Review: The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas

The Perilous Sea

Author: Sherry Thomas

Series: The Elemental Trilogy

Pages: 414

Publisher/Source: Balzer & Bray

Release date: 16^th September 2014

Synopsis (Goodreads)

After spending the summer away from each other, Titus and Iolanthe (still disguised as Archer Fairfax) are eager to return to Eton College to resume their training to fight the Bane. Although no longer bound to Titus by a blood oath, Iolanthe is more committed than ever to fulfilling her destiny—especially with the agents of Atlantis quickly closing in.

Soon after arriving at school, though, Titus makes a shocking discovery, one that makes him question everything he previously believed about their mission. Faced with this devastating realization, Iolanthe is forced to come to terms with her new role, while Titus must choose between following his mother's prophecies—and forging a divergent path to an unknowable future.

Review: 5 out of 5 stars

It took me a little while to fully appreciate The Burning Sky, the first book in the series; I found the world-building utterly confusing but by the ending I was fully invested in the story and in the wonderful characters so I was eager to read the sequel.

The Perilous Sea picks up shortly after The Burning Sky left off. Titus has not seen Iolanthe Seabourne who is still disguised as Archer Fairfax in months as he has been attending to his princely duties so when they are reunited they need to recommence their training to fight and eventually bring down the Bane. Sherry Thomas certainly kept up the excitement in this instalment and I’m pleased to say it didn’t suffer from middle book in a series syndrome, it was brilliant!

This book is written in two different timelines simultaneously, each alternate chapter jumps between the present with the MC’s at Eton and the past where they wake up in The Sahara desert with Atlantis agents on their heels and no memory; each chapter ends with a cliff-hanger, it is not a format I tend to enjoy but in this instance it worked very well and came together nicely in the end. The magic is further established and I gained a better understanding of the Crucible and its functionality. Everything from the beginning to the end of this book was unpredictable, I had no idea what to expect which I absolutely loved, the element of surprise kept me glued to the pages wanting more.

We learn more about the secondary characters, especially Wintervale and Kashkari in this book; they each play a pivotal role and are further developed. The clever, creative plot is fast-paced and filled with many surprising twists and turns, we learn more about the evil Bane and the purpose. We also see Titus doubt his deceased mother, a Seer and her prophecies. Titus must decide how much to trust his destiny as seen by his mother and how much to trust his own instinct and Iolanthe must decide how much she is willing to give up and to fight for; they were both in difficult predicaments.

The writing is amazingly wonderful! The dialogue and witty banter is written to perfection and Sherry Thomas has written a romance that I absolutely love and despite Titus annoying me on occasion, he never stopped reassuring Iolanthe of his feelings for her, their chemistry is off the charts.

Overall, the plot, the world building and the writing is excellent, it was emotionally intense. The ending left me on the edge of my seat waiting in anticipation for what would happen! It was fabulous and I can’t wait to get hold of the final book in the series.

Thank you to Balzer & Bray via Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas.

About the author: Sherry Thomas writes both historical romance and young adult fantasy. 

On the romance side, she is one of the most acclaimed authors working in the genre today, her books regularly receiving starred reviews and best-of-the-year honors from trade publications. She is also a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA® Award.

On the young adult fantasy side, there isn't much to say yet, as her debut book is not scheduled for publication until September 2013. 

Sherry writes in her second language. She learned English by reading lots of romance and science fiction--every word Isaac Asimov ever wrote, in fact. She is proud to say that her son is her biggest fanboy--for the YA fantasy, not the romances. At least, not yet...

"Sherry Thomas is the most powerfully original historical romance author writing today."—Lisa Kleypas, New York Times bestselling author 

“Thomas weaves a lush, intricate fantasy world around a gorgeous romance that kept me riveted until the very last page. What a breathtaking journey!” (Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of the Legend series )

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