These Divided Shores audiobook

Vex...my boo. I’ll be patiently waiting for you.

Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Nathalie DeFeliceBefore I start, this is a review of the second and final book in the Stream Raiders duology, so please read the first book before you continue. It’s an amazing read, and lucky you, you won’t have long to wait to read the end if you start it now!So, with that said, let’s get into this review! The riveting conclusion to These Rebel Waves is here, and man is it going to leave a mark when you’re finished with it. There’s a lot of pressure building into this explosive conflict, and I was definitely here for it. It’s a clash of magic and religion, and at the center of it are Ben, Lu, and Vex. There were teeth gnashing moments where anything can happen, and I think readers will devour it just as I did. I would also warn that if you are triggered by torture, this might not be the book for you.We begin where These Rebel Waves left off, and that is with the capture of Ben and Lu, who are now Elazar’s prisoners, being forced to make a weapon to harness Grace Loray’s magic. Escape is inevitable, unless Lu becomes the person she never wanted to be again. Vex on the other hand, is free, but his shaking sickness is getting worse. However he throws himself into plotting the rebellion against Argrid, through the aid of the stream raider syndicates. Finally, Ben is determined to end his father’s rampage, but unfortunately, it seems he’s going to have to play the game his father’s way in order to win.From the beginning of this second book, I felt like things were dire. Our beloved characters are in dire straits and it seems things are only going to get worse before they get better. Lu especially is facing some incredibly terrible things, and my heart went out to her. Despite all the trauma though, there is still a softness that I feel that Ms. Raasch managed to capture within her. She was forced to become something she was never meant to be from a young age, but when faced with the burden of having to don the role again, decides that she must embody the change that needs to happen in the world. Now, whether it’s for good or bad, I can’t say because of spoilers, but all I will say is that my heart went out to Lu.Ben’s journey is also one that is rendered with hardship, and the conflict with his father is coming to a head. It’s from Ben’s perspective that I think readers get to see more of the internal religious struggle of a young man who’s lost his faith, but also understands how completely dismantling the system could have traumatic consequences. Of all the characters, he embodied the most caring spirit, in my opinion. I also felt like he had the softest of love interests, despite his rough exterior.Vex certainly struggled with a lot of things, and because I would spoil the story if I talked about it more, I’ll stop here. However, I will say that I loved how his relationship with Edda and Nayeli was explored in depth. Edda’s especially felt heartwarming. I felt like his crew came off as rough raider’s ready to blow everything out of the water in the first book, but seeing this new side to them really helped round them out. I felt that Nayeli grew the most, and her relationship with Cansu definitely blossomed into a complicated romance.With all the intense conflicts happening in this story, it’s hard to imagine the romance being anything else. And yet, the romances in this story provided this soft respite that I think readers need before they continue on this story of war. Each relationship is cultivated on equal terms (in my opinion), and they help each other grow and understand the world in a new perspective. I honestly wish there were some fan art out there because I am all for these relationships!I felt that the pacing was good, although some readers might disagree with me. There’s a lot of density within the book that needs to be processed, and while I’m a reader that tends to process the whole of a book once I’ve finished it, some might need to set the book down to think about what they’ve read before they continue on. One thing that I did have trouble with, and sometimes had to go back and read again, was the perspective shifting. It’s not as clear as other books would be with a separate chapter, but it’s also like this in These Rebel Waves, so I wasn’t completely taken by surprise.This book is a 9/10 for me. It’s an exceptional story, and a great end to this duology. I loved the characters and their journeys, although they could be a little hard to read at times. Like I said, if you’re easily triggered by torture, this might not be the book for you. However, if this doesn’t deter you, I encourage you to pick up this book. It’s such a great addition to any shelf, and I can’t wait for it to come out!

Well! I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed this book and how much I adored these characters. I’m so happy Ben, Gunner, Vex and Lu got those happy endings.

rep: gay mc, bi li, wlw side characters, poc casttw: torture, child abuse, death & murderi need abt three weeks to recover & then we can talk

5 stelle! Mi sono completamente innamorata di questa dilogia. Più un libro mi piace meno ho da dire, perché nella mia testa c'è solo un pensiero da dire "LEGGETTELO E AMATELO, LEGGETTELO E AMATELO, LEGGETTELO E AMATELO, LEGGETTELO E AMATELO, LEGGETTELO E AMATALO, LEGGETTELO E AMATELO"Ma proverò a spiegare le motivazioni per cui l'ho amato così tanto. Rispetto al primo è un fantasy più pesante emotivamente, in cui al centro ci sono le ferite che la guerra lascia. L'ho trovato un tema molto interessante, perché nei fantasy ya si parla sempre delle guerre che questi giovani eroi sono costretti a fare, ma poco delle conseguenze e dei traumi che queste guerre lasciano. Il tutto viene complicato dal fatto che c'è ancora una volta una battaglia per la supremazia di Grace Loray, che oltre a portare nuove ferite riapre anche quelle vecchie.Una cosa che ho apprezzato anche nel primo libro è che non c'è un gruppo "buono" e uno "cattivo". Tutte le forze in gioco hanno fatto delle scelte spregevoli, mostrando continuamente solo i lati umani di tutti. I personaggi sono ancora una volta scritti benissimo e danno vita ad una trama avvincente, che ti impedisce di staccarti dalla lettura. Pensavo che i plot twist fossero finiti ed invece la Raasch ne aveva ancora qualcuno nella manica. Anche se il libro si concentra sulla trama, c'è un sotto filone narrativo di romance e, ovviamente, ho amato anche questo. Le coppie riescono a trovare un loro spazio per evolversi, sia personalmente che nella relazione. Il filone narrativo di Ben, che nel primo libro era più distaccato dagli altri, in questo mi è piaciuto di più perché è strettamente legato alla trama principale. Il finale l'ho trovato perfetto, ma credo che ci sia spazio per ancora molte storie nel mondo di Grace Loray e non mi dispiacerebbe se un giorno la scrittrice tornasse, magari con delle storie sul background di alcuni personaggi secondari che sono stati accennati. Sarebbe molto interessante poterli approfondire.

I’m still surprised this duology isn’t more popular. With witty dialogue at its peak, Stream Raiders brings a shocking but effective mix of magic and religion. Lu gave up her innocence for revolution, and it was all for naught. Now she and Ben have become King Elazar’s pawns, forced to make a weapon that will turn his army into an indestructible force. If she wants to save Ben and the rest of Grace Loray, she’ll have to become the soldier she never wanted to be. Prince Ben has a greater task to fulfill, for to defeat his father, he has to destroy a whole religion. Vex can’t help them yet, not now, but he can aim to find union in the raider syndicates. He’s never seen himself as the hero, but maybe that’s not what Grace Loray needs to become a worthy opponent. The past is a despicable thing, easily forgotten, but it might be the key to their futures. Two weeks have passed since the events of These Rebel Waves, and Argrid, with regained control of Grace Loray, aims to get rid of a unified enemy: the immigrating raiders. The political intrigue only grows more complex, with the oppressor and his many manipulations returned. While I still wished for a greater outlay of the world outside of the Mainlands, the cultures that Raasch may have roughly avoided in the previous book undergo major exploration now. There are the Emerdians, masters of masonry, who take pride in physical possessions, and then the Grozdans, who value glory, ruthless strength and a good pay over everything. Those from the Mechtlands, on the other hand, are meant to be brutal warriors festered by clan wars. This diversity of cultures brought focus to the importance of religion and how it can either positively or negatively shape your mind. With the main history of the world set, Raasch declared it was time for thrills and the rush of adrenaline as well. Raasch is definitely a creative mastermind once she shapes a diverse world into reality, and I specifically delight in her descriptions of specific architecture. The setting of the Emerdian quarters was a magnificent spectacle to behold; with its architectural tricks and illusions turning every room into an inescapable labyrinth where magic becomes one’s worst nightmare. Vex is wrapped in grief and torment. His sense of responsibility is destroying him, and he’s keen on creating control on his own. He loathes himself to no end, never feeling like the hero, but now he’s done with running away from his identity and responsibility. Though he’s always been an improviser, he must be a strategist built upon calculations to win this war. As someone who believes in standing by someone throughout everything, his sensitivity is his greatest trait. It makes him wither in shame for his own scars, but eventually, he’ll come to realize he can design their power as well. Lu is emotionally drained, fueling her anger further. She has let go of her narrow-minded views, now always finding new questions to be answered. While she will always plunge on ahead, she has seen the necessity of companionship and respite as well. As she begins to depend upon others, she grows more positive in her abilities. Her pain might have made her hungry for revenge, but she refuses to become a weapon without heart or second-guessing like before. Ben has come to embrace his talents. His mind has grown stronger and stubborn, but his hearts has turned frailer. Constant loyalty is his drive now, contrary to his country, and empathy is still his gift. He has acknowledged he’ll never fully heal from his demons, and he’s constantly afraid of anyone abusing the connection to him. He feeds on hope, and his aim now is to make people heard through gratification, and to secure the future of the comrades he has come to care about.While Lu lost my interest here in some chapters, I’m sill convinced Raasch excels at portraying flawed characters. The relationships between them weren’t blissfully romanticized either, since individual healing and growing came first. This added a realistic but raw weight to the romance, and brought satisfying endings to their arcs. Though, the last pages rushed by quickly, and I feel like I still didn't comprehend every element introduced in this book, like the corruption of Menesia. Additionally, Elazar came off as a typical madman with pure evil as his only motivation, and that didn’t make him convincing nor frightening to me. Still, for a 4 star rating, there was so much value present in this book. One can never be finished with learning about others and the world as a whole. It was a lesson to embrace diverse nationalities, and to appreciate their traditions and qualities, for there is positivity and wonder in every conviction.

** spoiler alert ** Maddening. Impassioned. Jubilant. I say again, as I have said on These Rebel Waves : WOW. What a wild ride. I AM SO FREAKING INCREDIBLY SHOOK. But honestly, this book is about synergy, resilience, and redemption. From the moment I opened the book, I felt the wave of tension wafting from its pages, and it never seemed to die down until the end, keeping me on my toes and reading from behind my fingers.These Divided Shores completely upped the game with a new level of insanity that kept me furious and frustrated and terrified the entire time![image error] "For the love of whatever particular god you call holy," Vex shouted, "can you at least pretend not to be raging murderous toddlers?" A nail-biting thrill ride that will have you question where loyalty truly lies; what actions could be called justice or humane; what gods are actually out there listening; how much each person's soul could take being destroyed by this war. Lies, havoc, and false hopes run amok with the arrival of the Argridian King, so wicked and vile, the mere mention of him sends chills down my spine in revulsion. The intensity with which the King requires people to accompany their faith in the Pious God is alarming, and sometimes downright horrifying : to blindly follow something wholeheartedly with no questions asked because the only other option is persecution? **Chillsss** What kind of religion – even a fictional one – requires such strict and suffocating rules? The answer : there shouldn't be one. If there is, there's probably someone at the head trying to control the whole damn system. Y'all be warned . . . •_• "How do you fight a war when the enemy wants not land or wealth, but hearts and souls?" Permanent magic wasn't the most dangerous weapon to bring to war. Devotion was. And Elazar had already mastered it. All the while, all the characters I love are being pulled apart not just by the division of the raiders or their countries or their faith, but by their own opinions of themselves : how undeserving they feel they are of anything good in the world — of Ben, unworthy of living in truth because of the sins he's committed; of Lu, unworthy of peace for the island she feels she betrayed; of Vex, unworthy of happiness for all the people he has failed. I could actually feel the rift and divide among the groups and individuals – so heavy in the air, I could almost touch it. For every one of their heartbreaks, my own heart broke with them; and then triumphantly sang along with each simple joy they found amid the chaos : "Thanks," he said. And then, because he needed to see her smile, "Princesa."Lu's gaze shot up to his. She rolled her eyes at him and smiled, a slight crook to her lips before she walked away. Ben steeled himself, holding on to the growing question in Gunnar's eyes. "We are equals. It is a trade of service. You are not bound to me by anything else."Gunnar's confusion lifted in a small smile. "Equals. I like that." The world building and its magic system are so unique; so vivid with the distinct cultures and beliefs of each syndicate, combined with the passion they carry to see all of them freed and victorious in this war – everything about Grace Loray begged me to stay to behold the evolution of the island and its peoples finally coming together in peace. The same goes to witness Ben – precious and loving and selfless Ben – ruling over a better Argrid, no longer with uncertainty and religious dread for he will at long last be alongside someone who inspires honesty and fearlessness, to see the new world through. (Crossing my fingers and toes for a spinoff with Ben & Gunnar leading Argrid and helping the Mechtlands 😭♥️)I never thought I'd be into political intrigue stories, but I love how Ms. Raasch has introduced me to it with this series. As it delves into corruption, justice, war (and even religion), the story brings out a deeper sense of humanity, which I revel in the most, and was definitely explored in these books. Each of the main characters’ inner (and outer) turmoils were very well fleshed out, I'd cried for how tragic they all were. And then couldn't stop smiling when they were resolved so beautifully. My heart will forever go out to Lu, Vex, Ben, and Gunnar too.Don't even get me started on the plot twists – they're sneaky little urchins that will jump out of nowhere to hit you with a ton of bricks 🥴I do recommend reading the duology back-to-back because the story would feel much more dire and exciting that way! It almost feels like a privilege getting to dive back into this world – it is much more immersive than These Rebel Waves, which I was already knee-deep into, whereas These Divided Shores completely submerged me underwater, drowning me with so much love for Grace Loray that I never wanted to leave. To be able to unlock new secrets from the past and realize how much each character has suffered more than we already knew – it was heartbreaking, being privy to these revelations, and as a reader only wanting to hold their hands in moments when they're in disgrace.I wholly adore the relationships these characters have built together, despite the divide the war has forced upon them :Of Lu and Ben – both driving forces (or tools?) of opposing lands, who are incredibly tender and care so much for each other.Of the wild Nayeli keeping studious Lu in constant check (how the tables have turned!)Of Rosalia and Nate and Pierce, who are bombshells on their own, are friendly enough with each other despite their pesky arrogance and being from different syndicates.Of Ben and Gunnar building each other up in times of doubt, never wanting the other to feel as if they were alone; both needing to protect each other, even if it cost them their lives.Of Kari and Lu – the unconditional love of a parent who never saw Lu as the monster she kept calling herself, but only as a victim of a lifelong war she never deserved to live through; and their shared hurt of betrayal from Tom only brought Kari and Lu closer together. I crave more parent-child relationships in fiction, and this bond of theirs was a true gem.Even that of Jakes and Teo – to learn that Jakes hasn’t lost everything; that after years of scheming and deceit and the defeat of the King, he has something new to live for, and I love how Teo is such a bright light on his own in a world full of tragedy. He will be good for that asshole uncle of his (whom I still want to strangle!)Of Vex and Nayeli and Edda, the original mismatched crew – I’m so glad we were given a glimpse into how they came to be together; how much deeper their connection went; how much they needed each other through everything they survived.My favorite of all being the bond between Vex and Ben – of the love they have for each other, so strong that lies and betrayal and even death could not snuff it out. Of Ben turning to his cousin for reassurance when he’s uncertain, and of Vex’s unyielding belief in Ben’s ability to lead. I am so overjoyed that they have each other : Irmáns, para sempre.Each of them pulled through in the end, finding solace and strength with each other. I admire the courage they’ve shown amid their fears of unworthiness, because there must be more to life than dread and war and divide, mustn’t there? "What if I'm not as brave as you are?""You will be one day. You won't even feel it happen—something will become more important to you than fear, and you will find yourself doing amazing things." To revel in each of them finding absolution for their past lives – it was absolutely invigorating, and freeing, and glorious. Lu, Vex, Ben, and Gunnar : You deserve the world. I love you all forever. ♥️✨

You know, it's weird. Patrons at work kept asking me if I liked this book and I kept going 'ehhhhhh' mostly because describing the book would take entirely too long for a library checkout.But I liked it. I really did. I think the whole magic system was refreshing and new and fascinating. I found the whole cast of characters to be relatable in a way and real. They all have weaknesses that were thoroughly explored (and exploited) and that was what made them enjoyable to me. The plot was somewhat complicated and yet simplistic at the same time. We know they're fighting madness that will stop at nothing, but the questions of lineage was interesting.Lu and Vex may be OTP, but Ben and Gunnar???? ABSOLUTE PERFECTION.Overall, this is a series I can see myself rereading and learning more about the world. I'm definitely glad I bought them!

I loved this book so much with its painful and equally happy parts all that is what made this book so great. All of what what happens in this book it took awhile but it finally did get to a happy ending there was so much pain and grief in between the bits of happiness. I loved the characters even more i this finale I loved the romance that finally got somewhere between each couple I loved Vex and Lu together and I especially loved Ben and Gunnar together they just mesh so well together. I really loved how far each of the main characters came each of them have someone to rely on. I loved the plot so much it starts right where it left off and moves at a pretty break neck pace with so much happening in every part of the story you could really feel the pain each of them went through. I really loved the ending everyone finally got the happy ending they deserved.

My favourite thing about this book was the adventure pacing, it begins where the first book left off and things progress as you expect them to progress. Even though it felt very predictable, at all points, the fun of it kept me hooked. There were things that I was hoping for more of (Ben and Gunnar) and things that I was hoping for less of (plot device kid) but I really enjoyed this duology. Fantasy, pirates, adventure, banter and drama; it's not amazing and I think it'll fade in my mind quite quickly but I was so entertained and satisfied.

Magic, medicine, religion and war stand side by side as the final pieces move into place to determine the fate of Grace Loray. “The Divided Shores” follows our favorite band of rebels after the events of book 1 where hatred is breeding violence at the hand of the King and Lu is forced to come to the truth about her father. As the tides of the war change allies must be forged in the strangest of places and as each island falls the fate of Grace Loray will be revealed. I really love all of the main players in this story and I like how much we get to see of them either together or alone as they navigate the beginnings of a war and how their choices ripple out to affect the others. I can’t get enough of Vex and Lu who are both so broken in this sequel but manage to find quiet moments to themselves even if there’s few and far between. The coming together of the Raiders and admitting past faults was so powerful and there were a couple of scenes where you could feel the weight of the moment as the characters stood their ground or bowed to those in an act of forgiveness and I loved every second. There’s a lot here with the corruption of power and it’s answered so beautifully with the selflessness that comes with owning your mistakes and seeing the suffering of others and vowing to make a change. I really loved this series and I couldn’t think of a better conclusion for this kind of story even if I wish to see my favorites spend some time away from the fighting and get the relaxing vacation they all deserve but hey there’s always bonus content right? **special thanks to edelweiss and the publishers for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**