owlishbookish's review against another edition
4.0
This review appears on my blog, Starting the Next Chapter.
The seas often hold more than meets the eye. Elysandra Winters is about to learn this first-hand thanks to Daniel, a young man with a surprising secret: he's a selkie, and he has just signed on to work for Elysandra's father, Captain Winters. As the two come into and out of each other's lives thanks to Elysandra's determination to go out to sea, the foundation is laid for a surprising future. When Ellie disguises herself as a boy and takes on a job as a cabin boy for a rival captain, it is up to Captain Winters and Daniel to find her. However, tragedy strikes, leaving Ellie and Daniel to come to an accord... one that Captain Winters may have wanted all along. In this romance set on the high seas, fantasy becomes reality in many ways as love takes sail and the mysteries of the sea wash up on the tide. Get ready, for you'll never look at the ocean the same way again.
Elysandra is a character with one driving force that influences everything. Her need to live a life of freedom on the sea is her biggest motivator and, as such, pushes her toward both some beneficial events and huge mistakes. She is a stubborn girl with a fiery temper who won't back down no matter what. Her indomitable spirit makes her an interesting character to follow, even in her most frustrating moments. Daniel, on the other hand, complements her very well. While he possesses a temper of his own, he also has a knack for being levelheaded that is a great boon to Elysandra when she is at her most temperamental. These characters just played off of each other very well and made for an engaging dialog that kept the story moving along at a great clip.
The premise for Call of the Sea is very appealing in both its setting and plot. The descriptions of the surroundings and the workings of the ships were so vivid and easily pictured and the storyline was engaging. However, I did find that the timing was a bit rushed at times, especially at the beginning of the book as the years of Elysandra's childhood fly by rapidly, and nearing the end of the story when the big conflict takes place and then is over in what seems like the blink of an eye. While it is great that the story isn't overly bogged down by unneeded details, a slower pacing and more set-up for major events would have gone a long way toward making the story feel less like I skimmed over integral parts.
It is always wonderful to come across a story of romance with such a novel perspective as Call of the Sea. Having only ever read two books that feature selkies, it's very refreshing to have had the chance to read a new offering. Call of the Sea is a fun, romantic, whimsical novel that made for a very enjoyable experience. Though it has been a long time since I read a romance novel, I'm glad to have read this one, as I found its premise to be very appealing. If you're interested in fantasy with nice helpings of romance and hints of mythology and folklore, Call of the Sea could be the book for you. It makes for a great summertime read thanks to its imaginative storyline and nautical adventures.
Obligatory legal statement: This advance review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.
The seas often hold more than meets the eye. Elysandra Winters is about to learn this first-hand thanks to Daniel, a young man with a surprising secret: he's a selkie, and he has just signed on to work for Elysandra's father, Captain Winters. As the two come into and out of each other's lives thanks to Elysandra's determination to go out to sea, the foundation is laid for a surprising future. When Ellie disguises herself as a boy and takes on a job as a cabin boy for a rival captain, it is up to Captain Winters and Daniel to find her. However, tragedy strikes, leaving Ellie and Daniel to come to an accord... one that Captain Winters may have wanted all along. In this romance set on the high seas, fantasy becomes reality in many ways as love takes sail and the mysteries of the sea wash up on the tide. Get ready, for you'll never look at the ocean the same way again.
Elysandra is a character with one driving force that influences everything. Her need to live a life of freedom on the sea is her biggest motivator and, as such, pushes her toward both some beneficial events and huge mistakes. She is a stubborn girl with a fiery temper who won't back down no matter what. Her indomitable spirit makes her an interesting character to follow, even in her most frustrating moments. Daniel, on the other hand, complements her very well. While he possesses a temper of his own, he also has a knack for being levelheaded that is a great boon to Elysandra when she is at her most temperamental. These characters just played off of each other very well and made for an engaging dialog that kept the story moving along at a great clip.
The premise for Call of the Sea is very appealing in both its setting and plot. The descriptions of the surroundings and the workings of the ships were so vivid and easily pictured and the storyline was engaging. However, I did find that the timing was a bit rushed at times, especially at the beginning of the book as the years of Elysandra's childhood fly by rapidly, and nearing the end of the story when the big conflict takes place and then is over in what seems like the blink of an eye. While it is great that the story isn't overly bogged down by unneeded details, a slower pacing and more set-up for major events would have gone a long way toward making the story feel less like I skimmed over integral parts.
It is always wonderful to come across a story of romance with such a novel perspective as Call of the Sea. Having only ever read two books that feature selkies, it's very refreshing to have had the chance to read a new offering. Call of the Sea is a fun, romantic, whimsical novel that made for a very enjoyable experience. Though it has been a long time since I read a romance novel, I'm glad to have read this one, as I found its premise to be very appealing. If you're interested in fantasy with nice helpings of romance and hints of mythology and folklore, Call of the Sea could be the book for you. It makes for a great summertime read thanks to its imaginative storyline and nautical adventures.
Obligatory legal statement: This advance review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.
jeanz's review
4.0
BLURB from Goodreads
Elysandra Winters has always yearned for a life of adventure on the rolling seas and is willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill her dream. When her Privateer father continually refuses to allow his only daughter to sail, Ellie defies him, disguises herself as a boy, and goes in search of a captain who will give her a chance to prove her worth.
Thanks to the cursed selkie blood coursing through his veins, Daniel O'Rourke needs the sea to survive. After giving up on his humanity and spending three years in seal form, he decides to give his human side another chance. Daniel goes in search of a job and a sense of normalcy, earning himself a position aboard Captain Winter’s ship, The Siren's Call. However, his new captain’s first assignment has nothing at all to do with sailing, and everything to do with his headstrong young daughter.
Years later, when the leader of a band of bloodthirsty pirates murders Captain Winters, Daniel and Elysandra’s lives come crashing back together with the force of a hurricane. Both experts in deception, they must find a way to trust each other if they are to have any hope of hunting down the captain’s killer.
MY REVIEW
Firstly I have to say I like the cover it really does fit the book. The female on the front cover is Elysandra dressed in her "going to sea" gear. Theres a ship in the background that could be either The Sirens Call or The Surf Runner.
Now the book....I loved it. to be totally honest I was unsure if I would really like it as it features pirates, but I loved it. The main character is Elysandra, a strong female lead character who takes no hassle form anyone including pirates! I thought the"love" plot was nicely done and not rushed, you felt the build up to relationship. I on't know how to explain it, other than to say you feel very included in this book as if you are there watching the story unfold before your own eyes. You feel Elysandra's desperation to go to see, but you also feel her parents worry! Elysandra is probably what some would call a tomboy, I prefer to say a woman with a mind of her own. When her father is killed Elysandra is determined to have her revenge with or without help from anyone else.
I also enjoyed the selkie part of the tale especially nearer the end when Daniel is in his "seql form" trying to rescue Elysandra. I won't say anymore you will know what I mean when you read the book.
**WARNING* The book does have a sexual scene within it so is not suitable for younger readers **
Having said the above warning don't let those of you old enough from reading this book as the scene is within the context of the plot and not overly erotic (I don't read erotica!)
The book kind of deals with the idea of prejudice, as in what people think about Selkies. Nelson and Captain winters and his wife know they exist and can interact with them, bit Daniels own father called him an abomination and threw him out of his home at the first opportunity after his mother died.
Will there be more books in this series? Well the loose ends are sort of tied up in a way it could be left, however I am sure Daniel and Elysandra could have lots more adventures at sea and on land.
So did I enjoy the book? Loved it. Would I read more by Rebecca Hart/ in a Call Of The Sea series? Yes & Yes! Do I recommend this book? Yes but due to sexual content to older teens and adults only.
Expected Publication 21st of June 2012, so put it on your to-buy lists now!
Elysandra Winters has always yearned for a life of adventure on the rolling seas and is willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill her dream. When her Privateer father continually refuses to allow his only daughter to sail, Ellie defies him, disguises herself as a boy, and goes in search of a captain who will give her a chance to prove her worth.
Thanks to the cursed selkie blood coursing through his veins, Daniel O'Rourke needs the sea to survive. After giving up on his humanity and spending three years in seal form, he decides to give his human side another chance. Daniel goes in search of a job and a sense of normalcy, earning himself a position aboard Captain Winter’s ship, The Siren's Call. However, his new captain’s first assignment has nothing at all to do with sailing, and everything to do with his headstrong young daughter.
Years later, when the leader of a band of bloodthirsty pirates murders Captain Winters, Daniel and Elysandra’s lives come crashing back together with the force of a hurricane. Both experts in deception, they must find a way to trust each other if they are to have any hope of hunting down the captain’s killer.
MY REVIEW
Firstly I have to say I like the cover it really does fit the book. The female on the front cover is Elysandra dressed in her "going to sea" gear. Theres a ship in the background that could be either The Sirens Call or The Surf Runner.
Now the book....I loved it. to be totally honest I was unsure if I would really like it as it features pirates, but I loved it. The main character is Elysandra, a strong female lead character who takes no hassle form anyone including pirates! I thought the"love" plot was nicely done and not rushed, you felt the build up to relationship. I on't know how to explain it, other than to say you feel very included in this book as if you are there watching the story unfold before your own eyes. You feel Elysandra's desperation to go to see, but you also feel her parents worry! Elysandra is probably what some would call a tomboy, I prefer to say a woman with a mind of her own. When her father is killed Elysandra is determined to have her revenge with or without help from anyone else.
I also enjoyed the selkie part of the tale especially nearer the end when Daniel is in his "seql form" trying to rescue Elysandra. I won't say anymore you will know what I mean when you read the book.
**WARNING* The book does have a sexual scene within it so is not suitable for younger readers **
Having said the above warning don't let those of you old enough from reading this book as the scene is within the context of the plot and not overly erotic (I don't read erotica!)
The book kind of deals with the idea of prejudice, as in what people think about Selkies. Nelson and Captain winters and his wife know they exist and can interact with them, bit Daniels own father called him an abomination and threw him out of his home at the first opportunity after his mother died.
Will there be more books in this series? Well the loose ends are sort of tied up in a way it could be left, however I am sure Daniel and Elysandra could have lots more adventures at sea and on land.
So did I enjoy the book? Loved it. Would I read more by Rebecca Hart/ in a Call Of The Sea series? Yes & Yes! Do I recommend this book? Yes but due to sexual content to older teens and adults only.
Expected Publication 21st of June 2012, so put it on your to-buy lists now!
seeingnight's review
4.0
GENRE: Fantasy
THEME: Selkie
RECEIVED: Received for review for Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
I haven’t read many or enough stories based on the legend of Selkies, but every time I do I always enjoy them. Rebecca Hart brings to life a story about two people who are very different but are brought together by their love of the sea.
Elysandra (Ellie) is the daughter of a Captain; her love of the sea at a young age has made her wish for a life like her fathers. But her parents have different plans for her, thus causing Ellie to run away disguised as young boy on another ship. Then there is Daniel who lives with the curse of having Selkie blood and needs to be near the ocean to survive, he meets Ellies father who assigns him a task he couldn’t refused.
Call of the Sea follows both Ellie and Daniel as children all the way to their adult years. After Daniel saves Ellie from drowning, he applies for a job on her fathers ship called the Sirens Call. While Ellie is sent of to school after the incident, which later makes her run away. Years later the two meet up again and their adventure at sea begins.
Ellie at age ten is a strong and very much a tomboy. Just like her father she wants to be at the sea and as she grows older becomes frustrated with not being allowed to be like her father. Ellie disguises herself as a boy at age fifteen and continues on her journey until twenty without anyone knowing. I enjoyed Ellie as the lead character, no matter what she wouldn’t give up on her dream and wanted to prove she could be apart of the crew. The only part I was iffy on was that know one noticed she was a girl for five years.
Daniel is cursed with Selkie blood and he forms a bond with Ellie, little known to her, in his selkie form. As he gets older he becomes very devoted to helping Ellies father find his missing daughter. When they meet again in the future their connection is instant and I enjoyed every scene with them together. I found it interesting how Hart describe Daniels transformation, into his Selkie form, which was very detailed and gave an understanding to what Daniel is.
Overall this story was fun and full of action and lots of romance. My only issue was the ending didn’t feel finished. It definitely was left to show that there is more to come but was almost rushed. Nonetheless I want to know what is next for Daniel and Ellie because now they have a whole knew future ahead of them. I don’t want to give away too much more, but I recommend this as a great summer read.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a mature young adult story with some sexual content meant for mature readers. Fans of mythological creatures of the sea will not want to miss out on Call of the Sea by Rebecca Hart.
THEME: Selkie
RECEIVED: Received for review for Tour
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
REVIEW:
I haven’t read many or enough stories based on the legend of Selkies, but every time I do I always enjoy them. Rebecca Hart brings to life a story about two people who are very different but are brought together by their love of the sea.
Elysandra (Ellie) is the daughter of a Captain; her love of the sea at a young age has made her wish for a life like her fathers. But her parents have different plans for her, thus causing Ellie to run away disguised as young boy on another ship. Then there is Daniel who lives with the curse of having Selkie blood and needs to be near the ocean to survive, he meets Ellies father who assigns him a task he couldn’t refused.
Call of the Sea follows both Ellie and Daniel as children all the way to their adult years. After Daniel saves Ellie from drowning, he applies for a job on her fathers ship called the Sirens Call. While Ellie is sent of to school after the incident, which later makes her run away. Years later the two meet up again and their adventure at sea begins.
Ellie at age ten is a strong and very much a tomboy. Just like her father she wants to be at the sea and as she grows older becomes frustrated with not being allowed to be like her father. Ellie disguises herself as a boy at age fifteen and continues on her journey until twenty without anyone knowing. I enjoyed Ellie as the lead character, no matter what she wouldn’t give up on her dream and wanted to prove she could be apart of the crew. The only part I was iffy on was that know one noticed she was a girl for five years.
Daniel is cursed with Selkie blood and he forms a bond with Ellie, little known to her, in his selkie form. As he gets older he becomes very devoted to helping Ellies father find his missing daughter. When they meet again in the future their connection is instant and I enjoyed every scene with them together. I found it interesting how Hart describe Daniels transformation, into his Selkie form, which was very detailed and gave an understanding to what Daniel is.
Overall this story was fun and full of action and lots of romance. My only issue was the ending didn’t feel finished. It definitely was left to show that there is more to come but was almost rushed. Nonetheless I want to know what is next for Daniel and Ellie because now they have a whole knew future ahead of them. I don’t want to give away too much more, but I recommend this as a great summer read.
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a mature young adult story with some sexual content meant for mature readers. Fans of mythological creatures of the sea will not want to miss out on Call of the Sea by Rebecca Hart.
djl's review
4.0
Originally posted on my blog, DJ Librarian Dishes
All Elysandra Winters desires to do is to sail the seas aboard her father's ship, The Siren's Call. The sea is in her blood and even as a child, Ellie can hear it calling to her. However, her father has other plans for his fiery daughter when he hires young Daniel O'Rourke as the new cabin boy to serve on The Siren's Call. When Ellie doesn't take this news well, Captain Winters gives a new task to Daniel which in turn further entwines the paths of his daughter and his new cabin boy over the next ten years.
Ellie is one of the most headstrong and stubborn heroines I have had the opportunity to find in a debut title. She knows what she wants and she's willing to do what it takes in order to get what she wants, even if it means disobeying her father. I admire Ellie for that trait, yet it's also a bit worrisome that it will make her blunder into danger. This is actually why she has someone like Daniel to help look after her, especially since he is nearly as stubborn as her. I was smitten with Daniel right from his introduction until the very last page from his loyalty to Captain Winters to his growing fondness of Ellie. So what if he has to change into a seal one month out of the year? These two were definitely made for each other even with Ellie's initial reservations while she was so focused on her own goals rather than looking at the overall picture.
I haven't read much in the way of selkie folklore, and I'm happy to say that Rebecca Hart's is the first novel I've read featuring selkies as the supernatural element. Hart's descriptions of Daniel's various transformations either from seal to human or from human to seal were rather detailed, and I found myself almost cringing with the cracking of bones. It added a sense of realism to the selkie's transformation that goes beyond just magically changing into another form. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more novels that feature selkies.
While the first part of the story is a bit slow, the pace picks up as soon as Ellie makes a break for the sea, soon sending her father and Daniel in search of her. Readers who enjoy a high-seas adventure story with supernatural and romantic elements won't be disappointed with Call of the Sea.
Obligatory statement: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and received no monetary compensation for my review.
All Elysandra Winters desires to do is to sail the seas aboard her father's ship, The Siren's Call. The sea is in her blood and even as a child, Ellie can hear it calling to her. However, her father has other plans for his fiery daughter when he hires young Daniel O'Rourke as the new cabin boy to serve on The Siren's Call. When Ellie doesn't take this news well, Captain Winters gives a new task to Daniel which in turn further entwines the paths of his daughter and his new cabin boy over the next ten years.
Ellie is one of the most headstrong and stubborn heroines I have had the opportunity to find in a debut title. She knows what she wants and she's willing to do what it takes in order to get what she wants, even if it means disobeying her father. I admire Ellie for that trait, yet it's also a bit worrisome that it will make her blunder into danger. This is actually why she has someone like Daniel to help look after her, especially since he is nearly as stubborn as her. I was smitten with Daniel right from his introduction until the very last page from his loyalty to Captain Winters to his growing fondness of Ellie. So what if he has to change into a seal one month out of the year? These two were definitely made for each other even with Ellie's initial reservations while she was so focused on her own goals rather than looking at the overall picture.
I haven't read much in the way of selkie folklore, and I'm happy to say that Rebecca Hart's is the first novel I've read featuring selkies as the supernatural element. Hart's descriptions of Daniel's various transformations either from seal to human or from human to seal were rather detailed, and I found myself almost cringing with the cracking of bones. It added a sense of realism to the selkie's transformation that goes beyond just magically changing into another form. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more novels that feature selkies.
While the first part of the story is a bit slow, the pace picks up as soon as Ellie makes a break for the sea, soon sending her father and Daniel in search of her. Readers who enjoy a high-seas adventure story with supernatural and romantic elements won't be disappointed with Call of the Sea.
Obligatory statement: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and received no monetary compensation for my review.
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