Sweet Black Waves

April 23, 2018
Debut author Pérez’s retelling of Tristan and Iseult, the first book in a trilogy, is set in the land of Iveriu and features Lady Branwen, Princess Iseult’s orphaned cousin. Although Branny is Essy’s maid, the teenagers are as close as sisters until Branny falls for Tristan, a prince from the enemy nation of Kernyv. Tristan aims to secure peace by brokering Essy’s engagement to King Marc, his uncle. Essy’s father, King Óengus, agrees to the union, but Essy loves another man and is determined to quash the deal. Branny values Essy’s happiness, yet she recognizes that an arranged marriage would benefit both Iveriu and her relationship with Tristan, so she resolves to get Essy on board—even if doing so requires magic and trickery. Pérez’s characters are complex, and the bond between Branwen and Essy comes across as authentic, although the tale’s romance doesn’t feel genuinely earned. The story’s mystical elements are confusing and awkwardly incorporated, which slows the pace and muddies the plot, but Pérez closes with a devastating cliff-hanger that will leave readers eager for a sequel. Ages 14–18. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties.

May 15, 2018
A tempestuous fantasy debut, the first in a trilogy, adapts the legend of Tristan and Isolde."I hate and I love." Lady Branwen--lady-in-waiting, elder cousin, and best friend to Princess Eseult--is ruled by love for the land of Iveriu and its royal family and loathing toward Kernyv, whose pirates murdered her parents. So why does the Otherworld nudge her to save a shipwrecked Kernyvman whose true identity endangers both kingdoms? Debut author Pérez captures an alternative Ireland and Cornwall rich in authentic medieval details and steeped in Celtic myth. From the Queen who mystically embodies the Land to the princess whose petulant selfishness courts disaster, the female characters are vivid, powerful, and passionate. Branwen especially burns with loyal devotion for her unworthy cousin, near-instantaneous lust for her erstwhile foe, and rage, bitterness, grief, jealousy, and ecstasy as she gradually surrenders to the Otherworld's purposes. However, Tristan, whose "bronze" complexion (a legacy of African forebears) contrasts markedly with the pale skin of the others, serves mostly as a blandly idealized love interest; the other male characters are all villainous or negligible. The prose wavers between poetic and purple, clogged with metaphor and symbolism. The unrelenting barrage of violence, tenderness, horror, and wonder becomes so exhausting that the heartbreak of the climactic cliffhanger is almost a relief.A thrilling roller coaster for readers craving "the feels"; a melodramatic slog for the rest. (Fantasy. 12-18)

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June 1, 2018

Gr 9 Up-A fantasy retelling of Tristan and Iseult from the deft hands of medieval scholar Pérez. This series opener features a detailed world of two kingdoms divided by hate and a body of water. Branwen is lady-in-waiting, cousin, and best friend to Essy, Princess of Iveriu. Iveriu has been at war with Kernyveu for decades, and Branwen's parents were killed by raiders from Kernyveu. She understandably vows her loyalty to her own kingdom. A stranger washes up on the beach, and Branwen saves his life only to realize that he is her sworn enemy. Tantris is in bad shape, but she nurses him back to health and finds that she has feelings for him despite her love for Iveriu. Branwen also discovers that she has magic within her and must learn to use it to protect her lands. Set sail on a swashbuckling adventure that is lush with magic, pirates, bravery, kingdoms, love, and faith. This debut will bring readers to tears and they'll be on edge for book two. Give to fans of Kristin Cashore's Graceling and Jessica Leake's Beyond a Darkened Shore. VERDICT Highly recommended for every YA romance/fantasy collection.-Pamela Thompson, Col. John O. Ensor Middle School, El Paso, TX

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2018
Grades 9-12 P�rez takes on the legend of Tristan and Iseult through the character of Iseult's cousin Branwen. Orphaned as a child when rival Kernyveu killed her parents, Branwen has been lovingly brought up at court with her younger cousin Iseult. Branwen's gift for magical healing has been nurtured by Iseult's mother, the queen, but while Branwen is technically noble, she is very aware of her position as lady-in-waiting rather than star royalty. When Branwen finds a breathtakingly handsome Kernyvman washed up on the beach and saves his life, she realizes she's just saved?and fallen for?her sworn enemy. P�rez is at her best when she focuses on the relationship between cousins Branwen and Iseult: loving, competitive, symbiotic, and genuine. This first title in an anticipated trilogy is long on romance-novel contrivances and gore, but also hints at more profound territory. A cliff-hanger ending precedes a glossary and information on sources, literary transmission, and world building.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)