Thank you to NetGalley, Ms. Montoya, and Random House for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I LOVED the worldbuilding here. The idea of sea serpents and pirates and cannibal mermaids and majestics (women with goddess-like powers) is so cool. I wish Rosa had been able to leave the island MUCH earlier and that the bulk of the story had taken place at sea. Oh well. My main problem was Rosa: I felt like she spent the entire story fighting herself and letting things happen TO her; being reactive instead of proactive. It was really frustrating. The insta-love didn't bother me too much, or at least not as much as others, but I wish there had been more story developed with the King, more consequences for the traitors? mutineers? rebels?, more plot interactions between Mariano and Rosa, more information about Mariano's mysterious pendant, more, more, more. Frankly it seemed like half of duology. Maybe it was, and I missed it?

At any rate, this was fun, but it had all the bones to be amazing. Maybe in (a hypothetical) book 2, where Rosa rules the seas, some of these ideas and concepts could be expanded. ⭐⭐⭐

"Sinner's Isle, the debut novel by Angela Montoya, offers a world in which there is religion-controlled magic in which witches are bound to powerful people for "their own benefit". Witches are kept on a remote island until they are chosen. Rosalinda, a witch with formidable shadow powers and the most prized Offering seeks to flee the island and earn her freedom.

It is an engaging setting and interesting premise and I adored the natural incorporation of Spanish language and Hispanic culture. I would have liked even more depth in the world-building.

Notably, the King and his compelling backstory stand out as a particularly engaging element. I also enjoyed the platonic relationships contained within the story. While the concept of the heartsong bond adds an intriguing layer to the story, the reliance on fated mates and instant love did not resonate with me. Despite this, the characters shine individually, although some additional depth and complexity could further enhance their development.

Overall, Sinner's Isle showcases Montoya's promising talent and I look forward to more from this budding author. A promising start!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Children's, Joy Revolution for the eARC! This is an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

Sinner's Isle follows Rosa, captive on Sinner's Isle, as she plans to flee to save herself and stumbles upon Mariano, the prince of pirates.

This was a fun YA fantasy romance read! There wasn't oodles of depth -- the romance in particular was incredibly insta-love -- but overall the story and the world made for such a fun, quick read. I was thoroughly enamored, and I thought that Montoya in particular did a solid job of balancing stakes and building the suspense of the narrative. Plus, I'm always going to have a good time where pirates are involved.

While this didn't necessarily knock my socks off, I found Sinner's Isle very entertaining, and I'd certainly recommend it for anyone who's looking for a fun little romantasy.

I have been friends on Tiktok with Angela for well over a year and so I have watched her for a large portion of her writing journey. So when I saw her book on NetGalley, I HAD to request it. Let me tell you I am so glad I did.

I have never read a fantasy novel with pirates in it, so my expectations were low but let me say this book is SO good! The writing is exceptional. I think there was just the right amount of world-building and the story developed well. I would say the book is YA/NA, honestly, I don't know what true YA is anymore so it's on the lighter side I would say. I say that because while there is romance, it is not spicy. I don't often read books without spice but the plot in Sinner's Isle was so good, I wasn't even bothered.

Rosa was such a bad a** and I never thought I would see a female shadow hands;) I loved the author's spin on mates and enjoyed seeing how all of the pieces of the puzzle came together in the end.

This was such an enjoyable read, I look forward to reading more by Angela and seeing where her writing career goes!!

This was a fabulous debut! I was hooked from the very first page. The world-building and magic system was described flawlessly and also didn't overwhelm me in the slightest. The characters were diverse and personable and you immediately wanted to root for them. The romance was sweet (I loved the fated soulmates trope used here) and the entire book read like a Disney adventure (in the BEST way possible: think the original pirates of the Carribean). This is a fantastic YA Fantasy, one I will definitely be recommending.

I think Angela Montoya is a gem and a truly talented writer. I cannot wait to read more by her in the future!

4.25/5

Sinner’s Isle:⁣
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“I suppose sometimes the world needs to burn to make room for a new forest to grow.” ⁣
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Thank you SO MUCH @getunderlined @prhaudio for my gifted copies [partner]⁣
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I’ve been 100% in my pirate/sea era and it’s all thanks to Sinner’s Isle. I binged One Piece, bought a few additional pirate books. I mean, I want all the magic. Ok, but in all honesty, Angela Montoya had the best marketing for her book, and I totally would have bought it off that alone. But this book is it y’all. Oh, but you don’t like pirates? Well Rosa’s a witch so.. bye.⁣
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Rosa was amazing. She has phantoms that just want to unleash their wrath on the world.. and she just wants them to simmer. However, Rosa is seen as *the* hot Majestic for this years offering. She’d rather eat rocks, but Doña Lucia basically has her blackmailed to do as she commands. ⁣
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Highly recommend the audio. The hilarity of Santi was perfect in audio. Ana Osorio, amazing as always. I loved the audio and it really brought the characters to life.⁣
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10/10 always going to recommend. Sinner’s Isle was amazing. Out 10/31

I really loved Sinners Isle. Montoya does a really great job of world building and creating intrigue in this world right from the start. I thought both characters were well written and were relatable enough to want to find out what would happen and how they would collide in this world. I'm so glad that I preordered this because I will certainly be rereading it, and also suggesting it to others!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review!

This was an excellent young adult romantic fantasy book. Sinner’s Isle was beautifully written and the world was wonderfully crafted. I loved main characters Rosalinda and Mariano in this book and I appreciated the dual POV as it helped tell the story.

Read this if you like:

✨ Witches
✨ Pirates
✨ YA Romantasy
✨ Dual POV

This was an amazing debut novel and I definitely recommend picking it up.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve loved all the books released under the Joy Revolution imprint so far, and Sinner’s Isle, their first fantasy romance offering, is no different. I was immediately drawn to the interesting world, with the story revolving largely around a yearly “Offering” fiesta, and how it centers around the Majestic witches “binding themselves to wealthy men. It’s an openly icky concept, and I like how it creates a great sense of stakes for the leads to work against. That, juxtaposed with the pirates who end up on Sinner’s Isle, make up great elements for this adventure.
Rosalinda and Mariano are very solid main characters. I admired Rosalinda’s determination to try to escape her fate in particular. Mariano is also interesting, and I love how he also has a form of magical intervention as he searches for his heart’s desire, but of course, he gets more than what he expected in Rosalinda. The witch/pirate dynamic between them is pretty much as fun as you’d expect. The romance isn’t exactly the most substantial, and it is very instalovey, but it’s fairly sweet and inoffensive otherwise, considering overall “romantasy” standards.
I liked that the book charted the days relative to the timeline of “the Offering,” giving it a sense of how time was passing, even if Rosalinda is determined to avoid the fiesta itself. I do think it also helped with the pacing, although the overall adventurous tone also helped.
This was a solid debut, and I look forward to more books from Angela Montoya in the future. If you enjoy fantasy romance and love witches and/or pirates, I’d recommend checking this out!

Like a turbulent storm, Sinner's Isle is a mix of emotions of bravery, justice, and love.
Sinner's Isle is an island where all the Majestics are captured and held - women with magical gifts.
There they are prepared till coming of age to be bonded by men to control at the Offering ceremony.

Dual POV from Rosa and Mariano.

Rosa longed for freedom. After losing her family to Majestic hunters, she planned to escape with her friend Juana before the Offering. However, they were betrayed and Juana is held captive to ensure Rosa compliance. Her magic is her shadows. Once multi-color, her shadows are now black as her despair. She fears them because she thinks that if she does not control them, no one she loves will be safe.

Mariano is the Pirate Prince. During a storm, while his father is dying, he is urged to flee.
When an armada attacks their ship out of the blue, he complies taking a magical pendant that his father gave him to lead him to his true hearts desire. Mariano luckily escapes with the help of his funny comedic mate Santiago. Luck beholds, they drift off onto Sinner's Isles.

There the whole journey is center around escaping Sinner's Isles. There is political dissent and even a coupe.
But what I throughly enjoyed about this book is the relationships between the characters. The friendships and love they have for each other as well as the heart soul. The arc of Rosa was magnificent to read as well. How her shadows evolved from the beginning to the end was just so satisfying because it represented Rosa.
Also I LOVE Santiago and Mariano bantering and interaction. Santiago is one of my favorite characters! He seems so silly and a mess but deep down he is a man of honor and integrity.

Overall I would definitely recommend reading this!
Thank you netgalley for this eARC for my honest opinionated review

The time of the Offering has arrived, and the King and many of his high class subjects have made their way to the remote Sinner’s Isle to select a Majestic of their own. But an eighteen-year-old Majestic named Rosalinda has plans apart from becoming bound for the rest of her life to a man she has never met. Instead of escaping the Isle as she and her best friend Juana initially intend, however, their plans are thwarted and Rosa must find another way to escape. Lucky for her, a pirate named Mariano has found himself on the island as well, and he may be just the right person to help deliver Rosa to the freedom she desires.

This charming young adult novel combines magic, romance, and adventure into a compelling package that is difficult to put down. Taking place over the course of only a few days, the narrative progresses quickly and incorporates several engaging interactions into each one. And since the narrator shifts between Mariano and Rosalinda, readers get a sense of each protagonist’s thoughts and feelings before the other character is aware of them. Thanks to this design, dramatic tension increases throughout the novel, and readers will eagerly await the moment when Mariano and Rosalinda discover their true feelings for one another.

Many colorful characters appear alongside Mariano and Rosalinda, including their individual best friends, and these characters often interject comedy into an otherwise dark situation. Additionally, much of the story is inspired by Mexican folklore, so readers will find Spanish language and culture interspersed within this fantasy novel. Fans of enemies to lovers romance, especially stories that incorporate some level of fate or destiny, will appreciate the overall focus of this novel. And alongside that, readers are sure to enjoy the action, intrigue, and danger faced by the characters at every turn. Multifaceted and memorable, this is a love story that will resonate with a wide range of mature young adult and older readers.

Sinner’s Isle takes the swash-buckling pirate genre and adds a fantasy twist with an infusion of Mexican lore. The book alternates chapters between Rosalinda, a Majestic possessing magic, and Mariano, a pirate. The early exchanges in this book between these two are particularly fun and bring to mind the chemistry between Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta Jones in The Mask of Zorro. There is of course some swashbuckling and a magic system. The author touches upon multiple themes of oppression, exploitation, corruption, self-confidence, and self-understanding.

Stylistically, the prose was fairly emotive and did drift towards the dramatic. Rosalinda is also a little disconcerting in that she seems both powerful and a victim all at the same time; while that was partially the intent of the author as part of the character journey, it felt more random than progressive at times.

Overall, if a young adult reader likes action, adventure, fantasy, and romance, then this book will likely appeal.

Sinner's Isle was a fun read! I liked the premise of this story and the Latinx representation. I thought the main characters were fine...I do wish there was more development between Rosalinda and Mariano. Their relationship was too insta-lovey for me. If it weren't for the side characters, I probably wouldn't have been as interested in the book. Santi was my favorite character...what a hoot! Although there were parts that could have been developed more, I enjoyed this read. Fans of Fable (by Adrienne Young) will like this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the ARC.

This was an interesting world and I liked the magic!

The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Rosalinda and Mariano. Both have a different background and different experiences due to their gender. Rosalinda is a Majestic and with that comes powers. Others see her as a witch and because of that she and others like her must be put under a male authority. They are not allowed to be in charge of their own power and must be bonded. She wants to break free from and in order to do this she must break free from the isle she has lived on. Mariano is a pirate who has lost a lot and must make his way with a new life to stay alive. He finds himself on the same isle and runs into her.

There is a romance between them but I wasn’t really a fan of it. They didn’t have many scenes together and so it was hard to feel the chemistry between them. There is a reason as to why they are drawn together, but it didn’t give me enough reason to believe it. I did at least like them as characters though. They are both strong and Rosalinda is very courageous.

The other characters in the book were good. Santi has a lot of wit and made his parts very enjoyable to read.

Overall, this was good. I liked the setting and how everything takes place on this isle. The world building and magic system were explained well and I never got confused. The writing style wasn’t my favorite and I didn’t enjoy the romance, but everything else made the book worth it for me.

This book was definitely written for the girls. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, it was fast paced. It's about love, trust and friendship. This book also reminds us about the power that woman hold. I loved the characters and really enjoyed the fact that it was dual POV because of it.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was like seeing an iceberg in the ocean and discovering there was nothing underneath surface. The storyline and the beginnings of the world building word very interesting and unique, but everything was only surface level.

I liked the main characters on their own, but nothing divine happened with them together. These two had like 5 scenes together in the whole book and then they were burn the world down in love by the end. Uh what? I understand there was some version of a mating bond, but I personally don't think having a mating bond automatically equals being in love, especially since these two had very little interaction (they didn't even know each other's names until over half way through the book).

But the end redeemed some of this; it almost felt like it belonged to another story with how explosive it felt and some swoon worthy scenes, but it felt disjointed since it didn't really have the rest of the story to back it up.

This could have been way more epic I think if maybe some other POV's were included and the story was elongated. Definitely had the makings for a great duology that ended the same way this one did.

But kudos to the author for her debut novel.

thank you so much to random house and netgalley for the arc of sinner’s isle! this book had two things i love: pirates and romance! however i had to dnf this book around 40%. it fell very flat for me, i was not a massive fan of the writing styles and the characters felt very one dimensional. not to mention the insta love trop between our two mcs which was painful- that trope is truly one of my least favourite tropes ever. I was really hoping for more of an enemies to lovers slow burn vibe. personally I have a massive fear of spiders and them being in the book really made it difficult for me to continue on. i had higher hopes for this book and was sad when it fell short

Angela Montoya's SINNER'S ISLE is exactly the romantic fantasy adventure I've been waiting for. If you loved the adventure and romantic tension of THE MUMMY, this is for you. I've heard it described as SERPENT & DOVE meets Pirates of the Caribbean, and I think that's super accurate. Rosalinda and Mariano have fantastic chemistry, and how the story unfolds is perfect. The dual narrative is excellently done. The worldbuilding is wonderful. Great pacing and plot development. The way everything comes together at the end is chef's kiss. And Santi, one of the secondary characters, manages to steal the show a few times with how entertaining he is. Basically, I have no notes. SINNER'S ISLE is just a great read and an incredibly strong debut.

I’m thrilled to be on the tour today for Sinner’s Isle, a fantastically entertaining YA romantasy by debut author Angela Montoya. I was captivated by the book as soon as I saw the gorgeous cover and read the premise!

The story follows a young witch and a marooned pirate both of whom are desperate to escape the enchanted Sinner’s Isle. It’s an exciting story filled with drama and adventure, friendships and political intrigue, sea monsters, magic, and an epic romance. It’s an immersive world, rich and descriptive with fascinating lore, mythology, and magic. I was so fascinated by the Majestics, women with unique magical gifts, and how others worked to control and suppress them while still objectifying and using them. This patriarchal society controls powerful women by binding them to men of status and influence, and there are some great messages about freedom, the corruptive nature of power, gender inequities, and more.

Rosa and Mariano both have interesting arcs, and I enjoyed the dual narration. It revealed so much about each character – their motivations, their feelings about each other, and what was happening around them. And they have a fantastic love story with some swoon-worthy chemistry. Watching these two fall for each other while plotting to free Rosa’s imprisoned best friend, helping the newly crowned King to safety, using and learning more about magic, and finding a way to escape the island is all so intriguing, pulse-pounding, and romantic. There’s also a secondary romance that I adored, and I can’t wait to see how both of these pairings develop in the next book.

The characters are all fantastic, and there are some definite found family vibes happening with Rosa, Mariano, their friends, and some allies. But I think my favorite is Santi. He is hilarious and he often stole the show in scenes because of his quick wit, candor, and effervescent personality. He and Mariano are opposites in temperament and personality, but they are such great friends. I love their banter and how it breaks up some of the more intense moments. Rosa and Juana have a wonderful friendship, too, and it very much parallels Santi and Mariano’s.

Overall, I thought this was a great debut novel. It’s exciting and suspenseful, and the romances and world-building are fantastic. I would definitely recommend Sinner’s Isle to romantasy readers and readers of YA fantasy.

“I’ve known this day would come for so long. But now that it’s here and our plans are falling into place, I can’t help but feel something will go terribly wrong.”

DNF at 30%.

Thank you to Netgalley and Joy Revolution for a copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I also received a physical copy of this for a book tour.

I was first drawn into Sinner's Isle but its intriguing title and gorgeous cover. I was specifically looking for more pirate fantasies too after reading Daughter of the Pirate King and Crossbones. The marketing and description of this book seem great (although there are mostly only blurbs from others and not actual quotes/snippets), but a small disclaimer: I was unaware until reading the dedication from the imprint founders that this new imprint was founded Nicola and David Yoon, two of the authors involved in the Realms of Ruin NFT scandal earlier. Even the blurb on the physical copy is by Marie Lu who was involved in that, too! This is not me attempting to persuade anyone away from reading Sinner's Isle, but I personally may have avoided this one had I known. I tried to give the book a fair shot regardless!

Sinner's Isle is a dual POV following Rosa and Mariano. Rosa is a Majestic, a woman with magical powers that are considered dangerous and sinful. She is set to be bonded to a man of power who will control her abilities for the rest of her life, and wants to escape the island with her best friend. Unbeknownst to her, Mariano, dubbed the Pirate Prince, happens to be on the very same island on a desperate search for something fate is drawing him to. Can she use Mariano to escape?

My three strikes for this story, in case it helps anyone who loves or hates these:
• This is a soulmates/insta-love story from what I can gather -- I very much assumed this was a reluctant allies to lovers (which it could be in some aspects), but the soulmate trope seems to be much more prevalent here.
• I am all for women with incredible powers! Yes, please! A personal pet peeve for me, though, is when the MC is like "I am the most powerful person in all the lands and no one else can even compare to me". Rosa continuing to remind me her shadow powers are so OP was annoying personally.
• I didn't enjoy the actual writing. It felt bland, with most of the sentences starting only with Rosa/She: "Rosa burst through" "She held" "She'd let". The only exception seemed to be incomplete sentence fragments like "And when she did," "And with that" "But then the tips". I don't mind that as a style choice, but it was so repetitive.

I would choose no star rating as I didn't make it halfway, so this is only 1 star on NetGalley due to the star rating being mandatory.