4/5
While this was an intriguing read of the first 6 chapters of Monsters Born and Made I don't think this book is for me. I loved all the details but after the first few chapters I wasn't drawn into the world like I would have liked.

This excerpt definitely made me want to get the entire book and completely immerse myself in it. Well written and so much imagination went into this story.

This excerpt is very enticing. It opens you up to this story and this world. I think excerpts and samplers are a great chance to test out a story before committing to the story or buying the book. These characters are interesting and grab your attention, and I'd be curious to continue reading.

I read the first six chapters of this book as an e-arc.

My first impression of this book was that I might not love all the elements of it. But I have found after reading the first six chapters that I’m intrigued to know what happens next. I found myself falling deeper and deeper into the story and wanting to know more.

I’m determined to finish this book and find out if Koral wins the race, and how she saves her family. This book has a lot of tension in all the right ways to keep it interesting. I can’t wait to learn how Koral gets through this mess she’s found herself in.

I am so happy to have been given a snippet of this title.

It's an anticipated read of mine and I am patiently waiting for the audiobook to become available at my library. Then I can give my full review.

I would like to thank NetGalley for this ARC, but all opinions remain my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed the writing in this excerpt and really wish I had been able to get the entire book. Even so, I will be reading the entire thing for sure.

First off, the family dynamic I found realistic even if it was fairly grim. I applaud Koral for sticking to her guns, and saving herself and her family.

I really like that the plot is going to be centered around the Glory Race. I thought the hierarchies were confusing but I assume this is solely because I only got a small snippet of the story. The writing is atmospheric and gloomy and I absolutely loved it.

In all, I cannot wait to read the entire book.

This was a fun and exciting excerpt! It introduced us to Koral, the main character, and her family. They are Hunters, meaning they capture maristags (magical creatures that swim in the ocean but can also go on land) for the Glory Race. the Glory Race is a competition the elite participate in for prizes and fame. Koral is a tough characters who cares deeply for her family and is willing to take risks to protect them. I really like the world so far, it's very interesting and there are several islands that comprise the setting.
I will be checking out the book upon release to read more.
I would recommend to those who enjoy dystopian fantasies with magical creatures!

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the opportunity to read a free digital excerpt of this book for an honest review. (Published: September 6, 2022)

The excerpt I read of “Monsters Born and Made” by Tanvi Berwah was similar to “The Hunger Games” but with a deadly chariot tournament and monsters!

The story follows 16-year-old Koral who risks her life daily to hunt and capture monstrous maristags with her older brother. The maristags live in the black sea surrounding their island, and their family was chosen to capture, breed and exclusively sell the maristags that are used in the Glory Race. However, Koral’s family is on the brink of starvation, because they’re having trouble capturing the wild maristags and keeping them alive. Also, the family’s meager earnings are quickly diminishing because Koral’s youngest sister is chronically ill and requires daily medicine to survive.

When Koral and Emrik fail to catch a maristag at the end of hunting season, Koral knows her family’s income will dry up too soon. Not only will they lose their title as the island's only maristag hunters, but they will also lose their house, end up living on the street, and will no longer be able to buy medicine for the youngest and sickest member of their family. That’s when Koral makes a hasty decision to enter the Glory Race to try to win the prize money for her family. The odds are stacked completely against her with competitors who have trained for the tournament their whole lives, but Koral has hunted and cared for maristags her whole life, so she thinks she has an edge and is willing to risk it all for her family.

Overall, I’m very excited to continue reading the rest of this book since my excerpt ended right when Koral joined the Glory Race. I’m thrilled that it was published in September and readily available so I don’t have to wait very long to get a copy! I highly recommend this book to teens and young adults who enjoyed “The Hunger Games” series with a monstrous twist.

A very intriguing excerpt with absolutely fantastic worldbuilding! It takes place in a dystopian world which is reminiscent of Hunger Games and will likely appeal to fans of the genre.

AH This excerpt was stunning! I am absolutely in love with Tanvi's writing and cannot wait to pick up the full book!

I forgot I was reading because I felt like a was watching it. Felt so real. I love that feeling. Can’t wait to read the rest of the book. Amazing

I really really enjoyed this sample. I will be continuing on with the full book. For me these first 6 chapters had Hunger Game vibes with the added fun of the sea and islands.
⠀
“And one of those Landers becomes a Champion with more gold than they’d ever need in one lifetime. That kind of victory can change a family’s fortunes for generations.”

The main character has already gone through development in just those few chapters and I can’t wait to read the rest of her story.

I AM SO excited for this book. This excerpt has me hooked and I am so excited to finish it as soon as it comes out. It is very reminiscent of the Hunger Games and I am really excited to see how this whole story finishes out

I can't say much about the book as all I have to judge by is 6 chapters and the description.

While the concept seems promising - a hunger games kind of plot with south asian mythology - the excerpt didn't really catch my attention. It was well written, but I couldn't really connect with the story. Maybe it's because I haven't read the whole book.

The sixth chapter ended when Koral (the main lead) enlists in the glory race in order to win money so she can buy her sisters medicine. While I think many other people will feel compelled to continue the series, but I wasn't feeling the urge.

The only thing that might compel me to continue is the promise of a certain exes-to-Rivals-to-lovers? trope like in These Violent Delights.

My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the excerpt of Monsters Born and Made.

I have heard about this book for a while and I was really curious about it and this excerpt convinced me to read it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher!

A highly dynamic and intriguing excerpt - I can't wait to read more of this and see what unfolds next!

Koral has grown up with a heavy responsibility: Capture deadly monsters native to her island so they can be bred, trained, and sold to the wealthy. Except more than one life is at stake when the last hunt of the season goes terribly wrong. Now Koral must find a new way to provide an income for her family to put food on the table and so her little sister can continue to receive the life saving yet costly medication she requires to survive. Will Koral’s efforts pay off?

This seems very interesting, a lot happened just in six chapters. The pacing could have been slightly slower - I'm not connected with Liria to the point where I am thoroughly rooting for Koral to win the race yet. The book does seem a tad bit predictable, but I want to see how it plays out. I already know who the love interest will be. I wish I could see the setting and events more - I have no visualization for what maristags look like. Hopefully the full book will be a good read!

A very great start to a fun series, The excerpt leaves just enough to get you interested. I can't wait to see where this series goes.

Monsters Born and Made would be perfect for fans of the Scorpio Races. Our young MC must enter a deadly race on horse-like water monsters if she wishes to save her family from destitution. Koral's family is part of a designated class of hunters who are responsible for catching and breeding the sea monsters used in the Glory Race and when they fail to catch one, society is content to let them starve to incentivize other hunters to work harder. This harsh world is one where failure of any kind means almost certain death.

I was surprised by how much the story picked up within the first few chapters. The excerpt was incredibly fast-paced and action-packed. I would have loved for a bit more time to meet Koral and her family before tragedy strikes but it seems like this story has a lot of ground to cover and I'll have to re-asses my thoughts on the introductory pacing once I finish the entire book.

Thank you to Tanvi Berwah, Sourcebooks Fire, and Netgalley for the e-ARC excerpt.