Rachel Greenlaw’s story-telling is a beautiful mixture of lyrical prose and heart-pounding adventure. I highly recommend this book to fans of Adrienne Young.
Mira is an appropriately aged character with mixed emotions—torn between helping those she loves and finding her own way. It is easy to get swept up in her struggles, and root for her success.
Greenlaw’s descriptions of the world she has built gives the reader a beautiful visual. The harshness of the sea is tangible and I loved the ocean metaphors.
The last couple chapters had me eagerly turning the pages. Overall, it was a compelling story and I hungrily await book two in order to dive back into Mira’s story.

So this was compared to Fable (4 stars) and To Kill a Kingdom (3.5 stars). This one fit right in the middle for me at 3 stars. It was decent, but nothing amazing. A good quick read.

The sea gives. The sea takes.

Mira is a wrecker. One of seven individuals who swim out to the ships that the isle of Rosevear lures to their dangerous shores. They pillage the merchant vessels, saving any they can, doing what must be done in order to survive. But she's more than the others. The sea is a part of her. It calls to her, as it once called to her mother.

But the tide is shifting and a ruthless young Captain is determined to stamp out any sense of resistance and lawlessness from the Fortunate Isles. He sets his sights on Rosevear and springs a trap to catch the island in the act of wrecking, a trap designed to quickly bring them to heel once and for all. And when Mira's father is amongst those taken in the raid - she will stop at nothing to save him and the other islander taken with him from the hangman's noose.

But she's never left Rosevear. And she only has nine days before her Father is set to hang. If she expects to save him and find whatever it was her mother left behind for her, she'll need help. She puts her faith in a mysterious boy whose life she saved from the last wreck. He knows how to sail, how to navigate, and more importantly, how to find a crew. With his help Mira can save her Father.

But she can never forget - the sea gives. And the sea takes.

This was an incredible read. Mira is such a determined and headstrong character, forced to grow up all too fast and living in a world that is as deadly as it is beautiful. She is untried and naive, but knows how to grit her teeth and do what needs to be done. And the rest of the cast of characters are equally as strong. This book is a veritable melting pot of backgrounds and personalities and is woven together beautifully. Each supporting character brings necessary depth to the novel and none of them feel out of place or forced.

The way of life that Ms. Greenlaw has created for the Isle of Rosevear is such an interesting take on a seafaring island. Typically it is the monsters of the sea that wreck ships and send sailors to their graves. But the people of Rosevear aren't fairy tale monsters, they aren't mythical creatures out for blood, they are merely the denizens of an island that does what it has to in order to survive. They're more akin to Robin Hood than to pirates, taking from merchant ships in order to put food in their bellies and keep their people alive. But that doesn't mean that pirates and smugglers don't exist too. And Ms. Greenlaw makes it clear that there is a distinct difference between the two groups.

The ending of the novel makes it clear that there is more in store for Mira and the friends that she has made along the course of her journey. I cannot wait to see what else the threads of fate have in store for them.

I really wanted to love this but the plot moved at a snails pace and it felt like there was way too much info dumping and I couldn’t care less about any of the characters

Compass and Blade is a seafarer romantasy with magic, mythical creatures, and pirates. It follows Mira as she attempts to both save her father from the Watch, a sort of corrupt government, and learn about her mother. The world is interesting and full of magic and I really enjoyed the time spent on Rosevear.

This book just didn’t really click for me. The romance felt rushed and wasn’t believable and Mira was just completely unaware of the world around her. I liked parts of the plot but found it unconvincing that Mira would have gone on a mission to find what her mother left her instead of trying to break her father out of prison (getting ready to be hanged), there was no proof that her mothers legacy would help her father in any way but she still left. I think a lot of the relationships fell flat because of the condensed timeline. The whole book takes place over a week. I can’t believe that all of this happens in a week or that characters feel so connected to one another after knowing each other for less than 48 hours. Mira also had very little understanding of the world she lived in. This was a good way to introduce readers to the world but wasn’t convincing. Maybe if we’d spent more time on her home island learning about her sheltered life this would feel more realistic. It was just hard to believe she wouldn’t know anything about herself or the world despite some of the plot twists being incredibly obvious and the fact that she’s lived in this world her whole life.

I loved the first part of this book (first 30ish percent) and wished that the author had stuck with these characters and plot lines. It just felt like too much was going on during this book. The prose in the beginning was great and I enjoyed learning about the connection Mira had with the ocean. This sort of fell off as the plot got overcrowded which was disappointing since it was really the authors strong suit. Overall this was an interesting book and concept it just wasn’t for me!

Compass and Blade by Rachel Greenlaw is an action packed, intense, story of self discovery, false hope, and learning just how far you will go to protect the ones you love. With a gripping romance subplot that will have you begging for more this book has it all, sirens, magic, high stakes, plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat and of course is full of suspense.
I really enjoyed how detailed the author’s descriptions were and specifically the personification of the ocean. Along with the other magical elements the descriptions truly gave this book the magical spark I had been craving. The plot twists in this book were absolutely unmatched to any other I’ve read and each time I thought it was over there was another twist ready to rip my heart out just around the corner. I appreciated how relatable the main character was in the face of grave danger and how she wasn’t utterly fearless but still did what she needed to accomplish. Speaking of characters Pearl was an absolute girlboss and I LOVED her personality so much, I also enjoyed the bond and sort of found family within the Phantom crew. And don’t even get me started on Elijah oh my lawd. That man is so fine, every time he spoke I was swooning. The chemistry between him and Mira was amazing. There is definitely something there and I want to see more of them already. I hope this book becomes a series or at the least a duology because the ending of this book was so thrilling, I loved the fight scene and when Mira finally let herself rage as she should've. I cannot wait for her revenge arc and to see her further develop relationships with the characters that I have come to love.

Compass and Blade is a YA fantasy adventure. I would have liked to see more of the main characters life before she went on a quest, because her life seems morally grey. Her family are basically criminals and you are forced to root for them. It was slow to get going but has a good ending and many twists. My only concern is that the author thinks Narwhals are fictional because they are compared to wyverns, firedrakes, and krakens throughout the book.

I enjoyed this! I loved the FMC's relationship with the ocean, and how she's constantly feeling like she's being pulled to something else/something more. There are secrets, betrayals, bargains, and pirate vibes throughout. If you enjoyed To Kill A Kingdom or Beneath Black Sails, you'll like this book.

This book had my heart racing as I sailed through the waves of emotions it brought on. Literally from the first page I knew I wouldn’t be able to put this down.

The thrilling adventure, high stakes, the morally grey characters and the romance. 😩 Mira felt so real, and Seth I have such a love hate for him but man does he pull on your heart the whole book.

I felt so on edge the entire time I read it, this one is gonna stick with me for awhile.

Really enjoyed this one! Beautifully written with gorgeous descriptions that made you feel like you were at sea alongside Mira. I am definitely an Eli girly, and I can’t wait for their relationship to deepen in the sequel!!!

Thank you Netgalley/Inkyard Press (RIP) for the eARC.

I liked this one quite a bit! While I don't have a huge lot to say about it, I'd recommend it to authors that enjoyed Alexandra Christo and Adrienne Young. This was marketed as romance fantasy, and I must admit I enjoyed the fantasy--sirens! seafaring! islands!--than I did the romance. I did wish for a deeper dig into worldbuilding, which unfortunately almost always lacks in YA, but overall, I felt satisfied by it. The romance did leave a little to be desired in terms of development and characterization, but overall, quite fun. Good for teens.

Sad that Inkyard shut down, as they were doing some interesting things.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital review copy.

This one is perfect for fans of Adrienne Young's Fable.
Great writing and pacing. I thoroughly enjoyed Compassion and Blade.

This was such a good read! I was fully sucked into the story right away and I really enjoyed the characters. The journey the author took these characters on was exciting and unique which is something I am really interested in with books now. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

From the very start Compass and Blade sucked me in to this magical world and fast paced, sea-faring adventure.

On the remote island of Rosevear, in order to survive, one must live in the morally grey. Like her mother before her, Mira is a wrecker. Her people swim to shipwrecks, plunder, but rescue the survivors. After a trap has been laid, her father sentenced to hang, and a chest full of secrets, Mira sets out on the adventure of a lifetime. The only thing she knows for certain? "The sea gives. The sea takes." It's up to her to save the ones she loves.

Mira is the kind of MC you can relate to - and it's refreshing! Real life isn't always black and white. There are times we have to make an unethical choice in order to survive. Mira is raw, and real, and she feels and learns with all of her heart.

The writing is stunning. It was the perfect pacing while still give us that engrossing, beautiful prose that allows us to see and feel the fantasy world we are reading.

... And the ending? Chef's kiss.

HUGE thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a nice experience, skillfully combining elements of magic, mystery, romance, and adventure. Could have there been more development with the characters and world-building? Sure, but nonetheless the world-building impressed me, drawing inspiration from the author's home island of Scilly. The notion of islanders utilizing the natural landscape to wreck ships and salvage cargo for survival was genuinely captivating. The story's charm was further enhanced by morally ambiguous characters, diverse locations, and enthralling in-world folklore.

Though thoroughly enjoyable, I couldn't help but wish for a more in-depth exploration of the world and its characters. The oscillating emotions that Mira experienced, veering between feelings of betrayal and love for the same individual, felt sudden and not entirely believable. It seemed to lean more toward teenage drama rather than genuinely authentic emotions. Consequently, I am eagerly anticipating the continuation of the series.

This book is an absolute gem for readers who relish the siren aesthetic/ thrilling high-seas escapades, and a delightful blend of romance and magic.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for graciously providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars. This story drops you in the center of the action right off the bat, and keeps moving along from there. There’s a strong sense of intrigue and mystery that kept my attention.

However, I feel like everyone was so guarded that we didn’t really get to know any of them, and the relationships felt flat to me. I think there was a huge missing piece, in that we didn’t get to see why Mira kept falling in love; they just suddenly “were in love.”

The back and forth between Mira being betrayed, and then being in love with the person who betrayed her, felt very jarring to me. It came across as teen hormones more than anything, and I was surprised to find a bedroom scene thrown into the middle of it.

The ending did make me want to read more, so I will most likely be reading the next book, mainly because I want to know more about Elijah.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Holy cow this book was so good.

The story kept me hooked from the beginning to the end. There were so many twists I did not see coming. I loved the underlying romance as well.

Mira lives on an island with her father and has dedicated her life to keeping her friends and family on the island fed through the wrecking and pillaging of ships. He father is captured and Mira goes on a quest to save him, uncovering secrets about herself and her loved ones in the process. It’s an action packed adventure full of magical twists and turns. I loved it!

This is quite possibly one of the most beautifully written books I’ve ever read. If you watched the Little Mermaid on repeat as a kid, and then realized that Pirates of the Caribbean was more your vibe, the imagery of this book is going to suck you in.

Plot wise it’s almost nonstop adventure and backstabbing and maneuvering and planning and ACTION. I was torn between ripping through this book in a day or two and forcing myself to slow down so I could hang out with the characters longer. I truly didn’t want it to be over.

Shouts out to NetGalley for providing the ARC and I can’t wait to see others get as hype about this book as I am

This was such a fun read! It has magic and mystery, romance and adventure, and secrets and betrayal. The world building is well constructed and I love that it’s inspired by the author’s home island of Scilly. The idea of the people of this island using the natural landscape to wreck ships and salvage the cargo for their survival was so interesting. The morally gray characters and the different locations explored in the book combined with the in-world folklore was a delight. To be honest I couldn’t put it down and ended up reading it in one sitting; RIP a good night’s sleep. I only wish we had more time to explore the world and characters and am very much looking forward to the continuation.

If you are into siren core aesthetic (and I mean who isn’t?), adventure on the high seas, along with romance and magic, look no further.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Inkyard Press for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The first thing I'd like to say about Compass and Blade is that it is so evocatively written. From the very first page, Rachel Greenlaw hooked me with her lyrical prose. The writing was so immersive (pun fully intended) that I felt like I was diving into the sea alongside Mira. I could taste the sting of salt and feel the sea breeze from the world that Greenlaw created.

That's not to say that this book only hinges on pretty prose, though. Greenlaw has also crafted a cast of wonderful, three-dimensional characters. Mira is a sympathetic main character and I felt the angst and turmoil she had to face in her quest to save her kin. Alongside this are two very different love potential love interests and a wonderful "found family" cast that I grew to love and root for.

This book is fast-paced and full of twist and turns that made for a very propulsive read. This is a stunning example of YA fantasy and one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.