teen audio fiction (~10 hrs, or 8hrs 20min at 1.2x speed) book 1 of 2 in series; API/Hawaiian author - Nix travels with her father and crew on a time traveling ship through foggy seas--anywhere can be a destination, if they have the right map--in search of a time when her mother (who died in 19th century Hawaii when Nix was born) is alive.

fun time-traveling adventure filled with magical details--mythological creatures and all sorts of cool world-building details, plus a love triangle in which our heroine Nix is caught between her long-time friend and crewmate (and practiced thief) Kashmir and the son of a potential enemy in pre-colonial Hawaii. ( )

The plot sounded super interesting but the characters were 2D and never jumped off the page. ( )

I was very much loving the premise of this book, but it caught the doldrums, wavering in the middle with too much stuff and not enough action. ( )

I absolutely loved this story of young Nix who lives aboard a pirate ship that can travel not only through space and time, but also through myth and imagination. The prose was elegant and flowing, the dialogue was both natural and oh-so-sparkly, and the scenery was simply incredible. Wherever the boat is docked, Heilig has a complete command of what she’s describing. Her research and attention to detail, her use of myths and history from around the globe - all of this comes together to weave a compelling story that is impressively evocative of fascinating times and places, even as it embraces the fantastic with beauty and charm. ( )

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

This was a truly great read! I absolutely loved the concept of a time-travelling ship, and the way it was executed... wow! This book takes us around the world and for a stroll down history avenue, with spectacular times and places seen. I couldn't get enough of them!

I adored the relationships between various characters, particularly Nix and her father. It was clear from the start that the Captain was a very tormented man, struggling to reach a past where the love of his life was still alive, willing to risk everything for her. I really liked how his character and his relationship with his daughter developed throughout the book. Initially, Nix really doesn't understand her father's obsession but still keeps helping him to reach his objective even though she fears his success may mean her destruction. I love books that feature a good father-daughter relation, and this was definitely one of them!

I also fell completely mildly in love with the rest of the crew. The diversity of the other characters was amazing, both in terms of nationalities and sexualities portrayed! I really enjoyed all the scenes where the other "pirates" were active, and their banter and unconditional support really made all the difference in showing the way in which life on the Temptation was really just that of a big family of misfits. And the romance was absolutely adorable! I am a big fan of the friends-turned-lovers trope, so this is definitely a couple I was shipping hard!

Overall, a great read and an amazing start to a new series. I can't wait to read the sequel! ( )