Review: These Rebel Waves

Author: Sara Raasch Publisher: Balzer + Bray

ISBN: 139780062471505

My rating: 4/5

Summary

Adeluna is a soldier. Five years ago, she helped the magic-rich island of Grace Loray overthrow its oppressor, Argrid, a country ruled by religion. But adjusting to postwar life has not been easy. When an Argridian delegate vanishes during peace talks with Grace Loray's new Council, Argrid demands brutal justice - but Lu suspects something more dangerous is at work.

Devereux is a pirate. As one of the outlaws called stream raiders who run rampant on Grace Loray, he pirates the island's magic plants and sells them on the black market. But after Argrid accuses raiders of the diplomat's abduction, Vex becomes a target. An expert navigator, he agrees to help Lu find the Argridian - but the truth they uncover could be deadlier than any war.

Benat is a heretic. The crown prince of Argrid, he harbors a secret obsession with Grace Loray's forbidden magic. When Ben's father, the king, gives him the shocking task of reversing Argrid's fear of magic, Ben has to decide if one prince can change a devout country - or if he's building his own pyre.

As conspiracies arise, Lu, Vex, and Ben will have to decided who they really are... and what they are willing to become for peace.

My reading experience

The first book I've read by Sara Raasch was Snow like Ashes and I remember I didn't like it that much, so I didn't continue the rest of the series. When I received These Rebel Waves, I didn't know what to expect about the book. A story about magical plants, religion and pirates sounded interesting to me and although I started the book without expectations, I was very surprised about how much I enjoyed it.

The book start at the magical island of Grace Loray where we meet Lu and Vex, both very unique characters. Lu is a serious and brave girl, while Vex is more a funny character. They meet by accidence, but this meeting is very important for the rest of story. Besides them we also have Ben, the crown prince of Argrid, and his story takes largely place on Argrid. I loved all three of the main characters and I also liked the crew of Vex a lot! I think they make the story interesting, because they all had a difficult past. The more you read, the more you learn about them.

This book was such a thrilling read, because there happens a lot in it. Near the ending there are some surprising plot twists, and I loved them. I really didn't see that coming! They made me so curious about the last chapters. At the ending there is a huge cliffhanger and I can't wait to read These Divided Shores!

Although I thought the beginning of the book was a bit boring, I ended up really enjoying it! I also liked the writing style of the author. Between some chapters there are illustrations of some magical plants and it's also including information about them. I thinks this is a great extra addition to the story. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy books about revolution caused by religion, magical botanics and pirates! Besides that, this book is also a lovely summer read!