Salt by Hannah Moskowitz

3.25 stars

“It’s different when a hunt’s starting. We’re not the kids who were just bickering at each other; we’re not brothers and sisters or orphans or people. We’re weapons.”

Indi and his siblings—Beleza, Oscar, and Zulu—have been hunting down monsters of the sea on their own since their parents went missing. As they sail around the Mediterranean and hunt down the monsters waiting for human prey, they are also looking for the parents and the possible monster that is responsible for their absence. Indi doesn’t want to hunt monsters. He longs for stability and for something more. It’s causing tensions to rise between he and his older sister, Beleza. Will Indi be able to escape the dangers of the sea before its too late? I love the concept of Salt. We follow orphaned sea-monster hunters. It’s like Supernatural in the Mediterranean and I was totally here for it. The concept is a lot of fun, but the execution is… forgettable. The writing isn’t spectacular and lacks greatly in world-building. You are just thrown into these grand monster battles with little to no context and I didn’t really feel immersed in the story. I didn’t really care why these kids were risking their lives to save humans who didn’t know any better because I wasn’t fearful enough of the monsters they were chasing. I didn’t believe they posed much of a threat because Moskowitz didn’t paint a world that need monster hunters to protect the seas. Moskowitz is a writer of simplicity which works well for a lot of stories, but not this one. I craved more complexity in character development and in world building.



Whimsical Writing Scale: 3.25

“Salt is in our blood.”

The main character is Indi. He’s an interesting character. He isn’t a captivating presence on the page and he is definitely one of those people who fades into the background, which is why I think it’s interesting that we follow his narrative. He is always quick to do the courageous thing in battle, but complain about it or fuss at Oscar for doing the same. He’s far too contradictory for me. I wasn’t necessarily bored by him, but I found it hard to root for him.



Swoon Worthy Scale: 2.25

The real star of this show is Indi’s older sister, Beleza. She’s a character I would have loved to follow. Her narrative would’ve been complex and dripping with a dichotomy of complexity—guilt, self-sacrifice, love for her family, obsession, and a thirst to save others. She was hands down the most interesting character Moskowitz has written in this novel. It’s a tragedy that it wasn’t from her POV.


Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 4

“My big sister is monster venom.”

I loved the family dynamic. I love following hunters who chase monsters as a family because it always makes the stakes higher. The stakes were high here because two of the hunters were young children, one being elementary school age. I really liked Oscar’s character and I thought it was a pity that because Indi dismissed him, he basically got little development besides having the delinquency of a potential pirate. I loved Zulu. She was absolutely adorable and a totally baddie. She is barely even able to read and she’s out there shooting arrows from a crossbow into a mile-long beast. That’s awesome. I wasn’t a fan of Indi’s love interest (?) who is more of a friend with benefit then roommate then lover who also has a boyfriend at the same time. I just wasn’t feeling her character, but it was cool that we met a lady pirate.


Character Scale: 3.5

I think Salt has the potential to excite a lot of Supernatural fans. It isn’t a bad novel and the concept is a treat and I believe is worth reading alone. This is a short novel and it is definitely not a waste of time. Overall, I think this novel has its fault, but it is endearing and has a fantastic family dynamic.


Plotastic Scale: 3.5

Cover Thoughts: This cover is gorgeous. The sail boat, the stars, the darkness of both the water and the sky. It’s mesmerizing.

Thank you, Netgalley and Chronicle Books, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

One Sentence Synopsis: Monsters, mourning, and quarreling siblings out on the sea.

Why You Should Be Reading: Monsters, I’m down for. Family dynamics, bring it on. Trying to figure out what you want in life while being pulled left and right by duty, yes, please. Salt won me with these three things. The plot could use a bit of fine tuning, especially anyone besides the siblings. And the ending seemed to come on me too fast.

But I enjoyed Salt and would recommend it to readers looking for an interesting and fast-paced world full of sibling bonds, intrigue, adventure, and sea monsters.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Other Books by Hannah Moskowitz: Gone, Gone, Gone, Teeth, Break

Buy Salt HERE.

Add Salt to your Goodreads HERE.

Rating 2/5

There was a great concept but no delivery on it. The story did not have enough substance to it and lacked adventure.

This is a terrific and fast-paced novella telling the story of four orphaned siblings sailing the oceans in search of monsters to kill and information about their parents. Each character is well-drawn and strongly individual and true to life, the descriptions of the sea-monster hunts are exciting, and the whole thing is perfectly paced. I loved it. It's a great book for anyone 12 and up, folks who love adventure stories, who wanted a little more excitement in Swallows and Amazons, who like cryptozoology, who like sailing, and who want a fresh and interesting bunch of characters.

What could be more fun than a family sailing expedition with monsters?! After their parents mysteriously disappear, the four siblings of this tale set out on the Mediterranean Sea to hunt down monsters like countless generations of their family did before them. Indi, Zulu, Beleza, and Oscar are the perfect quartet with very diverse and complex personalities. At times they are each other's throats and do the sibling rivalry thing but hey months at sea in cramped quarters with constant danger looming over your head will anyone half crazy and at arms with their companions! Right? I liked that aspect as it brought out the human side of the characters and showcases their human flaws. Even monster hunters cannot be perfect!

As much as I enjoyed reading the story, I feel like there was so much left to chance or imagination. There is a huge lack of details concerning monster hunting in general and how it came about. I would have loved to know who the monsters were and why exactly they were revered. Kind of like stories from mythology in Greek monster hunting. Flashbacks or scenes from other adventures would have really packed a punch as well as locations or detailed descriptions. Why are they out there? What drives people to take up the mantle of monster hunter?

I realize that this is the author's first book, which I totally commend her for, and I hope that there is much more in her future works in the way of world building. I thoroughly enjoyed the focus on family and their witty banter as it truly drove the plot. I really hope that the author focuses more on details and development in all her upcoming titles. Hannah Moskowitz is very talented and I will read anything she has published!

Even though their parents disappeared during a hunt 3 months ago, 17-year-old Indi and his siblings, Beleza, Oscar, and Zulu, continue to roam the Mediterranean on their sailboat and hunt down monsters–but Indi yearns for a more settled life for his family, and he hopes that his parents’ journal with its tantalizing hints of a treasure, will provide them all with the means of escape from their nomadic and dangerous life before it is too late.


My thoughts!.

MONSTERS! YES! Perfect for this time of year and pretty unique in that it all happens on the water with a pirate flare to it all. There are a lot of things going for this book, and monsters was the #1 thing. I did enjoy them when they were present in the story... but its a pretty short book. I mean seriously short. Yet the story tries to read like a full length book, except it has the plot of a short story. If not for the mess with Hura there would be no middle to this book at all.

And the problem is I really hated Hura and the entire part with her. I just don't believe in her relationship with Indi. And I really don't believe in his relationship with sex. I get it that he's 17 NOW and having sex but being an experienced one nighter? Not a chance. Not with how his parents supposedly raised him nor how he protects and limits him 14 year old brother. Let alone the fact they spent a ton of time on the water.

This book is ultimately about a family in mourning and that part of the book and how Indi is struggling works so well but in the end the monsters were contrived, the ending stupid (with Hura) and too easy (the parents end) at the same time, two crimes against stories everywhere.

Here's the thing I really loved the family dynamics. You can tell that the author spent a ton of time imagining a family and how siblings of different ages would interact. Besides the horrible Hura and the sex part I REALLY bought Indi and was in for him to succeed with his family. I wanted so badly for him to find peace with Bel, his sister and Oscar and Zulu whom he clearly worried over a ton. I wanted them to work out what kind of monster hunting they would do and how they would balance that with having a real home life. They fight for that end as a family.


Cover & Title grade -> B-

In a way I really love the cover... All black with the focus on the ship... YES! What I didn't realize until I saw the full cover art is that the stars and the black sky make up the form of a monster in an outline. You can't really see it on the cover unless you've seen the full art and then you can't unsee the outline but its still not distinct. It's so great on the full art that its so disappointing it doesn't work in the book shape. I still think its a great idea! Not a fan of the title because I can't recall any reference to why it may be called Salt...?!


As a Writer...

I really admired how the relationship between Indi and his older sister Bel was framed out. They talked about the day to day, they fought about what to do about their parents and the future. And yet they didn't talk about what they think happened or defend why they wanted to do what they suggested for the future.

This is TOTALLY how family is. We assume the other knows. We believe that they understand us so well that they know where our mind is at. Bel assumed Indi knew what drove her no matter what happened to them. It wasn't until way later that he finally realized! That moment felt so real to me, so spot on to the truth of how siblings are. It happens ALL THE TIME to my brothers and I.

I'm not the biggest fan of Salt, it had its flaws after all, BUT there is a core to the story that works. What do we do when our parents, who we idolize, disappear? How do we rein in the fears that plague us? We keep the family we do have close to us and continue the best we can. Indi's family did this and fought some monsters along the way to the truth!

I'd love to see a companion story set in the same world of water bound monsters. I wouldn't even mind Hura coming back and getting her comeuppance with some pirate dude or dudess.

"SALT" was a very interesting book. It was a good quick read. But the story was a little slow. On the other hand going around the world traveling the deep blue to hunt monster wouls be fun!

This was just a little too slow for me. I'm having a harder time connecting with YA characters so that may have contributed to my lack of connection.. Salt focuses heavily on family and that was a nice change but I was hoping for more action and adventure.

I enjoyed the writing but the plot did not entice me. I definitely plan on picking up another one of this author’s novels

Salt by Hannah Moskowitz is definitely an interesting book. I picked it up purely based on the title and cover. “Salt” is such a simple and striking name for a book that I just had to give it a try.

I loved the concept of this book. I’ve really been loving pirate books, kind of like Seafire by Natalie C. Parker. This book reminds me of that, but it’s not exactly like it. I absolutely loved the family dynamic of this book, which is what really pushes the plot forward. However, since this was such a character driven book, the plot kind of lacked. And while I loved the family dynamic, I thought that the interactions between the family members could be kind of confusing. I think some of the siblings were a little underdeveloped for such a character driven book. I just wanted to know more about each of them personally.

Overall, I did like this book. If you are looking for a family driven book about monster fighting pirates, then this is the book for you.

I received a free digital copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are completely honest and my own.

Salt is one of those books that you either love or hate or you’re confused about what you feel so you’re undecided. That’s where I am. I’m undecided on how I feel.

On the one hand I loved it but I also didn’t like it at certain parts. I loved the meaning of family. It was strange at parts but you could still feel the love they had for each other. I love the fighting. I love how I was taken immediately into the book. I loved the characters. They were driven and sometimes it could be a lot.

I hated the ending. It was very anticlimactic and that really sucked. Some of the dynamics between the siblings were weird but then again if you’re a family fighting monsters at sea nothing is what it seems. I didn’t like how I was taken out of the story at times because it was more about the characters then the actual story. If that makes sense. I don’t know how to describe it.

Overall Salt is a high action, fantasy novel that will quickly immerse you but will also leave you frustrated at times.

I didn’t know what to expect from Salt, but it blew what expectations I did have out of the water. If you like sea monsters and family feelings, this is the book for you.


Salt CoverEven though their parents disappeared during a hunt three months ago, seventeen-year-old Indi and his siblings, Beleza, Oscar, and Zulu, continue to roam the Mediterranean on their sailboat and hunt down monsters–but Indi yearns for a more settled life for his family, and he hopes that his parents’ journal with its tantalizing hints of a treasure, will provide them all with the means of escape from their nomadic and dangerous life before it is too late.

Goodreads

I received an eARC of Salt from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


I have read a few books by Hannah Moskowitz in the past, and particularly enjoyed Wild and Gena/Finn when I read them. That I liked this book was not a surprise – I expected as much – but the depth of which I loved this family was surprising to me.

Salt is incredibly character driven. It’s almost overly character driven, to the point that the adventure that they’re on feels anticlimactic. That isn’t a bad thing, though.

All of the characters leap off of the page as if they were real people, which I think is one of Moskowitz’s greatest strengths as a writer. Their family dynamic was very realistic, and I loved that the characters had their own wishes and dreams outside of being monster hunters. Indi is incredibly soft and just wants to take care of his family, while Beleza is desperate to find their parents and fulfill their final task. Oscar seems like a gruff teenage boy at 12, but he’s really soft at heart. His interactions with Zulu made my heart swell.

I particularly loved Hura, because she was absolutely ruthless and unapologetic. She will surprise you throughout the novel. I’d honestly be interested in a follow-up novel with her as a main character.

If you go into Salt looking for an adventure story that focuses on the greatness of the adventure, I think you’ll come out disappointed. This book is all about the family, and I think that it worked beautifully in that regard.

I thoroughly enjoyed Salt. If it sounds up your alley, pick up a copy from Amazon or Indiebound!

This book was... HMM. I feel very in-the-middle with it. On the one hand, it's a fast, likable read about a monster hunting family who basically lives on the ocean. On the other, I felt that the sibling dynamics were just a bit too WEIRD at times. (I would never walk around in front of my brothers naked. I know they lived on that boat all alone together and there's very little privacy but omg). And the ending was suuuuper anticlimactic. They were going after this impressive sea monster, hoping to find their parents, and then it's over just. like. that. All in all, though, I'm glad I gave it a chance!
Rating: 3 Paw Prints!

Salt is like an ode to Supernatural – it has the essential elements: siblings who are brought up by hunters, parents are missing, complicated sibling dynamics with one wanting to continue as a hunter and the other yearning for a simpler life. Indi, the protagonist of this story, has practically raised his two younger siblings with Beleza, his older sister since a long time, even before their parents disappeared three months ago. Now, adrift and looking for clues to their disappearance, the four of them continue sailing, fighting monsters, and hoping to find them again, or if not, get revenge. Along the way, Indi reevaluates what he wants from his life, what he feels about their hunting, and finally getting a choice in the matter.

The monster-hunting angle of this story is not delved into much, which was perhaps the one downside of the story. It appears like there is a whole lore of these sea monsters, and a network of hunters in the life, but most of that is just skimmed over like we are supposed to be familiar with it. It takes away from the excitement of the hunts, because I literally had no clue what the monsters actually LOOKED like. (I just went like – ah, a kraken, I guess? – every time) It is more a character-driven plotline that focuses on Indi, and him finally taking a stand in the direction of his life. The relationship between the siblings is rendered in its messy yet heartwarming glory. Having known only each other for most of their lives, and very less time on land, they are practically glued to each other and the little independence Indi gains gives him a taste of the life he could lead. There is also a whole arc about him figuring out what happiness means to him.

Among the siblings, Beleza is a firebrand who wants to continue hunting and Oscar, a master thief, wants to also do the same. Zulu, however, is too young and Indi worries about the kind of life she and Oscar are being brought up into. The way each of these relationships, between the four of them, is played out, is well-written, giving weight to each arm of this convoluted frame. Also, I loved the fact of them communicating in four different languages mixed up; it was amusing, though – the book being in English even though none of them speak it. Aside from them, there is another secondary character, Hura, who plays an important role for a bit, but then the ending sort of pushed her out? She was a nice catalyst, but otherwise not all that relevant. Avraham sounded like he could be interesting, but the small plotline of the cash register was also abandoned. Eventually, though, this is a standalone and I guess I can forgive it for those threads but it still niggled me a bit.

Overall, a good adventure story with some heartwarming characterization.

Title: Salt
Author: Hannah Moskowitz
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5

Seventeen-year-old Indi has only ever known one life: roaming the oceans with his parents, his older sister, his younger brother, and his younger sister as they seek out and destroy the sea monsters plaguing the seas. Their life is spent in secret, trying to keep others outside their calling from knowing about the monsters. Indi grew up thinking it was normal, until his parents disappeared while on the trail of a huge monster, leaving he and his sister Beleza to take care of their younger siblings.

Beleza wants revenge on the monster that killed their parents and will stop at nothing to track it down. Oscar seems intent on becoming a pirate, or at least a very adept thief. Six-year-old Zulu is brilliant but has no chance at an education on the ocean. Indi just wants to take care of his family—and maybe, just maybe, do something for himself just once.

The premise of this novel is pretty incredible: sea monsters exist, and families that have hunted them for centuries continue to do so, keeping them secret from the rest of the world. I would have liked to have seen a bit more depth and fleshing-out of the characters, but the concept was unique. The final battle was a bit of a letdown, but I still enjoyed the adventure.

Hannah Moskowitz’s new novel is Salt.

(Galley provided by Chronicle Books in exchange for an honest review.)

If sea monsters and family tales are your kind of feelings train, this book should be added to your list. It follows the seafaring adventures of Indi, Beleza, Oscar, and Zulu as they try to find their parents, stability, and a life free from the sea monsters and pirates encountered along the way.

This outing is an intense character study. Very little happens in terms of world-building and the book contains a few key moments. Most conversations lead to deepening the relationships between the characters and, most importantly, with themselves. That being said, I enjoyed how Indi changed toward the end, especially the dilemma presented in the final act of the book. The resolution is a delight as well. Moskowitz brilliantly balances the four character voices and it's very well done.

Personally, I would've liked to learn a bit more of the world, but it didn't seem to be the focus of this work. A small story in a large world, get your family feels fix here.

This is a story about four orphans embarking on a trip of finding answers. For being orphans, they seem to be ruthless with all these monster hunting gig they got going on. I enjoy the setting, but I can't tell what year it is. It seems that they're in the present since they do mention radars and smart phones, but in my head I see it as the old days. Who would let a couple of orphans sail away and do crazy stunts? it's a bit unrealistic but it's quite entertaining. It also focuses more on Indi, trying to find himself and just finding the answers he needs for him and for his siblings.
It's a fast paced book and it helps you out of your reading slump. did I mention they have pirates? .. Well sorta lol. It was a good read and something different. I liked it and I would give this book 3 stars.

My overall recommendation is to just give this one a chance. Go in with no expectations aside from being on the sea and encountering some monsters, and let it take you. I personally enjoyed this story because it had elements of some of my favorite television shows, mainly Shameless and River Monsters with a character I enjoyed getting to know. There are elements of coming of age, survival, and action adventure, all of which I was clearly in the mood for. Salt had me at the beautiful cover and sold me with the story.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this young adult fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  So here be me honest musings . . .

salt (Hannah Moskowitz)

Title: salt

Author: Hannah Moskowitz

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Publication Date: TODAY!! (hardback/e-book)

ISBN: 978-1452131511

Source: NetGalley

Upon reading the synopsis, I thought this novel would float me boat. It is about fighting sea monsters in the Mediterranean!  But I just could not finish it and had to abandon ship at 42%.  Why ye ask?  Well for a myriad of reasons:

Sea Monsters - Well this be the entire reason I wanted to read this book.  I love me some fierce fighting of nasty beasties.  The first battle with monsters came at the 2% mark and I was excited that it jumped right into the thick of things.  The monster sounded awesome.  But this was only  in concept.  The battle was lackluster and was over pretty quickly in about 2 1/2 pages (the 3% mark).  It was light on details.  But it was the first one so I cut it some slack.  The second monster battle begins at 33%.  The decision about how to get the monsters attention was silly and ye tell me how a teenager is able to out-swim that swarm?  Better than the first but still missing real tension.  I was very bored by these monsters!  

The Siblings - This tale follows four siblings as the hunt for the monsters that killed their parents.  I actually did like all of the siblings and thought they were fun folk.  The problem was that what they did was unrealistic.  Ye put a 6  year-old in charge of butchering a sea monster over half the size of the 15 meter schooner?  And also putting the 6 year-old in charge of the weapons?  Ummm no.   And the 19 year-old and 16 year-old leave the 12 and 6 year-old to fend for themselves in a port where they don't speak the language well?  Ummm no.  All so they can get laid.  Ugh.

The Parents - So the parents hunted sea monsters for a living.  Cool.  They go off on a massive hunt and leave the children behind for safety.  Cool.  They have no backup plan for what happens if they don't come back?  Very not cool.  All the kids have is a small amount of money and a journal with cryptic clues about a mysterious treasure and snippets of where their parents might have gone.  Also the kids have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA about how to live on land.  That's just stupid.  The parents should have at least had an onshore base or some other sea hunter friends that could help them out if something happened to then.  Unrealistic.

The World-Building - The ship knowledge felt off.  The port of Marseille was so lackluster that it could have been anywhere.  The shadowy society of monster builders wasn't explained in any detail.  I wanted grand adventures and scary sea serpents and to feel that this version of the Mediterranean was real.  The book just felt flat.

Fun concepts here.  I wish this one would have focused on the sea monster battles and how the monster fighting community works!  I wanted an awesome treasure hunt.  I didn't get them.  With so many books on the horizon, I just gave up.  I want me reading to make time seem to disappear, not to accentuate every second passing.  I am sad, but I couldn't fight the tide.

If ye be interested in a better sea monster story, try into the drowning deep about killer mermaids.

So lastly . . .

Thank you Chronicle Books!

Goodreads has this to say about the novel:

Even though their parents disappeared during a hunt three months ago, seventeen-year-old Indi and his siblings, Beleza, Oscar, and Zulu, continue to roam the Mediterranean on their sailboat and hunt down monsters--but Indi yearns for a more settled life for his family, and he hopes that his parents' journal with its tantalizing hints of a treasure, will provide them all with the means of escape from their nomadic and dangerous life before it is too late.

To visit the author’s website go to:

Hannah Moskowitz - Author

To buy the novel go to:

salt - Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List

Salt by Hannah Moskowitz is a sea-faring adventuring about monsters, orphans, and betrayal.

Have you ever read a book that made you feel shortchanged? That’s how I felt reading Salt! The story concept was cool—who doesn’t love a book about monsters?—but the story lacked depth and development.

I really enjoyed the first quarter of the book. Again, the concept of orphans battling sea monsters is a neat one! The four orphans bicker, antagonize, and generally act like typical siblings, which was appreciated. What I didn’t like was how much the book jumped around, with no explanation in between. Boom, they’re here. Boom, they’re there. Boom, a monster dies. All of the events unfolded without preamble, and the big, critical events were over within a page or two. While it made for a quick paced book, it was impossible to get invested in the story, because there wasn’t much of a story.

The biggest event in the book—the one that was discussed from the very beginning of the book—was ridiculous. It was poorly executed, unrealistic, and had me seriously scratching my head. I would have liked a more complete ending to that event. It just didn't make a whole lot of sense.

I haven’t done a lot of sailing myself, but a lot of the details around sailing and pirates felt unrealistic. Finding a specific ship in the middle of the sea without advanced technology? Not likely. Getting washed up on the perfect shore when you have no sail? Feels too good to be true. I could have overlooked these details if the story had been more robust, but unfortunately these just added to the holes in the book.

The ending was fine. I do like a happy ending.

The characters, while not well-developed, were still unique and interesting. Indi was a solid main character, Beleza was feisty and set on revenge much of the book, Oscar was an angry young teen, and Zulu was a charming little 6-year-old. I liked the characters. I just wish they had been part of a better story.

Ultimately I can’t say I recommend this book; however, the book is short, so even if you don’t like it, it’s not a huge time commitment.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.