morganthebee's Reviews (489)

I love futuristic dystopian sci-fi, and when you throw in pirates, mercenaries, and sapphics on an Earth where the continents are underwater and the oceans virtually unlivable, that’s even better. This is a first-person single POV from the perspective of the eponymous Compass Rose. She was born facing due north, and she has an unerring sense of direction along with the ability to sense the water and movement within it. This ability sees her tasked with a secret mission by the Archipelago Admiral she serves under to join a mercenary crew as their navigator.

The characters were strong and complex, particularly Rose but also Miranda and Orca, and the plot was great. The start was a little slow as Burke built the world and set the scene, but once Rose joins up with the mercenaries the pace picks up. There’s a huge amount of character growth for Rose, who goes from a bullied loner to a strong and capable survivor, and I enjoyed all the twists and turns the story took.

I’ve read a few of Anna Burke’s books, and so far Compass Rose is my favorite. You’d never know it was a debut novel, and I’ll definitely be checking out the sequel, Sea Wolf, when it comes up in my library holds.

 Okay, two things right off the bat: first, this is book two in the Deal with the Devil duology, and it cannot be read as a standalone; and second there are a lot of triggers here, which Masters lists at the beginning of the book. Please make sure to check them before diving in. 

 

If you haven’t read When Flowers Wilt stop reading now, because while I’m not planning to spoil this book, I am going to spoil that one. Okay? Okay. So. We start off right where the first book left off. Vivian is held captive by Phanes as he breaks her physically and mentally, and she has given up hope. Venus is gravely injured, unable to think of anything but rescuing Vivian. This part is hard to read, particularly Vivian’s experience, but what follows is a master class on trauma, its aftereffects, and loving someone through it. 

 

One of the benefits of a series is that characters are generally established in the first installment, so the next can take those characters and run with them. We get deeper into their thoughts and feelings, build on relationships, and, when done well, fall even more in love with them. This is done well. When Death Blooms is an incredible story, and I can’t wait to read more from G.E. Masters. 

 

I received a free ARC from the author, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily. 

The Gift of Us is a holiday romance with a bit of magic. Although college friends Rowen and Blair have drifted apart a bit, they both teach 4th grade at the same school in a small Wyoming town. On the last day of school, after a field trip to a museum where they make a wish on a love charm, they find themselves trapped together after a snowstorm. 

Rowen is still pining after her first love, Quinn, and the story progresses through a mix of current day and dreams where Rowen is reliving past experiences with both Quinn and Blair. A mix of self-doubt, assumptions, and miscommunication fuels the story, but it all comes to a lovely, if obvious, conclusion.

I received a free ARC from the author via StoryOrigin, but my review is unbiased and left voluntarily.