Amie Kaufman is an author I’ve read from before, but one who has mostly co-written with other authors. She has a middlegrade series that she’s written alone, and I tried the first book out, but I wasn’t in the mood for it then. So when I discovered that she was finally releasing a YA book alone, I knew I had to read it.
I first heard about the book at the Rock the Boat showcase late last year, and it was wonderful to hear her talk about it. Even if all I remembered from that was boats? And possibly history? But that’s more of an issue with my memory than anything else, ha! Still, I was excited to read this, so I was so pleased when I got an early copy, thanks to Nina Douglas PR.
In a world where gods exist and once fought in wars, trouble begins to brew, and the gods may be stirring from their rest. All Selly wants is to follow her Father on his ships and prove that she’s a worthy crew member. When he leaves her behind again, she decides to track him down. But running into Prince Leander puts a bump in that plan. Whether she wants to or not, she has to help him reach the islands and complete the ritual. But when what should have been an easy trip turns dangerous, the pair will have to stick together, but those gods truly wake up.
I’ve already said that I was super excited about this book, and I really was, but I have to be honest and say that I didn’t love it quite as much as I’d hoped.
Don’t get me wrong. This is a good book.
The world-building is excellent; I’m very curious about the gods and want to learn more about the magic system. Kaufman has done a fantastic job with this world, and I genuinely want to explore it more.
I just didn’t really care that much for either Selly or Leander, and definitely not for their romance. In fact, I actually found myself rolling my eyes at times. Which is a shame, as this is the sort of ship that I can usually get behind. But for some reason, I just didn’t care.
That’s not to say I disliked all the characters, though. My favourite was probably Jude, and I wish we’d seen more of him. I found him interesting as he holds a lot of bitterness towards the Prince for something he thought had happened. But when he saw him, he still listened and gave him a chance. I feel like there’s going to be a lot of guilt on Jude’s side, and I’m so curious about his and Leander’s friendship. That’s something I want to see more of, especially considering the ending of this book, and more of that could definitely save this series for me.
Okay…I was shipping it a little. That might be part of why Selly and Leander weren’t working for me. But I’m not expecting anything on that front, so it’s fine.
Another plus is that this book was easy to read. There’s plenty of action, but it’s interspersed with some very entertaining scenes. Selly, Leander, and Keegan’s growing friendship makes for some heartwarming stuff, but there’s plenty of humour there too. It’s interesting seeing how they’re all helping each other grow, as they are all very different characters.
So that’s it for this review. It’s a good book, just not one that grabbed my attention as much as I’d assumed. If you love Amie Kaufman’s writing with others, you should check this out. Or if you’re a big fan of water-based fantasy. You’ll have a good time with this one, and you won’t regret it.
3/5 Stars
Title: The Isles of The Gods
Editor: Amie Kaufman
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Young Adult
Publisher: Rock The Boat
Release Date: Out Now
BUY LINKS
Lace and Dagger Books 