A review by morrighanrose
Wild Savage Stars: A Sweet Black Waves Novel by Kristina Pérez
5.0
**Will contain spoilers for Sweet Black Waves**
If you read Sweet Black Waves, the first book in this series, you will understand my pain. The entire story was beautifully written; the world a lush, fantastical landscape reminiscent of ancient Ireland, complete with a castle on the cliffs and the sounds of the ocean crashing below. I was equally invested in the characters– Branwen, a powerful wielder of the ancient magic of the old ones was a strong, fierce femme. Her loyalty to those she loved was awe-inspiring and I found myself falling in love with her strength with each passing page. Tristan’s character was more complex; an enemy of the country Branwen loved with all of her heart, she saved his life and nurtured him back to health with her healing powers.
Iveriu and Kernyv have been warring for centuries; loving a man that hails from her enemy country is forbidden and could label her as a traitor to the land that she loves. As Branwen and Tristan fall in love, she must make the hardest decision of her life; to betray the family that raised her and the land that she loves for a man that makes her heart sing? Unfortunately, she must base all of her choices around the happiness of her cousin, Eseult. I was not a fan of Eseult’s character AT ALL– the spoiled rotten princess of Iveriu was selfish, naive, and expected Branwen to risk her own life and heart for her own happiness. Ugh. I despised her. When a chance at peace comes in the form of a tournament to win the princess’s heart and marry her, the princess would rather run away with a noble man than hope for an alliance with Kernyv. When Tristan, nephew of the king of Kernyv wins the tournament, he claims the princess’s hand and heart for his uncle, King Marc. An alliance in place between the countries ensures Tristan and Branwen can be together. Eseult is broken by the fact that she will marry her enemy and be a prisoner in his land, so Branwen brews a potion that is to be consumed on her wedding night. It will ease her heart and help her to fall in love with the enemy king.
All seems well, until the last freaking 20 pages of the book. On the ship to Kernyv, Eseult and Tristan become friends. He is helping Branwen keep an eye on her after she attempted suicide. Eseult finds the freaking love potion, and her and Tristan share it. As Branwen walks into the cabin, she finds Tristan and Eseult having sex. WTF. This is literally the only book that I’ve thrown across the room. I was devastated.
That is the heart of Sweet Black Waves, but there are other things I didn’t mention along the way. Branwen’s magic is growing in strength, from the simple healing touch she has had all her life, now she also has the power to destroy. The strength of her power and the seduction to release it terrifies her. Eseult’s mental health seems to be getting worse; her self injurious behavior is not so much a last resort anymore, but the first thing that comes to mind when she is stressed.
Now that I have wrapped up the first book as best I can, let’s dive into a spoiler-free review for Wild Savage Stars.
The sequel picks up right where the first one left off; Branwen is ready to set foot on the shore of her enemies. Completely alone. The love of her life has betrayed her; her only family has once again chosen herself over Branwen’s happiness. The vow to protect Princess Eseult and her homeland still requires her to be the lady in waiting, but that is all she will be. No longer a friend to her selfish cousin, she feels a freedom that she never has before.
Kernyv is nothing like she has imagined it to be. It is a lot like her home, and the Court of King Marc reminds her of the castle she grew up in. I enjoyed this sequel more than the first; Wild Savage Stars explores Branwen’s adventures in a new kingdom. Eseult and Tristan still play a large role in the story, but I love Branwen’s strength in choosing to not let them rule her heart anymore. This is the story of a powerful magic wielder, free from past burdens, forging a new path in a foreign land. She is able to find many allies among the court, one being the Queen Mother. I loved her character, and her open minded ability to accept Branwen as she is.
“I do not find my beliefs shaken by allowing another to follow hers.”
This. So much this quote. I feel like it should be written on billboards everywhere. What an important sentiment to speak about in a YA novel. There is another quote which definitely hits home; both are from the Queen Mother and parallel to our own society here in America.
“A ruler’s life is full of compromises. Yet men had made these compromises, bartered with the bodies of women without consulting them.”
I absolutely love this sequel– it was the perfect follow-up to the heart break that was Sweet Black Waves. The political intrigue thickens, and war could come from an enemy they never thought about before. Branwen’s power increases, and the fact that she is not to use her power on enemy shores terrifies her. The court is full of enemies, and she must root out the ones that would harm the alliance. Eseult is still a selfish brat– no shocker there. I really can’t stand her character! I enjoyed seeing her less, but the moments we did have to read about her, she was twice as bad as the first book. Her love for Tristan could threaten all of their lives, yet she can’t help herself from wanting to be with him. She doesn’t even TRY to honor the marriage between herself and King Marc– even though Marc is an amazing man! Ugh. She just pisses me off and I want to poke her in the eye over and over again. 🙂
I highly recommend picking the sequel up, especially if you loved Sweet Black Waves. The world is rich in ancient lore and mythology, the political intrigue is thick, and the characters are so well written. I. Loved. It!
If you read Sweet Black Waves, the first book in this series, you will understand my pain. The entire story was beautifully written; the world a lush, fantastical landscape reminiscent of ancient Ireland, complete with a castle on the cliffs and the sounds of the ocean crashing below. I was equally invested in the characters– Branwen, a powerful wielder of the ancient magic of the old ones was a strong, fierce femme. Her loyalty to those she loved was awe-inspiring and I found myself falling in love with her strength with each passing page. Tristan’s character was more complex; an enemy of the country Branwen loved with all of her heart, she saved his life and nurtured him back to health with her healing powers.
Iveriu and Kernyv have been warring for centuries; loving a man that hails from her enemy country is forbidden and could label her as a traitor to the land that she loves. As Branwen and Tristan fall in love, she must make the hardest decision of her life; to betray the family that raised her and the land that she loves for a man that makes her heart sing? Unfortunately, she must base all of her choices around the happiness of her cousin, Eseult. I was not a fan of Eseult’s character AT ALL– the spoiled rotten princess of Iveriu was selfish, naive, and expected Branwen to risk her own life and heart for her own happiness. Ugh. I despised her. When a chance at peace comes in the form of a tournament to win the princess’s heart and marry her, the princess would rather run away with a noble man than hope for an alliance with Kernyv. When Tristan, nephew of the king of Kernyv wins the tournament, he claims the princess’s hand and heart for his uncle, King Marc. An alliance in place between the countries ensures Tristan and Branwen can be together. Eseult is broken by the fact that she will marry her enemy and be a prisoner in his land, so Branwen brews a potion that is to be consumed on her wedding night. It will ease her heart and help her to fall in love with the enemy king.
All seems well, until the last freaking 20 pages of the book. On the ship to Kernyv, Eseult and Tristan become friends. He is helping Branwen keep an eye on her after she attempted suicide. Eseult finds the freaking love potion, and her and Tristan share it. As Branwen walks into the cabin, she finds Tristan and Eseult having sex. WTF. This is literally the only book that I’ve thrown across the room. I was devastated.
That is the heart of Sweet Black Waves, but there are other things I didn’t mention along the way. Branwen’s magic is growing in strength, from the simple healing touch she has had all her life, now she also has the power to destroy. The strength of her power and the seduction to release it terrifies her. Eseult’s mental health seems to be getting worse; her self injurious behavior is not so much a last resort anymore, but the first thing that comes to mind when she is stressed.
Now that I have wrapped up the first book as best I can, let’s dive into a spoiler-free review for Wild Savage Stars.
The sequel picks up right where the first one left off; Branwen is ready to set foot on the shore of her enemies. Completely alone. The love of her life has betrayed her; her only family has once again chosen herself over Branwen’s happiness. The vow to protect Princess Eseult and her homeland still requires her to be the lady in waiting, but that is all she will be. No longer a friend to her selfish cousin, she feels a freedom that she never has before.
Kernyv is nothing like she has imagined it to be. It is a lot like her home, and the Court of King Marc reminds her of the castle she grew up in. I enjoyed this sequel more than the first; Wild Savage Stars explores Branwen’s adventures in a new kingdom. Eseult and Tristan still play a large role in the story, but I love Branwen’s strength in choosing to not let them rule her heart anymore. This is the story of a powerful magic wielder, free from past burdens, forging a new path in a foreign land. She is able to find many allies among the court, one being the Queen Mother. I loved her character, and her open minded ability to accept Branwen as she is.
“I do not find my beliefs shaken by allowing another to follow hers.”
This. So much this quote. I feel like it should be written on billboards everywhere. What an important sentiment to speak about in a YA novel. There is another quote which definitely hits home; both are from the Queen Mother and parallel to our own society here in America.
“A ruler’s life is full of compromises. Yet men had made these compromises, bartered with the bodies of women without consulting them.”
I absolutely love this sequel– it was the perfect follow-up to the heart break that was Sweet Black Waves. The political intrigue thickens, and war could come from an enemy they never thought about before. Branwen’s power increases, and the fact that she is not to use her power on enemy shores terrifies her. The court is full of enemies, and she must root out the ones that would harm the alliance. Eseult is still a selfish brat– no shocker there. I really can’t stand her character! I enjoyed seeing her less, but the moments we did have to read about her, she was twice as bad as the first book. Her love for Tristan could threaten all of their lives, yet she can’t help herself from wanting to be with him. She doesn’t even TRY to honor the marriage between herself and King Marc– even though Marc is an amazing man! Ugh. She just pisses me off and I want to poke her in the eye over and over again. 🙂
I highly recommend picking the sequel up, especially if you loved Sweet Black Waves. The world is rich in ancient lore and mythology, the political intrigue is thick, and the characters are so well written. I. Loved. It!