In the time I’ve reviewed for The Nerd Daily, I think there’s only one other title I’ve ever been mad at the ending of, but no I have a second title! Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVED this story, but boy did I get some serious feelings about the way the story ended. All the Tides of Fate was everything I could have wanted in a sequel and more, with adventure, romance, and of course, lots of murderous plots afoot. If you haven’t had the opportunity to read All the Stars and Teeth, you need to go read that one first before you pick this one up because it’s definitely the high seas adventure you’ll want to have as you sail into the spring!
Again, before we get too far, this is the review of a sequel, so don’t read on if you want to avoid spoilers of the first book!
We last left Amora Montara in Visidia, where she’s sacrificed much more than she bargained for in order to keep her kingdom safe. She’s managed to take her rightful place as queen, only to face turmoil among the islands who would sooner tear her down than accept her rule. She endeavours to hide the secrets that might undo her. No one can know about her family curse, her loss of powers, or that a young man holds the other half of her soul. She’ll embark on a quest to save herself and her kingdom, looking for a mythic artifact that could fix everything, but comes at a terrible cost. She’ll soon discover that the power to rule comes at a much higher cost than she could have ever imagined.
Phew, what a summary! When I first got hold of this book, I was absolutely petrified of the choices Amora would have to make in this book. Moreover, I was wondering if she’d make the right ones in order to do what needed to be done. Her character development in the first book had been quite a lot, from being a princess who had it all to becoming a fugitive of the kingdom in order to save it. Amora from book 1 was certainly stubborn, but in the sequel, Amora took that to a whole new level. I spent a good portion of this book groaning at her bullishness, and the other worried at what would happen to the relationships between her and her crew. This book didn’t end up feeling like it was Amora’s time to shine, but rather, her crew’s.
To be fair to Amora, she’s going through a lot. She’s struggling with her mental health with a fair bit of grief, anxiety, depression, and from what I gathered, PTSD. These aren’t one-off events either, they are present throughout the whole book. Adalyn Grace does an excellent job exploring these new developments for Amora, and makes her bullish need to protect her crew much more understandable, but does make it hard to connect with her. This was how I personally felt about it, but I think others might be able to make this connection and even love her more for it.
Now, of all of the characters that I wanted to see grow and be blown away by their growth, Vataea was at the top of my list. The way that Grace handled her personality and character growth in this book was more than I could have ever asked for, and I related the most to her throughout the story, and a lot of that was thanks to what Amora was experiencing. The friendship and bond that develops between these two only grows, and expands into something infinitely more complicated by the end. Vataea does a lot of self reflection that ultimately leads to her making some big changes to her life. Some of them are fuelled by the consequences of Amora’s actions.
Of course, we can’t possibly forget Bastian and Ferrick. I ADORED these two boys even past the ending of this book, especially because of the paths their lives took in the story. I wondered how Grace would play out the romance between Amora and Bastian, considering there was a lot of speculation and worry about having the choice of romance taken away (since he has the other half of Amora’s soul), vs. what their real feelings were. It was handled remarkably well in my opinion, and I loved how this storyline ended. I can’t talk too much about Ferrick without spoilers, but this guy holds my heart after the events of this book. His relationship with Amora is also quite special, and their bond is able to change as he tries to help Amora navigate what she’s going through the best way he knows how.
The plot itself moves quickly through the islands and I was riveted by the danger that Amora faces to protect the kingdom. Even better is the storyline with the mythic item she’s so desperate to retrieve. There are a few reveals that add to the suspense and by the end, I honestly had to take a step back from this story and take a few deep breaths. It was an amazing journey, and I don’t think I could imagine it going any other way. HOWEVER, I’m still furious about certain things, but cannot wait to see what Adalyn Grace has instore for us with her next book. I definitely think you should pick this up and add it to your TBR!
All the Tides of Fate is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Will you be picking up All the Tides of Fate? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Through blood and sacrifice, Amora Montara has conquered a rebellion and taken her rightful place as queen of Visidia. Now, with the islands in turmoil and the people questioning her authority, Amora cannot allow anyone to see her weaknesses.
No one can know about the curse in her bloodline. No one can know that she’s lost her magic. No one can know the truth about the boy who holds the missing half of her soul.
To save herself and Visidia, Amora embarks on a desperate quest for a mythical artifact that could fix everything―but it comes at a terrible cost. As she tries to balance her loyalty to her people, her crew, and the desires of her heart, Amora will soon discover that the power to rule might destroy her.
