Thank you to @netgalley and @joyrevbooks for approving an ARC of this book 💕

This book had been on my radar the minute the cover was revealed 😍

Rosalinda is a Majestic, forced to live in Sinner's Isle until she binds herself to a man who will probably use her for her magic, which is why she plans on escaping with her best friend Juana.

Mariano is a pirate with only a chain to his name that, according to his father, will lead him to his greatest desire. Why did it lead him to Rosalinda, then?

I loved everything about the story, but what I loved the most was that Rosalinda had the power in her to save herself. This book comes out in October of this year, so make your to grab your copy if you like:

📚 Found Family
📚 Soulmates
📚 Pirates and Witches
📚 Young Adult

I wasn’t expecting much from Sinner’s Isle, I thought would be a surface level pirate romance. I could not have been more wrong. This is one of the best YA books I’ve read this year! The story is well written, characters are deep, the plots fit together seamlessly, and I finished it feeling good. I expect good things for this book now!

I fell prey to this story from chapter one. It grabbed onto me and didn’t let go. There are so many things to list off as reasons to love Sinner’s Isle but if I had to choose one it’s the cliffhangers at the end of every scene and chapter. The story plays out like a Hollywood film. A carefully crafted plot that builds and surprises!

I can’t believe the world has to wait another four months for this gem, but I devoured SINNER’S ISLE in just a few days. This stunning debut by Angela Montoya follows a powerful witch and a charming pirate through eight nights of enemies to lovers, political foils, tons of magic, and a love story that will leave you breathless.

I received an ARC of this book through a giveaway, and it was one of my biggest wins of the month (aside from graduating college, I guess). I was able to read this book while spending the weekend in Portland. Montoya brings alive a unique fantasy world based in Latinx culture, creating a love story and characters we all get to root for.

Definitely recommend this book to any fantasy romance lover, and I look forward to seeing what Montoya brings us next.

SINNER’S ISLE is the combination of Tangled and Pirates of the Caribbean that I didn’t know I needed. But trust me, I needed it.

Rosalinda needs a way off Sinner’s Isle, and she’s desperate enough (and conniving enough) to blackmail a pirate in order to set sail. Mariano is similarly stunned by Rosa’s beauty when they meet as Flynn Rider is when he meets Rapunzel, and attempts his own smoulder. Rosa is just as unimpressed as Rapunzel was… but she’s ready to use any advantage she’s got.

A fun, 5-star read that has all of the magic of Tangled with a little more heat, SINNER’S ISLE is not one to miss. Available Halloween 2023 and ready for pre-order now.

Sinner’s Isle is the debut book of author Angela Montoya. This fantasy romance begins and we immediately get a sense of the characters’ personalities within a few brief lines of dialogue. It’s obvious they have some shadow work to do, no pun intended.
Montoya has put together a book that delivers romance, adventure, and self discovery. The action rarely dulls and if things have gotten a bit dark you can count on humor and wit to cut the tension.
While delivering villains you love to see fail and heroes you love to see succeed, Montoya never ceases to serve real world lessons. Giving into darkness is sometimes too easy, especially when we’ve lost hope. Opening oneself to love is a brave and vulnerable act.
Montoya’s work is inclusivity at its best. The story does not shy away from including a wealth of sexualities, giving the reader some wonderful LGBTQ+ characters in which to see actual people, not mere props for pandering. Quite possibly best of all, a cast of Latinx characters that will give readers a chance to see themselves reflected in on the page, to see what they’re capable of accomplishing. All of that being said, the secret is out, Montoya is a Majestic storyteller.

This was such a unique take on a supernatural romance, I was hooked from the cover and so glad I did. It worked well together with the concept and the characters. It was unique in the witch genre and I enjoyed the main characters during this. The romance was perfect and I’m glad I got to see this grow. Angela Montoya writes a great story and characters so I was glad to read this.

This was such a fun ride! Swashbuckling and romantic, Sinner's Isle is a pirates x witches romantasy that sweeps along on a thrilling and satisfying adventure. It pulls off a satisfying conclusion while leaving room for a sequel--which I would absolutely read, if there will be one. I would love to see this get made into a movie--it feels very cinematic and would be absolute fun to see on screen.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you for the privilege of getting to read the e-ARC of this incredible story. This book is all kinds of wonder and everything I didn't know I needed to escape into. At all times it felt as though I was right there on Sinner's Isle amongst the beauty and magic. The characters were relatable and also mystical, as well as being completely swoon worthy!

Would highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating: 4.5 (rounded up)

A sweeping debut from Angela Montoya, Sinner’s Isle is perfect for anyone who loves magic, (hot) pirates, growth, friendships, and of course, witchy women. This is for those people who were in love with, and still are in love with, Orlando Bloom from Pirates of the Caribbean, but make him hispanic.

When I describe this book as atmospheric, I mean it in every sense of the word. The world felt realized and true, and the magic system was to die for. I love love loved the lore and backstory of this book and I particularly love how its effects were felt throughout all aspects. The connections between magic and women and sinfulness as purported by religious figures felt very raw and important and yet believable in a fantasy setting. The female narrative here was powerful and thoughtfully weaved into the plot in a way I was impressed by. Additionally, The use of spanish throughout the book was also refreshing as I feel like I don’t see spanish x fantasy often. It was also really thoughtfully placed, even if you don’t speak it (although I do) you are still able to glean most of the meaning. The writing was incredibly descriptive and truly beautiful at moments and left me wanting more. Finally, Montoya’s characters feel like real people (Santi is my favorite, sorry) with real thoughts and desires, and I found myself really rooting for them.

I do, however, have a few critiques, and this is where it gets minorly spoilerish: I didn’t know how to feel about/didn’t quite like the use of the soulmate trope in this book. I think, while it was done well and did fit in the story, it made the pacing a bit off for me, particularly when it comes to the main relationship. I felt it could’ve been handled a bit differently to build suspense and tension more in the relationship, although that is just personal preference. Also, the “villain”, Lord Morales, felt a tiny bit characterized to me, although I did love the ending in which his wife takes her power back from home, so that again is personal opinion.

All in all, this was an excellent debut and I look forward to reading more of Montoya’s work.

Thank you again to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc

Holy hell. What a debut!
Pirates. Magic. And a badass Latinx woman?! Obsessed. From start to finish. So good.

This was exactly the type of book I needed to get back into romance fantasy! The fantastical world-building that the author established throughout this read left me mind-blown. The characters were all rich in both their levels of relatability as well as the complexity behind their love for one another. I want to spoil so much, but am holding myself back. Trust me, if fantasy romance is a genre you absolutely adore, then this book is a definite must-read!

This was so spellbinding. I could not stop reading this story!! Witches and Pirates. This was so entrantsing. I am still thinking about it a couple of days later.
I just reviewed Sinner's Isle by Angela Montoya. #SinnersIsle #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Sinner's Isle is a powerful fantasy debut from both Angela Montoya and Joy Revolution! I have enjoyed all of Joy Revolution's works so far, and to have such an emotional and poignant fantasy story following strong brown boys and girls means so much to me. I enjoyed following Rosa on her journey to save her fellow Majestics and break out of the Isle, no matter the cost. The themes of solidarity and sisterhood against abuse and the patriarchy were all very powerful. The romance between Rosa and Mariano was also very sweet, and although the soulmate trope doesn't always interest me in fantasy books, it was beautifully done in this one! I look forward to Angela Montoya's future works.

Set sail and get marooned on Sinner’s Isle! This debut fantasy is lush with dark magic, an immersive culture and romance. Pirates and witches, adventure at every turn, spunky side characters, Dual POV - I loved this gripping tale!

Thank you Angela Montoya for taking us on this journey! Thank you to Joy Revolution and NetGalley for this ARC!

this was a really good! I liked the characters, and they were super well-developed. the plot was super cool and fun to read, and the writing was also smooth and easy to understand
highly recommend

For a debut, this is a really good book that I hope ends up becoming a series. There is so much more to unpack and discover.

You have an island where women who have magical powers are kept and chosen on their seventeenth birthday to serve men and do their bidding. Our main character wants to get out, travel, see the world she has been denied. You have our main character's soon to be love interest escaping from a raid and ending up on the island. Burdened with hate from the death of his mother, you can already know how their meeting is going to go when they clash. There is also a magical amulet thrown into this as well which points to your heart desire.

I ENGULFED this book like it was chocolate. I was really shocked this was the debut book for the author. You could feel he heat of the atmosphere - both emotional and physical. The magic is fun, the supporting characters are too. There is also some twists and turns, plus some really good lgbtq rep.

As I said, I hope this ends up being a series because it ends in such a way that you can't be content with that ending. You just want to know more. Let me know more of this world, Ms. Montoya. I'll certainly be pitching this to people who like Pirates of the Caribbean and romances.

This is such a gorgeously written YA fantasy full of magic, pirates, power, and romance. The publisher's note says you'll want to read it in one sitting and that's exactly what happened. Rosa is the most powerful Majestic on Sinner's Island where witches are trapped until they're auctioned off to the highest bidder. Mariano is the Prince of Pirates looking to avenge his father's death and following a magical amulet from his mother that is supposed to take him to what he most desires. And it takes him to Rosa. I loved reading about her shadow magic and how her relationship with it had been corrupted as she was trained as a weapon. It was heartbreaking and then hopeful has she envisions a better future where she and the other witches are free to make their own decisions. The romance was lovely, building from initial attraction to true understanding and appreciation as Rosa and Mariano learned about each other and helped each other. There are so many layers here with respect to politics, power, feminism, violence, and religion that I don't know if I even picked up on everything during the first read. Looking forward to rereading when I get my hardcover! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read early!

This was such a good book! The characters were full of life and so interesting. I love when stories keep moving and I get sucked more and more into the characters journey and this book really did that. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

Rosalinda, a Majestic (witch) with control over powerful shadows, has spent much of her life on Sinner's Isle, where Majestics are kept away from the rest of society. That is, until the Offering arrives, and they are bought and bonded to wealthy and powerful men who can control the Majestics and their powers. Rosalinda desperately wants to escape before that happens, but when she and her best friend Juana are caught, their guardian Dona Lucia holds Juana captive as a means of ensuring that Rosa will do what she's told. But when Mariano, the Prince of Pirates, is shipwrecked on the island, Rosa blackmails him into helping her, and the clash of their personalities fails to hide a growing attraction.

I enjoyed this mixture of witches, pirates, and romance within a deeply patriarchal society that really needed to be smashed. Rosa is a strong, determined character with incredible power that has been tamped down by the people who control Sinner's Isle, and past experience has caused her to fear what she might do with all that power, so it's good to see her learn to trust herself and her potential over the course of the book. Mariano fills the part of romantic lead well, though he lacks a little depth; his sidekick Santi definitely steals the show and has a more profound character arc. The villains of the book are predictable in their villainy and pretty one-sided, aside from Dona Lucia.

Not the strongest "smash the patriarchy" fantasy I've read, but definitely an enjoyable one. 4 stars.

Thank you, Penguin Random House and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.