Dark Shores by Danielle L. Jensen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Gist
Actually, I’m going to start off right away with the verdict: I absolutely loved Dark Shores.
I have loved Jensen’s writing ever since The Malediction Trilogy was published beginning back in 2014. Then in 2018 The Bridge Kingdom came out, which I was unable to find a copy of for some mysterious reason. So, I never had a chance to read it and for a few years I lost track of Jensen’s published works.
Until I saw Dark Shores pop up on NetGalley. Giddy like a schoolgirl, I requested a copy to read and review, and was promptly denied.
Then in April of this year I found out that the sequel to Dark Shores, Dark Skies, was made available to read. Obviously, I jumped at the opportunity.
Long story short, I thought reading a pirate/fantasy/adventure story during the Christmas season would be a great way to spend my time snuggled up on the couch. And the story did not disappoint.
The Details
At the beginning I had a little trouble fully imagining the world the author built. It throws the reader right into the middle of things and from the get-go it’s a fast-paced adventure that had me reading the last half of the book in one day.
I loved the two main characters. I appreciated the alternate point-of-view narration for each chapter. It helped bring both characters, Teriana and Marcus, equally to life and created more depth. I felt for both and with both.
The secondary characters were a lot of fun, ranging from sweet and fun to plain nasty.
The plot is intriguing and bodes very well for a series of stories that spans multiple books. So, I’m totally hooked and need to find out what happens next.
Jensen’s writing does not disappoint. Throughout Dark Shores I was right there with the characters, in the various settings, imagining the battles, the struggles the characters faced and the political intrigue that keeps the reader guessing about possible spies and double crossings.
I need to stop gushing before I give anything away.
The Verdict
Overall, Dark Shores is a vivid, richly imagined and wonderfully told adventure story that brings back those cozy feelings I used to get during the holiday season, sitting on the couch and getting swept away watching and reading those classic adventure stories.
I would and already have recommended it.
