It’s
Friday! I have to admit I am so ready
for my weekend. I’m about ready to call
it a day/night here soon but first some errands to run and most important and
what you’re really interested in…my full thoughts and feels on Blackhearts by
Nicole Castroman, her debut novel. I
received an early ARC in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. Thank you!
Rating: 5
Stars!
I’m
typing this review having only finished last night. I am completely in shock still and just
reeling for more of this beautiful and amazing story. Seriously, I spent the hour after finishing
on the internet asking every search engine, book site, and everything I could
think of for more. I wasn’t ready for it
to be over. I’m still not. If it’s not clear I LOVE this book!
For
those of you who are not familiar with the title it comes out this month,
February 9th, and follows the legend of Blackbeard the pirate before
he was Blackbeard. When he was just a
man named Edward “Teach” Drummond and wanted to leave his life as a merchants
son to chase adventure on a ship and escape the duty of his life. We also follow Anne, left penniless and in a
bad way after her parents deaths she is put to work in the kitchen of Master
Drummond. In the life of a maid, one she
never expected, she longs for escape, to sail away from England to the islands
where her mother grew up. When Teach and
Anne meet things are anything but friendly but they both have much in common
despite society and circumstances trying to keep them at odds. Dreams and hearts are dangerous things.
Warning
to anyone who is expecting a pirate story.
This is not it in the classic sense.
This is before the swashbuckling days, what made Blackbeard. Blackhearts takes place on land. I went in thinking I would see some
pirate-like things myself, and while it didn’t have what I expected, it had so
much of everything else I didn’t think to expect that I didn’t even miss them. Just so you know what you’re going into. Oh and the feels. I have some serious feels.
Let’s
start with Anne. She is such a great
character to introduce us to the story.
She is a new maid in the house of a cranky older man and her fellow
servants don’t even like her. Hard
life. But as she is learning this new
world, being thrust into it for only a short time and learning the hard way,
she is inspiring. Anne is different, her
mother was a former slave and her father a well-respected businessmen and
merchant who loved her, still given the time it was not known to many. While he lived she was his daughter and
while not out in society was still educated, opinionated, and strong willed. To go from that life of a quite happiness to
a maid working day in and out would be a hard adjustment. Everything she has gone through to the point
of our story begins has made her such a diverse character I really enjoyed
reading. She is very self-aware of her flaws and disadvantages and tries to
compensate for them when possible. She
thinks! She is for the most part
rational.
Then
we have Teach. Okay the name does get
some getting used to but I after a while it grows on you. He is abrupt and not very likeable in the
start but as the reader gets to know him and see what’s in his head and the
reasons behind his actions then his actions are seen in another light. He is trapped just as much as Anne though in
the opposite way of Anne. While she has
no money, his father is very well off, both ends of the spectrum are a
leash. Society demands a lot from the
affluent, particularly his father who wishes to rise higher and cares little
for his sons’ wish of freedom and adventure.
What better way than an advantageous marriage, to Miss Patience,
guaranteeing he will never go back on a ship.
The
plot of the story and how these two stories intertwined was amazing and the
connection between the two was a slow and natural build as they grew to know
one another and not hate each other.
They are of different statuses and that impacts their views and
interactions. Blackhearts also deals
with the issues of race, class, and standing instead of pushing them aside. My only real concern
for the book is that I went in thinking it was a stand-alone story but the
ending…well there are open endings and then there are way too open for me and
might take away half a star but as I have no confirmation either way and I'm
still basking in the glow and hoping for the best.
I'd
love to hear your thoughts on the book in the comments below. Have you already had the chance to read
it? Can't wait for Tuesday? What part drew you in? Please share I'm bursting with feels and
opinions! Stay tuned tomorrow for my
Stacking Shelves to see what books I've collected this past month!
Until
next time…
Hello
everyone! Another Monday, and if your
weekend was anything like mine it flew by in the blink of an eye leaving you
wanting more. I'm pretty sure mine has
something to do with getting my sleep schedule off but it was worth it. If you remember I was going to the
Blackhearts (review) event in Decatur at the wonderful Little Shop of Stories, they always
have such fun events. I had so much fun
there and even made some new friends!
While there I also had a second copy signed to give away to one of you
lovely readers along with some bookmarks and post cards so yay stay tuned for
that at the bottom. 
