Thank you for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. This book was so good! A fantastic YA about pirates! I loved the ending! My jaw is still on the floor!!!

⋆｡°✩ 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 ⋆｡°✩

5 stars | a thrilling YA pirate-esque fantasy filled with deceit and terrifyingly epic fae | 2/3 spice, 2/3 violence, no trigger warnings that I could think of | easy-to-read, flowy, captivating


*:･ﾟ✧♡ 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕤 *:･ﾟ✧♡

Oh my gosh this book.
The characters: perfection. We hate August, we are absolutely Silas Price stans, and Annie is so deliciously morally gray yet devoted to her family and just-
I ate this upppppp!!!!
Silas is my fav, August is my least; we know this. The twists sprinkled throughout the book; jaw. Dropped.
And the end????????!!!!!!!!!!
Like what even in the-
It was so crazyyyy like 5 bajillion twists in one and like the cliffhanger!!!!!
I need the second book in my hands A. S. A. P.
And the first one isn’t even out yet 😭😭😭
No but I will SNATCH the second book when it comes out/gets on NetGalley cause I neeeeeeeed to know!!!!!!
Okay talking about actual stuff now, the setting was pretty good, not too standout-ish, but the magic system was so cool; I’m so in love w/ the finfolk and Livyatan; they’re both so awesome.
And as I said, the characters were so good. I loved the side characters too; the crew of the Whistler, Kit (he’s so me-core), Lydia; love them all.
And the PLOT-
Like, it was so flowy and easy to read, it flewwww by.
So yeah, basically every aspect of this book was perfection.
In. Love.


‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕤 ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.

Legit, I cannot think of any. This book was that good.


* ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝕨𝕣𝕒𝕡-𝕦𝕡 * ੈ✩‧₊˚

I need the second book as quick as humanly possible so I can absolutely devour it and resolve that insanely agonizing cliffhanger.
Read this book. Please. If you’re looking for fantasy or interesting magic or pirate vibes or just a good book, I one million percent recommend this book. I need to talk to people about it!

Break Wide The Sea releases November 11, 2025!!!


ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝕢𝕦𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕤 ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

"𝐿𝓎𝒹𝒾𝒶’𝓈 𝒷𝓇𝑜𝓌 𝒾𝓈 𝒹𝓇𝒶𝓌𝓃 𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓃, 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝐼 𝓂𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝒶𝓎 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓊𝓅 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒲𝒽𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓁𝑒𝓇 𝒸𝓇𝑒𝓌. 𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝑒𝓈𝓃’𝓉 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝐼 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒸𝒾𝑜𝓊𝓈 𝓁𝒾𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒 𝑔𝓇𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒."

"𝒯𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝓂𝑒 𝒾𝓉’𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝒾𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃."

"𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝓉𝓇𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝒶𝒾𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝒶 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓂 𝑜𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝓉𝓊𝓇𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓇𝓊𝓃 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝒾𝓉. 𝐵𝓊𝓉 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒹𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓈𝑒𝑒 𝒾𝓉, 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉'𝓈 𝒶 𝓈𝓊𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻 𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝑒𝒶 𝒷𝑜𝓉𝓉𝑜𝓂."


˙⋆.˚𐙚 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 ˙⋆.˚𐙚
Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me this ARC! This is my first NetGally ARC and I'm very excited.
All thoughts are my own :)

I was immediately drawn into this book from the first page. It felt fresh compared to a lot of other stuff I read. I love fantasy, and this was a nice break from the usual stuff I read. The pacing of the plot worked well for me, and I was intrigued by the characters.

I'd never read anything by this author before, but the premise sounded interesting and it definitely delivered. The mood of this book gave me an eerie feeling, which I really enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC copy to read. All thoughts in this review are my own.

I read a lot of reviews saying this was their first Sara book and I am also one of them, but my god my jaw was on the floor.

This was a refreshing take on tropes and feelings I love the most and I think it was done so well, it's a worthy addition to your shelf!

This is my first time reading anything by Sara Holland. I will definitely be picking up more of her books, as I enjoyed her writing style. I know some other reviewers mentioned this book having many similarities to other books out there in the genre. Personally, this one felt new to me. Because I get it. Sometimes fantasy all starts to blur and seem similar between stories. I enjoyed the eerie vibe of this one. Mermaids, magic whales, curses, dark ocean, mystery, forbidden love? Yes, please!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this story. It will definitely be added to my library upon release!

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC and read this story.

This YA fantasy has such a unique setting. It felt like a breath of fresh air. From the first chapter, you are transported in the world of whaling in the arctic. I really loved how high the stakes were for all the protagonists especially for Annie. There were a lot of shocking twists which kept me on my toes all throughout the book.
I can’t wait for the continuation of the story !

4.5 stars, rounded. This is the first book I’ve read by Sara Holland. I liked the writing style and the plot is fast-paced and gripping. The ending isn’t necessarily a cliff-hanger, but it definitely didn’t feel resolved.
I’d like to know what happens, so I’ll likely read the rest of the series, but a little more character development, or maybe love-interest development would have made me care more about the characters themselves. I didn’t really connect with most of the characters or their motivations.
I’ll definitely try some of the author’s other books though.

This is my first contact with this author's work, but I liked this first volume. It set the world and the rules, the characters, and the premise. A cursed family and an heiress coming of age. Now that she is in charge, there are many decisions with heavy weight to ponder sides to pick. Whichever side she supports will have consequences. It is the price of an abrupt change in tradition. For those who appreciate the romance, there are two strong male figures, and each represents a different future, a different choice. This first volume feels like a setup/start for the plot's core in the next volumes.

This is a good book, not perfect for me personally, but I would still recommend!

I enjoyed the complexity of the characters and the realness of their personalities.

The setting was my favorite part! It was vivid and eerie.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC and to YABC for providing a physical ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED Sara Holland's Everless duology and absolutely adored the Havenfall duology, and this *clenches fists* THIS BOOK exceeds my love for both of those combined.....okay maybe not Everless as it's one of my top tier favorite books of all time, but Break Wide the Sea is a close second.

Break Wide the Sea by Sara Holland is a YA fantasy novel that combines a readers love for Fae and mermaids into creatures known as finfolk. A young woman cursed with a fatal heartbreak-induced sickness must race against time to find a cure and protect her family legacy from the ancient finfolk that would destroy it, the fiancé that would kill her for it, and the boy who would love her if she forsook it. The seafaring humans of Kirkrell have always been plagued by finfolk—bloodthirsty fae who haunt the seas, sinking ships and cursing bloodlines. Yet it’s only by hunting magical whales that Kirkrell can prosper. Nineteen-year-old Annie is heir to the Fairfax Whaling Company, but their family's success came at a cost: a curse by which heartbreak turns Fairfaxes slowly into monsters. And six years ago, the shipwreck that killed Annie’s parents left her with scales spreading up her arms, claws sprouting from her fingertips.

The love of her fiancé, August, salved her heart for a while—but when she learns August is maneuvering to take over the company, the curse worsens. Fearing her time is running out, she strikes a bargain with a disreputable young captain, half-finfolk and half-human Silas Price: on a voyage to hunt whales in the far north, Silas will take Annie to the finfolk queen, who can lift the curse in return for a promise to end whaling forever. As Annie, August and Silas sail north, she is determined to uphold her family’s legacy, but the threat of the finfolk tests her resolve. Lies corrupt her relationship with August; meanwhile a dangerous connection with Silas blooms—but he’s keeping secrets too, and his might be the most dangerous of all. As heiress, it’s Annie’s responsibility to deliver whale magic to her city. But as heartbreak looms, she must choose between saving herself and her family’s legacy—and hope it doesn’t cost her everyone she loves.

Where to even begin with this book, because I love most, if not, all of it. First off, the writing. Holland's style has always been easily understood and deeply haunting at the same time. In the case of Break Wide the Sea, Holland's writing makes you feel like you're on the ship with Annie and Silas and (ugh) August. While still easily accessible/not too fancy in terms of it's word usage. Speaking of, I am forever scared to go into the ocean because of this book, because Holland has the originality of creating creatures that I never want to cross paths with.

One pesky thing that I found I didn't like about this book (and this could totally just be a big ME thing) is most of the time Holland just tosses the reader into the deep end with their scenes, and doesn't give all that much exposition/explanation as to what is happening. Hence the need for me to go back and re-read some scenes to figure out what is really happening. But, I digress, this could totally just be a me thing.

Regardless, Break Wide the Sea is a haunting YA historical fantasy that is perfect for anyone looking for a book with unique curses and generally haunting sea vibes. I can't wait for more people to read this book.

Thank you for the early copy to read!

Key Words: curse, heartbreak, ocean, magical whales, family legacy

Break Wide the Sea has a really interested world and story basis. People rely heavily on magical whales that provide healing, heating and food for the people living in the ocean side towns. The Finfolk (magical fae beings) curse the sailors who hunt the magical whales as punishment for them hunting them. The main character, Annie Fairfax has inherited a company focused on killing and processing the whales. The Fairfax family has had a generational curse triggered by heartbreak. Annie hides this from her siblings and everyone but her fiancé August who helps her run the company. I found the book to be fast paced and engaging. Be prepared for some magical creature violence and there are descriptions so be aware of that before diving in.

I felt the characters were well developed and I really loved Silas and Annie's siblings. There's a great cast of side characters and the vibe of the book is really one I've not encountered that often in other books.

The ending left me very curious about what will happen next in the story.

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley allowing this for a free read.

I think I enjoy fantasy universes with a historical vibe. There is so much new ground here that it makes me excited for book two.

I loved the main character and the relationship with her sister and brother. I also love that we already get her aware of her curse, aware of the situation of things (suspecting her husband, the curse already affecting her) and the path she needs to take (head to find the queen of the selkies and get them to remove the curse).

I like that there is a suspicion of both male interests - one who may be after her father's whaling company, the other wanting to damn her for his people (since he is half selkie). The way the story went about her relationship had me on the edge of who was going to betray her and who was going to be loyal.

The reason I rated it down a star is I found the selkies too mysterious and the whales and their connection too vague. I also think that by the end the necklace with the blood doesn't really make sense or seem like it was important. So I don't know if it hold any weight to book two. The ending has me curious though if these plot points will be expanded upon (I hope they will). I also hope that the sister and brother will be more important and do more.

I'm ready for book two, I like what I got and the above wasn't much to steer me away.

This is a captivating sea fantasy with a dark atmosphere and tragic magic that’s both haunting and magnetic. The story follows Annie — the head of a whaling company, the heir to a family curse, and a woman whose world is on the edge. After her parents died in an incident involving the finfolk, she runs the company with her fiancé August, until a disgraced sailor named Silas bursts into her life with an offer that could change everything.

I barely read the blurb, and the moment I saw it involved whalers, I picked it up without hesitation! And I’m so glad I wasn’t disappointed, because it pulled me in right from the beginning. The fact that I missed parts of the synopsis actually made for a delightful surprise early on.

This was my first time reading anything about whales, and wow! The book is soaked in oceanic atmosphere, curses, secrets, and themes of family.

The main character isn’t bad, she would do anything for the people she loves, though at times I didn’t quite understand her, which only made her feel more real and alive.

There is a love triangle, which I’m usually not a fan of, but I decided to overlook it here.

I’ll gladly wait for the sequel! That ending left me a bit stunned, and now I really want to know what happens next to all of them.

The writing style is simple and pleasant, and the immersion is immediate. I especially loved how the author makes you feel like you're part of the journey, as if you're on the ship yourself, the whisper of waves, and the dread of what hides beneath. The descriptions of the whales and finfolk gave me chills.

At times, I felt there wasn’t enough action, and even though I tried to take my time reading, it all went by so fast — but it’s a solid start, and I’m excited to see more development ahead.

The idea of whales with magical properties is brilliant and deserves high praise. The whole concept is something I instantly loved. This series has real potential, and I’d easily recommend it to anyone who enjoys sea-themed stories with romance.

🐋⚓️🌊
• Family curse
• Love triangle
• Whaling
• Woman in charge
• Secrets

🗓Pub Date: Nov 11 2025
⭐️4,25/5

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

4.5⭐️
Annie is the head of the Fairfax Whaling Company that hunts whales for their magical properties. Her betrothed, August helps her run the company after her parents were killed in an accident years ago with the Finfolk. After years of decreasing whale population, August suggests setting up an outpost in the north, near where the whales go for mating and raising their young. Annie is also a prisoner to her family curse of heartbreak and while August knows, nobody else does. One day Silas, a disgraced sailor, comes to her with a proposal to find the finfolk city and approach the queen to lift her curse, and those of his crew. What follows is a journey of betrayal, death, anger, love, and acceptance.
This was much better than I was expecting, I will for sure recommend this to people who love magic and curses, along with the idea of finding strength where you didn’t know you had any. Will be on the lookout for book two!

From the first page, Break Wide the Sea pulls you under its dark, swirling depths with the inexorable force of a riptide. Sara Holland has crafted a lush, atmospheric fantasy where every crashing wave carries both promise and peril, and the line between human and monster dissolves like sea foam on the shore.

Annie Kirkrell is a protagonist who will carve herself into your heart with her sharp edges and vulnerable core. Heir to a whaling empire yet cursed to become the very thing her family hunts, her physical transformation into a finfolk-creature serves as a breathtaking metaphor for the terrifying, exhilarating process of self-discovery. The gradual spread of scales across her skin mirrors her dawning realization that everything she's been taught - about loyalty, legacy, and love - might be built on foundations as unstable as shifting tides.

The romance here is a dangerous riptide of its own. Silas, with his mysterious half-fae heritage and guarded heart, is the perfect counterpoint to Annie's stormy determination. Their chemistry crackles with the electricity of a gathering squall, each interaction laced with equal parts attraction and mistrust. Meanwhile, the betrayal by fiancé August adds delicious complexity, turning what could have been a simple love triangle into a profound exploration of how love can both poison and purify.

Holland's worldbuilding shines brightest in her depiction of the finfolk. These aren't your grandmother's mermaids - they're terrifying, alluring, and utterly alien, their motives as inscrutable as the ocean's depths. The magical whales and their luminous harvest add a layer of moral complexity that elevates the story beyond typical fantasy fare.

If I had one wish, it would be for even more immersive descriptions of the Arctic setting and finfolk realms - I wanted to taste the salt spray, feel the bone-deep cold of northern waters, and lose myself completely in their underwater kingdoms. That said, the emotional journey more than compensates, building to an ending that left me emotionally wrecked in the best possible way.

Break Wide the Sea is that rare fantasy that manages to be both pulse-pounding adventure and poignant character study. It's a story about the monsters we become to survive, the families we choose versus those we're born into, and the terrifying freedom of charting your own course.

Boundless thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this breathtaking ARC. Being invited to embark on Annie's transformative journey was an honor I won't soon forget - this is exactly the kind of bold, emotionally resonant YA fantasy that reminds me why I fell in love with the genre.

The first thing I noticed were the character names. This is not the author’s fault, but I am seeing so much overlap. Please authors-purchase a baby name book and change it up. I just red “Resistance of Witches” and the main character is a Lydia. “Spells for Forgetting” has a main character named August and there are a number featuring Silas.

The writing is a bit of a slow burn. I did like the focus on the sea and curse, but would have loved something off-trope. We don’t need mermaids, included, but maybe something else out there to break it from the pack.

I loved this story for how it carries both ache and wonder. For the way it lets love be complicated without losing hope. For how it made me feel like I was sinking and floating at the same time. It’s the kind of book that stays with you. Not because it shouts, but because it whispers exactly what you needed to hear.

This book completely swept me under. I fell for the atmosphere, the haunting magic, the fragile tenderness between characters who carry so much pain but still manage to reach for something brighter. This story is jagged and beautiful and aching, and I loved every single moment of it.

Break Wide the Sea explores the fae folk I love to see and wish were more common – fin folk or otherwise aquatic fae. Magical whales felt like a premise I was going to fall in love with. There is a lot of magic and perseverance throughout this novel. The protagonist takes some adjusting too but they were not up to the task of breaking the curse. I think disliking the character is a testament to Sara Holland writing a good character. We are not going to like everyone.
This novel needed more scene building to really feel those artic waves. I wanted to see and hear the setting that the fin folk come from. I was craving more and felt like I was given the bare minimum. The idea that she was turning into a monster felt like a great metaphor for the coming-of-age issues that arise for teenagers. This idea was a great concept that I wish was executed with more detail. This has potential so I am keeping this review at a three out of five. What does it mean to become a monster in the depths of the ocean’s cold brutality?
The scales that appear on the protagonist arm and meeting the Queen of the Fin folk are my favorite aspect of the novel. This is appropriately written for young adults but I stand by my comment on needed more time for scene building. I really want to see this world come alive on paper if this is going to be a series. Readers want to see the character growth that extends from the environment they come from. The end is distilling and eerie with a strong twist. Thankyou Netgalley and St. Martin’s press for an advanced digital copy!

Thriller lovers, watch out for your next great read. Break Wide the Sea by Sara Holland was a great read.