Monday, December 21, 2015

Review: Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman


Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: February 9, 2016
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Blackbeard the pirate was known for striking fear in the hearts of the bravest of sailors. But once he was just a young man who dreamed of leaving his rigid life behind to chase adventure in faraway lands. Nothing could stop him—until he met the one girl who would change everything.

Edward "Teach" Drummond, son of one of Bristol's richest merchants, has just returned from a year-long journey on the high seas to find his life in shambles. Betrothed to a girl he doesn’t love and sick of the high society he was born into, Teach dreams only of returning to the vast ocean he’d begun to call home. There's just one problem: convincing his father to let him leave and never come back.

Following her parents' deaths, Anne Barrett is left penniless and soon to be homeless. Though she’s barely worked a day in her life, Anne is forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Master Drummond. Lonely days stretch into weeks, and Anne longs for escape. How will she ever realize her dream of sailing to CuraƧao—where her mother was born—when she's stuck in England? 

From the moment Teach and Anne meet, they set the world ablaze. Drawn to each other, they’re trapped by society and their own circumstances. Faced with an impossible choice, they must decide to chase their dreams and go, or follow their hearts and stay.

What I Liked:

I'm actually kind of mad at this book right now - how dare it end that way! The book was excellent, such a good read, until the ending. Rationally I know I probably should have expected the ending, given Blackbeard's true history, but it still made me bitter. Anyway, the book is REALLY good. The ending is... not.

Anne is a maid in the Drummond household, despite the fact that her father was a merchant. Her mother was a West Indian slave in his household, and so Anne's mixed heritage does her no favors. When Master Drummond's son Edward ("Teach") returns from a year at sea, everything in the Drummond household changes. Teach's engagement progresses, which brings his awful fiancee to the house often. But from the moment Teach and Anne meet, it's like lightning, fire, fate. Teach knows he shouldn't be interested in the help, but Anne seems like more than a maid to him. Anne knows she shouldn't be interested in the master's son, but Teach is so much more than a wealthy man's son...

This book is written in third-person dual POV, switching between Anne and Teach, starting with Anne. This is my favorite type of narration (third-person dual), and Castroman writes it well. I loved seeing the story unfold from both sides. Usually I'll end up loving one character and feeling kind of meh about the other - not the case here!

Anne is a lovely and complex character. She's judged everywhere she goes, because she's of mixed heritage (white father, West Indian mother). She was sent to the Drummond household to work. Anne is the only one of the household who knows who her father was (a rather important man), and so she knows she isn't supposed to be a maid. She longs to be free, to go to the West Indies, to stretch her wings and fly.

Meeting Edward was an experience. Edward "Teach" Drummond is a huge man, well-educated and clever, but also weighed down by his father's expectations. He's expected to marry a baron's daughter, and he's expected never to travel and sail again, after getting married. But meeting a certain maid changed things drastically. I liked Teach's intelligence and his kindness and his persistence.

The story is very much centered around Anne and Teach, as well as Teach's upcoming marriage. I loved seeing the two of them interact, and eventually fall for each other. While I kind of found their relationship to be unrealistic, I did like it. I never liked Teach's fiancee, Patience, and I'm glad she got what she deserved in the end. No love triangle. Cute and sweet romance.

I enjoyed Teach and Anne's mutual struggle for independence, and seeing them grow into what they wanted, rather than what they thought they wanted initially. I loved the climax of this book - finally, wrongs are righted!

But... the ending. Overall, I actually really liked this book. Just the ending really bothered me.

What I Did Not Like:

I could look past the unrealistic romance. Teach, a wealthy man's son, magically falling for a maid of mixed heritage? It seems to unlikely, from the late 1600s. He, like everyone else, should be disgusted by her heritage (the prejudice of the time), even if his travels have opened his eyes a little. What did Columbus and Spain and all those colonizing superpowers do to indigenous people (people of color?) Enslave them. Hate them. Think of them as lower than human. So why was Teach different? And why did he treat Anne with kindness? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he did. But it's unrealistic. If he thought she was so beautiful (which he did), typical males of time who were masters of the house forced themselves on the help.

But anyway. I could stretch my imagination and look past that.

The ending, however, could not be ignored. It's bad. Real bad. Cliffhanger might begin to cover it, except that there are no contracted sequels (or even just one book to follow). This is a standalone. Don't believe me? Read the Rights Report on Publishers Weekly. I also asked the author outright - no contracted sequel. This crushed me. The ending is so painful - especially knowing that there will most likely never be a book to follow. 

And if we think it through - historically speaking, Blackbeard had 14 wives. And his ship is called Queen Anne's Revenge. Sooo... some things technically make sense. BUT. This is supposed to be a fictional retelling ISH of the Blackbeard story! Why the cruel ending!? Cruel isn't even a good word for the ending - merciless? Horrible? RUDE? I was not okay. Still not okay.

Would I Recommend It:

Heh. This is hard to say. On the one hand, I absolutely loved everything about this book up until the last 10% or so. On the other hand, the last 10% was bad. And "bad" not meaning the author's writing was bad, or it was poorly constructed or written or anything, but bad as in heartbreaking and cruel and unforgivable. I'm one of those readers that needs to be satisfied on one or two counts if you're going to write a standalone... one of those counts was ruined, in this book's ending.

Rating:

3 stars. All because of the ending. If I knew there was a contracted sequel, this book would get 4 stars. But the author is only contracted for this one book, and she says she has "ideas for another" - meaning she isn't even writing one (and there is no contract for one, so it makes sense). Ugh! I need a good HEA!



Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

24 comments:

  1. Too bad about the ending -- gah, I hate it when everything in a book is going well and then it falls apart =/ I shall prepare myself for the cruel ending!

    Also, yup the 1600s inter-racial romance does seem quite unlikely.

    I'll definitely keep all you said when I start the book soon. I really appreciate the honesty of your review!

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    1. It kind of doused the lovely flame of this book! I hope you are able to enjoy it regardless, Sajda. :) Thank you!

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  2. While I love this book, I could understand how you feel about the ending! It kinda bothered me too, and I was hoping that there would be a sequel. Anyway, great review!

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    1. Right? It made me sad and mad all at once! I'm sure S&S will contract a sequel if they have good reader response (i.e. Blackhearts really sells).

      Thank you, Tiffany!

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  3. Uh oh... now I'm all worried about the ending of this one! I really want to read it but boy... the ending issue has me really worried, damn it! =(

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    1. It was just so bad, Pili. These types of endings make me sick. Good read but terrible ending! I honestly regret reading this book. :/

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  4. I'm so torn about this book. I've heard a lot of great things about it, but I'm not much of a Pirate fan (Gasp! I know!!!! But Jack Sparrow aside, I'm not). So now knowing about the cliffhanger and the fact that there are no other books contracted... meh. I think I'll wait! <3

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    1. Everyone who loved it is thinking that there will be a sequel... in all likelihood, there won't be. It's NOT a pirate book - it's Edward's life before piracy was ever a thought in his brain.

      Definitely wait to see if S&S will buy at least one more book! D:

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  5. I was wondering about this one and am so happy you read and reviewed it! Your reviews are always very informative and helpful! I read them often even if I don't comment. But I'm going to not read this based on your thoughts. I suspected it would be a bad end, but this confirms that I couldn't handle it!! If she does make sequels, I'll consider it. But this is why I struggle with prequels about characters we know aren't going to have traditional HEAs. It's hard to read the early happy knowing what is to come. Happy review and happy holidays!

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    1. Of course - you're welcome! And thank YOU! Yup, I remember going into this book thinking, Blackbeard had 14 wives. His ship was Queen Anne's Revenge. REVENGE. This book can't end well. But... I hoped. And unfortunately this book crushed me, in the last 10%. Exactly what you said about prequels! :/

      Thank you for the lovely comment, Lauren! Same to you. ^_^

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  6. Awww sorry to hear this one was good until the ending. I hate when I'm really into a book and then the ending just crushes it. I think I'll be skipping this one.

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    1. I was so into it too! The climax came and went and I was like oh this isn't so bad... and then the last 10% hit me in the face. :( I think you're making a good choice, honestly!

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  7. the ending definitely got to me too! i read this earlier in the year (i think I gave it like 4.5 stars, not sure) BUT THE ENDING. it broke my heart. i loved the book but that ending made me cry :(

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    1. See, I would have given this book something like that (4-4.5 stars) if there were a sequel that would be published! But no... and so the rating dropped. Even if S&S goes and buys a sequel, this one will still have the 3-star rating from me. I SO want a sequel though!

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  8. I just skimmed your review, as I am reading it right now. I hope that there is a sequel in the works, if I am going to be left hanging!

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    1. I have a feeling you will enjoy the book, until the ending! Hopefully Simon and Schuster buys a sequel but I'm keeping my expectations low. :/

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  9. I just read this book too! I loved it! I had a few problems with this book (mostly with Teach), but I really really liked it overall. I like cliffhangers generally, but if that is how it is going to end in general?!? NO! And now that I know what Blackbeard's ship was named, I'm not even holding my breath for any kind of happy conclusion. Great review!

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    1. Unless S&S buys more... this is how it ends! IF they buy another novel (or two or three or ten) - I'll definitely read them! I adored the book (minus the ending) so I would love to see the story continue. Cross your fingers!

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  10. Ugh :( I'm so sorry that this ending was so awful. Sniffs. That's not good at all. Ahhh. I think the book sounds exciting :D And no love triangle? YAY. And good romance? YAY :D But that ending. I WISH TO KNOW. I must know how it ends. Ahhhh. I have not pre-ordered this one.. and I don't think that I will, lol. Will probably wait for a sequel. That may never arrive. Ugh. But so glad you liked the beginning of the book sweetie. <3 Hugs.

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    1. And it's literally just the ending that bothered me! Maybe see if there will be a sequel, as you said. It'll make the ending of this much more painful!

      Thank you, Carina!

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  11. Oh no, I don't like non-HEA but at the same time I can appreciate when authors have the balls to do it. As long as it's true to the story and not just thrown in for shock value *cough* Allegiant *cough*

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    1. HAHAHA GIRL. You are so right. I think the author would possibly like to do more with the story, but it depends on S&S! Kind of like An Ember in the Ashes... except with a meaner ending! lol

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  12. Oh no!!!! I felt hesitant, yet curious about this one! I love a good backstory to a famous pirate and such. But such an ending that leaves you devastated?! I don't know if my heart can take that, and yet...still curious! I must be a glutton for punishment! LOL!

    Very nice review!

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    1. Ha! You may absolutely adore this one, despite my weird back-and-forth review, and the ending. I hope you do!

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