I was so ready to make this book my entire personality, and so I'm honestly devastated by how underwhelming I found it.

What I think this book does do incredibly well is set up the world and atmosphere. This book immediately transported me with all the wintery, high-seas vibes, and all the epigraphs at the beginning of the chapters hinted at there being such rich lore and magic to this world. I thought the magic system in this book was incredibly interesting, and I was just eating up all the new information we learned about it.

I think this book also does the whole pirate theme incredibly well. This isn't just a book where they tell you they're pirates but spend most of the page time on land and away from ships — the majority of this book is on the ocean, jumping from one ship to another, and there's all the swashbuckling, plundering, and treasure hunting you can ask for. The beginning of this book gave incredibly strong Pirates of the Caribbean vibes, and starting this book made me immediately crave more pirate stories.

Unfortunately, however, the world and vibes alone weren't enough to make me enjoy this book. I spent the first 70% of this book waiting for something to happen that would make me invested in these characters or the stakes, but eventually, I had to accept that that moment was just never going to come.

I think part of the issue I had was that the actual plot and structure of the book felt incredibly all over the place. We spend most of the book just going from ship to ship, which I appreciated for the sake of keeping up the pirate theme but made the book feel like it had trouble being grounded. Pretty early on I stopped taking any particular interest in any one location or ship because I knew it was only going to be a matter of a chapter or two before some crisis would strike and we'd have to move on. While I can appreciate this to an extent for the sake of giving us the lay of the world and seeing many different locations, I think that because this was an intro book, I would have preferred if there was any semblance of a "home base" where we could see what life in this world looked like when things weren't constantly in upheaval.

I think my biggest problem, however, has to do with the character development in the book. Both of the main POV characters just felt incredibly flat and I could not for the life of me make myself care about them. Mary in particular just had nothing going for her and really no distinct personality traits I could identify. It felt like all we ever got to know about her was that she wanted to rescue her mother and she wanted to survive and that we never got to learn anything about her beyond that. She very much felt like a character who was just there to have things happen to her rather than actually making active choices to further the story or her own journey.
I thought Samuel was a lot more promising of a character, and that we got to learn a good deal more about his motivations and background, but his single-minded purpose still made him feel fairly one-dimensional. His chapters were still definitely my favorite, and I think if he was truly as much a main character as Mary was, I might have enjoyed the book more.

Hand in hand with this, I think the book suffered from the fact that it didn't have the opportunity for many meaningful character relationships. Because so much of the book is spent with Mary on the run and never knowing who she can trust, it takes until about 75% into the book for there to be any relationship between characters that doesn't feel liable to implode at any minute. I especially thought the "romance" between Samuel and Mary was underdeveloped, and consisted entirely of them seeing each other a couple of times and us just being told that they now had feelings for each other. It honestly felt like Samuel and Fisher's relationship got more development, despite Fisher only being on page every so often.
While I think there's something to be said for the lack of trustworthiness of the cast contributing to the feelings of a high-stakes pirate adventure, it just made me incredibly apathetic to anything that happened since I was never given a reason to root for any of the characters themselves or their commitment to anyone else.

All in all, I think it probably just comes down to this book not being for me. I think that if the character work had been more developed and the plot a bit less fast and loose, the vibes and world would have made me absolutely love this book, but as it was, I'm just left disappointed that it wasn't everything I'd hoped it would be.

The thing I love most about this book is the worldbuilding and magic systems. At the beginning of each chapter is a tidbit from a guidebook that details an aspect of the world. I love how this feeds us information about the world without it feeling forced and without having to interrupt the story to info dump.

As for the worldbuilding itself, we have ghistings, or spectral creatures who inhabit the ancient forests of Mary’s homeland and the figureheads of ships. I absolutely loved how unique and ghostly ghistings feel!

On top of that, we have Stormsingers, as mentioned above, but there are also people who can see into a world called the Other, and yet other people who can influence others. The world and magic is so rich and vibrant, and I loved reading about it.

The atmosphere is great: think forest/sea/winter. Think Pirates of the Caribbean but darker. I love both Mary and Sam’s backstories. There’s a whole host of side characters, but they never feel flat. And there is an amazing twist in the second half that really gets the story moving and gives it another edge.

My only main critique is that the middle of this book lags a bit, especially when Mary and Samuel set off on separate adventures—I kept waiting for their storylines to cross again! This book is also in first person perspective, and sometimes I wanted to hear more thoughts and feelings from both Mary and Samuel. (However, this is a common critique I have of adult fantasy books, so it could totally just be me who feels this way!)

If you’re looking for an adventurous and dark pirate story with a unique magic system, a complicated plot with a great twist, and plenty of forest, sea, and winter vibes, definitely give Dark Water Daughter a shot!

Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for providing me with an ARC for review!

Dark Water Daughter was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year and it didn't let me down! We love to see it.

Dark Water Daughter has:
- Pirates of the Caribbean / Black sails vibes
- pirates and highwaymen
- a witch who controls storms by singing
- a disgraced naval officer
- sentient shipheads
- unique worldbuilding and magic system

The book follows two POVs: Mary Firth, a weather witch who at the beginning of the book, is at the gallows, accused of crimes she didn't commit, when another criminal saves her from the noose. Said criminal, Charles Grant, ends up selling her to pirates who then use Mary to guide their ships through storms. Mary soon crosses paths with our second POV, Samuel Rosser, a disgraced naval officer and pirate hunter looking to redeem himself. Both of them have connections to the infamous pirate lord Silvanus Lirr. Samuel wants to bring Lirr to justice while Lirr is hunting down Mary for her abilities. At the edge of the Winter Sea, Mary and Samuel will have to choose who to trust and who they want to be.

H. M. Long's Hall of Smoke series is one of my favourite series of all time and in Dark Water Daughter, she stepped it up a notch. Her writing has a truly addictive quality that made me unable to put the book down until late in the night.

While the book does give Pirates of the Caribbean vibes, the setting is a completely unique secondary world with a wintery sea, monsters, magical forests and sentient shipheads. I loved how detailed and layered the world of Dark Water Daughter was and how many different corners of this world we got to explore. Excellent worldbuilding is something I have come to expect from H. M. Long but this book was special. It was astonishing to me how Long managed to pour so much depth into the worldbuilding and also give us amazing character work and relationships.

Mary and Samuel were both well-rounded, fully-realized characters, each with their own troubled pasts. Mary herself has been deeply wronged by the people around her and Samuel has secrets of his own. I loved how Long gradually revealed the character's backstories and how deeply we got to know them throughout the story. Long is not afraid to put her characters through the wringer and I felt every injustice they experienced. Mary especially stood out to me as such a strong character. Despite not having full control over her powers yet, she had this incredible bravery and strength to her, as well as a feistiness that I adored. Samuel was honestly a keeper, like a cross between Aragorn and Norrington from PotC.

While we got a hint of a future romance - which I was giggling and kicking my feet over!! - Mary and Sam are both deeply suspicious of each other due to their pasts. Despite that, they do feel a connection and Samuel is immediately captivated by Mary. The way he thought about her was just so heartachingly romantic, it had me swooning. With that being said, the hints of romance never took away from the plot or the character development in any way. It was just an aspect that I went absolutely feral over.

The book also had a lively cast of secondary characters like the pirate captain Demery, Samuel's fellow pirate hunter Fisher, and highwaymen Charles Grant (derogatory). My toxic trait is that I actually really enjoyed Charles, even though he is a duplicitious shithead. I have a weakness for the Dandy trope and he was that to a T. There were also some strong antagonists, some of which were truly terrifying which kept the suspense at an all-time high whenever they were on the page.

Overall, the book wraps up the story nicely but leaves just enough questions to build anticipation for the sequel. Truly an excellent read and one of my favourite books of the year. I recommend the book to fans of R. J. Barker's books and the tv show Black Sails. 5/5 stars.

This was just the pirate adventure fantasy I was looking for!!! Dark Water Daughter is such a fun, fast-paced adventure on the high seas where we follow 2 POVs: Mary and Samuel.

I really loved Mary as a character. She’s a storm singer meaning she’s someone who can connect with ‘the other’ (also called the dark water) and can sing to control the weather. I loved the growth she goes through in this book, starting as a girl who’s only just left the Wold for the first time to a woman who’s fighting for her life.

Samuel is also someone who connects with the dark water by being a soo, meaning he has visions. I loved Samuel too and he’s just so sweet and I just love him and Mary together. There’s also a whole cast of supporting characters which I loved too - everyone was so unique!

One of the best things about this book was the worldbuilding. This isn’t a long book so H. M. Long managed to fit a lot of worldbuilding in but did it seamlessly. I can’t wait to see what else there is to explore in this world in future instalments! A lot of this world seems to be based on real history (I believe this started out as an historical fiction!) but Long manages to make the world also stand out from ours in the fantasy and politics she weaves in.

The atmosphere of this book was also perfect. I already love pirate and sea-faring adventures but I loved the fact it was in a cold weather climate rather than hot tropical climates usually associated with pirates.

Overall I loved this book and have no complaints - apart from that I need the next book now!

Thank you, NetGalley and Titan Books, for my free copy for review.

Dark Water Daughter is quite an experience to read.

In a world of limited experiences, Mary's life was sheltered and confined. However, everything changed when she was suddenly thrown out and left to face the brink of death. At this critical moment, a thief unexpectedly intervened, altering her destiny forever.

On the other hand, Samuel was a man of immense power, but his fear and limited knowledge hindered him from fully embracing and understanding his capabilities. The paradox of his strength and apprehension created a complex and intriguing character.

With a creative touch, Mary's journey from sheltered innocence to the edge of demise and Samuel's struggle with his own formidable powers become vivid tales of transformation and self-discovery.

Dark Water introduces a refreshing and distinctive blend of pirates, magic, and creatures. I appreciate the imaginative reinterpretation of Sirens and monsters within this captivating storyline.

In the wintertime, sailing the vast oceans with occasional visits to ports is an invigorating experience. Exploring the parallel realms of humans and mystical beings is particularly intriguing, especially since I'm not typically drawn to pirate tales. The inclusion of magical systems and unique abilities among specific individuals adds an enchanting element to the narrative.

Narrated in the first person by the two main characters had their moments wherein the pace slowed down. Their introspection, while adding depth to some scenes, drags on others. This was the only aspect that slightly affected my enjoyment.

As this tale is a cat-and-mouse chase, the author skillfully leaves crumbs to keep the readers engaged. Initially, I thought I could anticipate where the plot was heading, but I was pleasantly surprised by its unexpected direction. The twist at the end of Act 2 was delightful.

The conclusion neatly ties up the first chapter of Mary and Sam's adventure, serving as a promising introduction to the series. All in all, this is a delightful fantasy adventure.

I have absolutely loved Long’s other books, which are Nordic inspired fantasy dealing with gods and magic and monsters and…I just was fascinated by the concept and the characters and the writing. So naturally, when I heard that she had a new series coming, one with pirates and women whose voices can affect the weather….I was certainly intrigued.

And thankfully, I was granted an early copy from the publisher thanks to NetGalley. It was such a struggle to hold off on reading this until it was closer to the release date (which is July 11 for the US, so it isn’t too far out). I did also pre-order this book during Barnes & Noble’s Pre-Order Sale a couple months ago.

I was definitely drawn into the story very quickly. I wanted to know more about Mary and Samuel, especially after their paths crossed and the adventure truly began. Getting to experience the story through both of their perspectives was really entertaining. There was so much to love about both of them, even as they doubted decisions they made.

The magic was cool, and I really enjoyed getting to explore the world and the lore and the monsters. I flew through this book. The sad thing about reading books early, even if it’s just a couple weeks early, is that I now have an even long wait for book two…unless I manage to snag an early copy through the publisher via NetGalley.

It’s like a nautical flintlock fantasy, an action-packed adventure, a swashbuckling good time, a perfect summer blockbuster in book form. I can’t wait to have the final copy of this book on my bookshelves, and I’m already looking forward to reading it again.

This is unlike any pirate book I've ever read. It was so rich in fantasy elements, both light and dark. The characters were compelling, the world building was excellent, the action was non stop and even the building blocks to an underlying love story were well done.

In this book you'll get pirates, many forms of magic, a parallel "other" world, monsters, hunt for treasure, fighting, deceit, it goes on.

Pay particular attention to the chapter heading/mini story/definitions. Immensely helpful.

I want to read this book again.

"Dark Water Daughter" is a great idea that has been brought to life with pure brilliance. I loved the writing, the plot, (most of) the characters, and they all combine to create an atmosphere that is incredible. Do I dare say it's as refreshing as sea spray on a hot day?! Very much looking forward to the rest of the series.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I loved this one, it was so original with its magic and setting and the lore.
I'm a big fan of pirate books but find that they often don't hit the spot for me, but this one certainly did.
The way the magic tied everything together was so clever, and I liked how it was woven into the story more and more, it felt like a very organic plot and worldbuilding progression.

The two main characters are great, I loved them both, and I like how the romance was there but never overpowering the plot, it was very sweet and very fitting for the story.
Overall, I thought that all characters were written very well, especially the villain. At first, you think he's just a mean guy who's in it for the money and power, but then it got so much bigger, and I even had a short period where I questioned if he's really the villain.

The plot was very engaging, as I said there was a nice progression with the magic, so at first it felt a lot more like a wintery pirate story, but then there was more and more magic and the magical creatures at the core of it all and I got so invested in it all.

The worldbuilding is amazing, and I'm already so excited for the next books in this series. It's so unique and rich, you can tell that the author put a lot of thought into it all.

Personally, I'm not a fan of one of the tropes that's used in the book, I liked it better here but it just took away some of my enjoyment, so it's not a full five stars, but I still really loved the book and definitely recommend.

A sincere thanks to the publishers, author the GREAT H.M Long! Also a hefty thank you to Netgalley for providing an advanced reading copy of this book. I loved this book. It has the vibes of Tricia levenseller's pirate daughter but with a great time with worldbuilding and romance. SAMUEL! My heart! I cannot. I loved the mother daughter relationship in this book as well. I would give it a solid 4 stars!

I really liked the world-building and the magic system! And imo, both MCs' respective character histories were written really well. However, I couldn't totally connect with the characters emotionally? There wasn't much banter between characters, and I guess that's my most wanted trait in a book :/ I did love the banter between the MCs whenever they met, but those were really limited scenes.

TWs - death, slavery of magic-users

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I really liked this one! This is an adult fantasy set in a “Pirates of the Caribbean” world. It has a decent helping of romance but the romance is not the main focus. The main focus is the fantasy plot. It was well done and very readable.

The reason I say “decent helping of romance” is because this is dual POV and the romance is between the main characters. He is a disgraced sea captain turned pirate hunter and she is a “storm singer.” Storm signers can manipulate the weather and ships use them for sea crossings. The two MCs are on their seperate journeys for the majority of the story but intersect with one another periodically throughout the book. Their scenes together were GOOD (no spice yet but I’m guessing there will be some in later books). It also seems like the two MCs will be together for the next book.

The world building was uncomplicated and well done. If you know the world of Pirates of the Caribbean, you will know this world. The world felt vast and “lived-in” with many different cultures fantasy and elements that were unique and original.

I loved the MCs and the side characters. They all felt like real people that I could easily connect with and empathize with.

Overall I’d def recommend 4.25/5. I’m guessing I’ll like the subsequent books in the series even more!

Thanks to titan books and RB media for the ARC/ALC of this one!

3.5 stars. I love flintlock fantasy so I was excited for this one. It's a solid start to what I think will be a great series. I felt a bit bored at parts but not enough to deter me from picking up the next one.

4.5 but I’m rounding up! It’s genuinely excellent.

Fans of Robin Hobb’s Liveship Traders, you’ll love this one. This is the flintlock fantasy you’ve been awaiting.

Stormsingers are powerful. Stormsingers are valuable. Stormsingers are the indentured property of the Crown…

Mary has been hiding her skills all her life to avoid being pressed into service: but one day she can do so no longer.

Samuel, a pirate hunter, is set on clearing the shame from his family name - by capturing the famous Pirate Lord Silvanus Lirr. But to do so, he will need a storm witch.

And he is not the only one in search of Silvanus Lirr: other pirates seek to claim Lirr’s prize…

Written with absorbing, believable detail, this book captured me from the very beginning. It’s vivid and shocking, brutal and beautiful. The magic and spectral world - the Dark Water - is utterly convincing, and the mystery of the spectral Ghistings who haunt both the Dark Water and dwell within the ships unravels just slowly enough to keep you tantalised. An astoundingly good book.

Dark Water Daughter by H. M. Long is an action-packed, swashbuckling Jacobean adventure that takes readers on a thrilling journey through treacherous waters. Set in a vividly portrayed world reminiscent of Pirates of the Caribbean, the novel follows Mary Firth, a Stormsinger with the power to control storms, and Samuel Rosser, a disgraced naval officer seeking redemption. As their paths intertwine, they navigate a world of magic, betrayal, and fierce women.

The captivating magical system, well-crafted characters, and dual point of view enhance the storytelling, while the historical detail and immersive setting of Tampa Bay add depth and authenticity. Dark Water Daughter is an enthralling read that promises an exciting start to the Winter Sea series.

While Dark Water Daughter has many strengths, there are a couple of drawbacks to note. Some readers might find the occasional info-dumping overwhelming, as the extensive information about characters and their relationships can be challenging to absorb. Additionally, there are a few unanswered questions that may leave readers craving more closure or further exploration in future books.

Nevertheless, the book's rich character development, exceptional world-building, and the genuine, tender relationship between Mary and Samuel make it a must-read for fans of action-packed fantasy tales. Overall, Dark Water Daughter is a captivating and thrilling adventure that promises to keep readers eagerly turning the pages, anticipating the next installment in the series.

Like so many good pirate stories, Dark Water Daughter begins with our protagonist, Mary Firth, about to be hanged. That was a sure way to catch my attention, particularly when that was immediately followed up with her dashing escape with a fellow prisoner. Up until this point Mary has spent all her life living in a ghistwold, which is a magical forest where the trees grow into the Other and are inhabited by spirits called ghisten. These trees are harvested and carved into ship figureheads and the ghisten will then protect its ship until the figurehead is burned or otherwise destroyed.
Mary herself is the daughter of the most powerful Stormsinger, though her mother has been missing for many years and Mary has presumed her lost forever. Mary has been trying to keep her own abilities under wraps for her entire life, but that goes awry as soon as she sings up a violent storm to escape the gallows and is sold to pirates. She brokers a deal with pirate captain James Demery to destroy Silvanus Lirr, a brutal pirate lord bent on destruction and pillaging, in order to free her mother who is serving as Lirr’s stormsinger. All the while, Mary keeps bumping into Samuel Rosser, a former navy man turned pirate hunter and the two develop a certain sense of admiration for one another.
This was a dashing sea-faring adventure full of peril, treasure, and fascinating magic. The various magical affinities were wonderful and learning how they work and interact with one another was one of my favorite parts of the story. Stormsingers use their voice to control winds and weather patterns, which as one would imagine is very useful to a ship’s captain. A Sooth can look into the Other, or Dark Water as some call it, and see visions and track other magic users. A Magni can sway emotions, which is terribly dangerous in the wrong hands.
The story is told in dual POV, featuring the occasional flashback to flesh out Mary’s journey from stormsinger in hiding to a convicted highwayman about to hang. I preferred Mary’s POV, mostly because she was at the forefront of the action and was always on the cusp of danger. Samuel Rosser’s POV chapters were largely spent dealing with his own inner demons and trying to track down Mary so that his captain might catch Silvanus Lirr. As the story progressed he grew on me but Mary remained my favorite.
Overall, this was a thrilling fantasy story perfect for fans of R.J. Barker’s Tide Child trilogy, which I would highly recommend if you haven’t read it! Dark Water Daughter is the first in H.M. Long’s The Winter Sea series and it looks as if the second book is expected to release in summer 2024, based on the author’s website.

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH. I have always been trying to find a novel that gives the same vibe and atmosphere as Pirates of the Caribbean, and I think I've finally found it. This was so engaging, paced perfectly with the right amount of character work and plot development. The original magic system was probably my favourite element, it was intriguing and complex but still easy enough to understand and I look forward to exploring in more in the sequels. Also the PERFECT amount of romance for me, 10/10 background enemies to lovers (sort of) side plot.

Cool cover, easy reading, and cool concept. Plus, we are in Tampa Bay, so pirates! Definitely will move in our libraries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan for the ARC.

This book was so good that I'm honestly struggling for words but I'll attempt to write a coherent review. I had heard absolutely amazing things about this, so I started reading as soon as I got the book downloaded. I was captivated from the very first lines. H. M. Long's prose is stunning and the book really starts out with a bang!

When we first meet Mary, she is trying to get out of being hung for looking like a notorious highwaywoman. She strikes a deal with a highwayman who is unfortunately tangled up with some pirates and causes Mary to get tangled up to them as well. She is a weather witch known as a stormsinger with the power to control weather through her voice, an attribute that makes her dangerously valuable to ship captains. Her mother warned her of the horrors of life at sea before disappearing and Mary is determined that her fate will be different from her mother's. Though Mary is pretty sure her mother isn't dead, she's not currently sure of her fate.

Samuel Rosser, our other protagonist, is a pirate hunter desperate to capture the notorious Lirr. He has unique magical abilities that lead him to believe that Mary, who keeps eluding him, is crucial to his success. We follow our protagonists through a variety of adventures and slowly learn more about the unique magic and creatures this world has to offer. I really loved how H. M. Long created new mythical beings to inhabit her world instead of just the mermaids and sea serpents we've come to expect from pirate fantasies. I also loved that this is a harsh, wintry sea instead of a tropical one. It just feels so fresh and exciting to read something so imaginative! And the little hints at potential romance were fantastic! I can't wait till book two and I'm glad there wasn't a big cliffhanger at the end!

This book opened with Mary awaiting her turn at the gallows and just kept rolling from there! I was hooked from the start, and with a swashbuckling crew of characters that we collect along the way, it was a constant ride.
Mary is a stormsinger (she can control the weather with her voice) which is a coveted commodity among the various parties who make their way on the seas. She is kidnapped and sold and has to figure out who to trust as she tries to find her mother and avoid the clutches of a dangerous pirate with the help of other pirates and pirate hunters. Samuel Rosser is a disgraced naval officer turned pirate hunter and finds himself in the orbit of Mary, especially when she steals a valuable talisman from him and he must follow her across oceans to retrieve it before his own power drives him mad.

While there was certainly a whole new world and magic system to learn, it wasn't hard to grasp and it was given at appropriate sections throughout the book so there was no big info dump. I really enjoyed Mary was no pushover and she really came into her own throughout the book. Overall, Dark Water Daughter was an incredibly enjoyable magical piratey read and I will definitely be continuing the series!