Review: Salt by Liz Shipton

Who doesn't love a snarky teenager in a fantasy novel about pirates?

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@shereadsbooks.sometimes

Dates read: 11/09/2025 to 05/12/2025

Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Word to describe: High-Tide

Genre: Dystopian Fantasy

When a climate disaster leaves most of the world population dead and small colonies to arise on islands surrounded by poisonous water, its only right that our protagonist will be a bitter and sarcastic teenage girl with no family and a dragon-like fury. Bird Howsley is the worst sailor in the Salt. Not because she can't sail she actually sails pretty well for a trainee, but because she's sharp tongued, a literal drunken sailor, a thief, and begrudgingly falling for her sailing teacher and friend Sargo. And to make matters worse she's getting stalked, may have stolen and sold precious jewels on the black market (definitely did), and is now on the run from a gang. In a stolen ship, more specifically Sargo's ship who she forced into joining her as she flees for her life.

Just a typical Tuesday really.

In her defence (because we don't judge here) she did get a letter from her long lost brother whom she has vague memories of as a child. On the run (or rather on the sea), Bird and Sargo find themselves in unfortunate situations. From finding a pet, to being kidnapped, to constantly bickering and fighting that delicious sexual tension - I mean there's only so many times they can listen to each other without actually touching before its just exhibitionism.

Liz Shipton (bookstagram famous for their author writing skits) packs a punch with this pirate inspired dystopian and keeps readers begging for more with a pesky little cliff-hanger to bring about the multiple other books in this series. As the first book in the Thalassic series Salt has the tendency to slowly load the plot, like an old computer updating, but that's not uncommon for large fantasies that take a lot of world building and character preparations. Plus, when you're dealing with multiple intertwining plots it only makes sense!

The characters are easy to like and have a relationship that feels like its naturally developing, there's honestly nothing worse than a dystopian that shoe-horns in romance for the sake of it. The existing relationship with Sargo and Bird is one of understanding and minor irritation that leads to hilarious moments and classic miscommunication.

I'm looking forward to seeing where the rest of this series takes me and will be diving into book two in the near future.