Review: Black Heart by Justin Somper

Black Heart is the fourth book in the Vampirates series, a series which tells the tale of vampire pirates! It follows the adventures of two teenage twins, Grace and Connor Tempest, after they are shipwrecked and rescued by two very different ships. Connor is rescued by an ordinary pirate ship, while Grace is saved by the mysterious vampirates’ ship. From this point on the twins' lives change forever as their voyage takes them in two very different directions. In Black Heart, there's a new ship of Vampirates roaming the seas, leaving a trail of fear and devastation in its wake. When one of the Academy's most-esteemed pirates is suddenly slain, the Pirate Federation takes immediate action to train a special crew of vampire hunters. Connor is placed at the helm, which means he is leading the fight against a vampire ship with one very important passenger: His sister.

The fourth installment is the best one yet! Somper just gets better and better which each book. Without ruining the series for new readers, I'll simply say that Black Heart is a unique tale full of adventure, magic and much more. Each chapter is told from a different perspective which gives readers insights to every side of the story, allowing you to see the inner workings of each key character. Nearly every chapter ends on a cliff hanger, which makes it a very fast read since you're rushing to find out what happens next. Full of twists and turns and huge revelations, Black Heart never bores you for even moment.

On top of his excellent storytelling, Somper also impressed me with his immaculate research. He incorporated loads of real vampire legends and folklore into this story, which made this history buff very very happy. I was pleasantly surprised to find information about wolfsbane, hawthorn and much more in Black Heart. If you’re like me and love vampire folklore, then you’ll love what you read on the pages of this book.

Overall, I loved this book and I can't wait to read the next one. The series may be geared towards ages 9-12, but in spite of that it can be enjoyed by any age. I highly suggest checking out the Vampirates series. Yar!

For more on the Vampirates check out the interview I did with the author himself HERE!

- Moonlight