen, Piraten und unglaublichen Abenteuern.

Wonderful young adult fantasy. Blend of magic, mermaids, pirates, and gods is very captivating. You'll be hooked from the first chapter. It's a quick read but very well written.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

I totally forgot that I had this ARC. Finally reading it I do not regret it it. This is about a book a young pirate who finds out she is actually a lost princess. Of Atlantis. During a storm she gets thrown into the ocean and whisked away to Atlantis and wakes up to find that her mother is really dead but her father is the king of Atlantis.

This is young adult fantasy romance with enemies to lover, found family, pirates with a villan you will make you think which guy should we like. Both love intrests have arrogance that can be sexy and make you laugh making you question everything. This book is perfect for the summer.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Pirates of the Caribbean elements as well as the Disney’s fairytale ones gave me a nostalgic feeling but sadly I’m putting it down for the time being. I realized I was not the target audience for this one and that is okay, I’m sure younger girls will definitely love it more than I did.

Reading The Sunken City is entering into a world that is a mishmash of historical piracy, Atlantis, royalty, magic and witches, and... nightlife? What started as a unique new world took one too many turns for me to fully enjoy it. There were a lot of different elements, but not always consistent or thoughtful explanations.

The first section of the book was the most straightforward - Amare is living on a pirate ship and trying to pursue her ambitions despite society's "rules" for her as a woman. Has it been done before? Sure. But a good old pirate story is always fun, so I was hooked anyway. As a bonus, there's frequent mentions of "witches" and Amare's guardian acting strangely - enough to keep me invested in how things would turn out.

However, once Amare enters into a world that is much more modern (2000s vibes vs the pirate-y 1700s), the story began to lose me. Don't get me wrong - I can respect when an author takes unexpected turns and adds in a little dystopian vibe or mashes together two genres or timelines that aren't frequently mixed. I can appreciate uniqueness, even if it's weird. What happened here is that things weren't explained as we went along. Sure, I know what all these things are, as a modern reader. But Amare??? She would be out of her mind with how different things were - but that transition was not well done.

And I'll be honest, I found the multitude of nightclub scenes and heavy drinking to be tedious and a useless addition to the plot. (especially for a YA book!)

My other struggles were as follow: 1.) Amare acts SO young, and is generally rude and overly harsh. 2.) There is indeed a love triangle, and technically Amare is officially involved with one boy when she falls for the other (yuck). 3.) Oh also, when she falls for the first boy it is WAY quick. 4.) The plot jumps quickly and jaggedly in the last half of the book.

Was this a fast read? Yes. Are there some very unique and interesting elements in this book (the witches, magic, secrets about what happened, etc.)? YES. Is there a certain lighter-on-the-worldbuilding element that reminds me of the dystopian books I devoured in the 2010s as a teen? Sure. Would 15-year-olds today eat this up? Maybe. (special question mark for the nightclub elements, but in general, probably!)

I will not be continuing the series, but I would recommend this to certain audiences looking for a particular story atmosphere.

It took a bit to get into but once the world building happens, it gets so good! Learning the different characters and witches and pirates was fun! The writing gets you into the sunken city and you can picture all of the tunnels and different aspects. I loved how Amare grew and kept learning more about her past. I loved the tension between Amare and Finn and her friendships that she finally found after being on a pirate ship.

I am not a fan of the cliffhanger!!!! I need to know what happens next and I need to know more about who she should trust!

Unfortunately, this was a miss for me. There was too much going on with the plot, and the characters and love triangle were messy. This had potential if it had been edited better. I found the idea and some of the imagery of the sunken city interesting, and it’s not badly written either. I think this is targeted at a younger audience than me, and they may be able to overlook the issues I had with it.

Eesh...in chapter 1, the main character defended herself by stabbing a man into a goat, ie. stabbing the goat who did absolutely nothing wrong. Girl!!

Then, it's just an odd mix of 1700's setting with modern slang and lingo. It was offputting to me but I know some people don't mind this.

This might be my fault because I don't like pirates.

why did i wait so long to read this!!!! this book combines so much into one book, i thought it was so fun. i havent read a fantasy book that has hooked me like this in awhile. the worldbuilding was done very well and i found myself hooked from the start. again, how the author tied in so many different creatures, gods, etc into this book without it being overwhelming was amazing. i also am a sucker for love triangles, so bring along a fun romance with an epic fantasy and im sold. i cannot wait to continue this series

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of <i>The Sunken City</i> in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

<h4 style="margin-top: 84px;">The Gist</h4>

<i>The Sunken City</i> by Emma V.R. Noyes is a spellbinding journey into the depths of imagination, where an ancient city and its secrets come to life beneath the waves. Noyes crafts a fantastical tale that seamlessly blends magic, mystery, and adventure, creating an enthralling reading experience.

<h4>The Details</h4>

The narrative unfolds as the main character with a thirst for discovery, embarks on a quest to unravel the mysteries of the submerged metropolis. Noyes excels in world-building, painting a vivid picture of the sunken city with its mystical ruins and enigmatic landscapes. The underwater realm becomes a character in itself, captivating readers with its beauty and intrigue.

The characters are both relatable and extraordinary. As they navigate the challenges of the sunken city, each character's unique traits contribute to the overall richness of the story. Noyes skillfully weaves interpersonal dynamics into the plot, adding depth to the relationships that evolve throughout the narrative.

One of the novel's strengths is its pacing. Noyes maintains a delicate balance between moments of quiet reflection and heart-pounding action, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. The plot unfolds with well-timed twists and turns, ensuring that each revelation adds to the overall sense of wonder and anticipation.

While <i>The Sunken City</i> is a delightful adventure, certain plot elements can be predictable, and a few character motivations might benefit from further exploration. However, these nuances do not overshadow the enchantment of the narrative.

<h4>The Verdict</h4>

Overall, <i>The Sunken City</i> is a captivating fantasy that immerses readers in a world of magic and mystery. Emma V.R. Noyes' storytelling prowess and imaginative prose make this novel a must-read for fans of the fantasy genre.

The Sunken City is a beautiful story that begins with the life of Amare-the sole female on a ship full of Pirates. Orphaned as a child and raised on a ship, life at sea was all she knew. She dreamt of being the Captain of the Moonshadow one day- the very ship she called home. However, there were two things pirates did not like aboard their ships-woman & magic. And so, Amare tries hard to downplay her womanhood, learns how to fight with daggers and works around the ship.
A series of events causes everything to go awry, and Amare wakes up to find herself underwater where an entire kingdom exists, magic exists and her father exists. As Amare navigates through the life she is thrown into, friendships are born, love blossoms, dangers are met, and she slowly realises that nothing is as it seems to be.
The Sunken City is a truly enchanted and captivating story that you cannot but help fall in love with. We slowly sink into this new world and learn about it along with Amare. The story lingers with you long after you finish reading.
What I liked about the book is the female protagonist who knows her way with the dagger, the world-building which was not quite what I had expected and Lukas.
I would definitely love to read the next book as so many things are left unanswered.

I started this being told it contained many cliche tropes - however despite that this book was GOOD, like REALLY REALLY GOOD. I felt for our MC Amare and was even more drawn to her because of her surname (Bellamy - yes, like the one from 'The 100'). She was a badass, loyal, magical, earnest and to top it all off a PRINCESS (cannot get any better than that, seriously)

The ending was unexpected 🥹

Definitely recommend if you are into:
-Badass heroines
-YA fiction/romance
-Found families
-Pirates
-Magic
-Disguised MCs
-TWISTS
-Love triangles

I tried so many times to get into this one, but it just wasn't for me. It was well written and had good elements to it, I was intrigued by pirates and the promise of an underwater world, but the modern switch caused a bit of a whiplash, from the old fashioned world that the story started out in. Also there were things that I didn't personally enjoy, but I know others who do. Probably better for teens than a thirty year old. I got a decent way through, but in the end it just wasn't one that I felt I could write a fair review on.

This was fabulous: an incredible introduction to the series, building up fascinating worlds above and beneath the sea and an eclectic cast of characters that I can't wait to see more of. While the romance didn't entirely work for me yet, the friendships that Amare has started to build stole my heart. I can't wait to dive into the next book.

"The Sunken City" by Emma V. R. Noyes is a captivating underwater adventure that immersed me in a world of mystery, magic, and exploration. This novel is a thrilling blend of fantasy, discovery, and the allure of hidden secrets.

Noyes' writing style is immersive and vivid, painting a rich picture of the underwater world and its mysteries. The characters in the novel are diverse and multi-dimensional, each with their own motivations and desires that contribute to the complexity of the story.

At the core of the narrative is an enthralling journey that takes readers beneath the waves to uncover the truth about a lost city. The author skillfully weaves together elements of fantasy and adventure, creating a narrative that is both exhilarating and thought-provoking.

"The Sunken City" successfully balances the excitement of the quest with the emotional depth of the characters' personal growth. The exploration of themes like bravery, friendship, and the power of determination adds resonance to the story.

In conclusion, "The Sunken City" is a mesmerizing and thrilling read that invites readers to dive into a world of wonder and mystery. If you're seeking a book that combines fantasy with a captivating adventure, this novel offers an immersive and enchanting narrative that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

From pirate to princess... though she never loses her spunkiness/attitude.

This book seems a little far fetched as an orphaned child (or so she thought) gets dragged under the sea, turns into a mer-human, and is brought to her father's palace to find that he is now the ruler of an underwater kingdom. Then she falls for her father's handsome, and annoying, right hand man... only to be kidnapped by witch pirates who oppose her father's rule. The story seemed a little too predictable and included a love triangle that seemed unnecessary/overly emotional.

This book is basically the Sarah J. Maas book of pirate/mermaid fantasy, but not in a good way. What started off as an interesting and strong premise--a girl raised by pirates learns there’s much more to her life and bloodline than she originally thought--turned into a cliche, trope-y, predictable story with an unnecessary and annoying love triangle that made me want to roll my eyes.

In addition, the world-building and magic is not thoroughly explained, making the story feel like two stories smashed together. It just came across really odd that the Sunken City was this technologically advanced society underwater that read more like a YA contemporary than a fantasy story with pirates and merpeople. I was excited for a fantasy story with pirates and magic and the like and I got a girl spending her days partying with her new friends and making ridiculous life decisions to avoid responsibility and the truth of who she is.

And then part way through, the story changes AGAIN to have this completely different narrative about what is actually going on and who the real bad guys are and what powers the main character possesses. I found myself so confused and frustrated that I wasn’t able to enjoy the cooler aspects like the witch magic and the underwater pirate world and even the new side characters who seem awesome.

The Sunken City was not what I expected from the cover and premise, and I wish it had been written better and had more time to flesh out some of the better aspects to make it less cliche and trope-y overall.