I was given a copy of this book for an honest review. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book because Sky in the Deep started really slow for me. I was pleasantly surprised, though, when this book grabbed me from the very beginning. I really cared about Tova and cheered for her through the entire book. The world the author built was as lovely as it was brutal. I hope there is more of this world for us to visit.

I loved Sky in the Deep and The Girl the Sea Gave Back is no different. I love how old characters from Sky in the Deep were incorporated and we had a new heroine and a new set of problems. I absolutely love and enjoy the stories set in Adrienne Young's world and look forward to reading more by her. This book was highly anticipated and I can see why. Everyone that I have had the pleasure of talking to about it has loved it as well. It was a great read and I hope that you enjoy it as well.

I have a full review coming up on my Instagram/Waterstones but I adore this world!
A mesmerising world, a gripping story and instantly addictive. This heartfelt story with a Vikings flavour is full of action, hope and love of every kind.
Halvard was a great character to follow and I loved the glimpses we got of Eelyn, Fiske & Iri as I was left craving so much more (in a good way) after Sky in the Deep!

I was so looking forward to “ The Girl the Sea Gave Back”. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat in terms of execution. It was slow to start. I really struggled to finish it. The plot is lacking and disjointed in places. There was barely any worldbuilding. I found it extremely difficult to connect with the characters. Overall, it just wasn’t for me.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

5 Words: Power, fate, honor, belonging, betrayal.

Content warnings: Graphic violence, scenes of war

People, it was beautiful.

It's no secret that I absolutely loved Sky in the Deep when I read it last year, so I was already very excited to read The Girl The Sea Gave Back. And I had very high expectations, so I was a little bit worried that I had set myself up to fail. But I needn't have worried. The Girl The Sea Gave Back was amazing.

Right from the first page I was in love with the story. We're back in the same Viking-esque world and I settled immediately into the familiar dramatic landscape. If anything, the world in The Girl The Sea Gave Back felt even bigger than that of Sky in the Deep. Adrienne Young's writing is pretty epic, the world she has created is sublime. The details are exquisite. I could feel the cold wind, the snow on my feet, sticky blood drying on my skin. I could smell the food and the smoke and the iron tang of blood.

I loved the way the narrative was split between the characters, so we got to see their point of view and how they interpreted things. I loved the way the tension built between the characters. The pace complimented this really well, and I liked the mix of intense action and daily life, small dramas and violent battles.

Again, themes of family and belonging and tolerance are explored. This time instead of honor and endless fighting it's more about power and control itself. I enjoyed the flashback scenes, where characters revealed their motivation or another little mystery or secret came to light. Some of the betrayals really hit quite hard, and I really felt for Tova.

Also look at that cover. It's stunning. I could stare at it all day. It's just so visually stunning, dramatic and eye-catching. I love the colours and the drama and the depth and the strength just in the images.

This book can easily be read as a stand alone, but if you first read Sky in the Deep then you'll have a much deeper understanding of the world and the side characters and the tenuous grip on peace.

Book: The Girl the Sea Gave Back
Author: Adrienne Young
Series: Sky in the Deep, #2 (Companion Novel)
Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy
My Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

“It was the way of mortals to find war. Peace was like kindling, just waiting for the smallest flame.”

*e-ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The quotes that are used here are from an uncorrected digital copy and can be changed or deleted in the finished publication.*

I think I'm just confused. Sky in The Deep was my favourite debut novel from last year and this companion does not even come close.

Tova is found as a child on the shore of a foreign people, and despite their hatred of her, they keep her alive only to benefit themselves from her truthtongue ability. Years later, as she works to help them see their future, the runes that explain their fate are not prosperous, so they begin to change their fate through the only way they believe will work: war. Halvard grew up in a new era of people; former enemies, Riki and Aska, have come together to form the Nādhir. Because he is the first generation to not be involved in battle, they appoint him as the next chieftain. But war is coming and Halvard needs to do everything in his power to preserve his people despite not being chosen to be the leader for this kind of situation.

“Being Kyrr on the mainland was like living as a ghost. A tormented spirit, left behind in this world to wander.”

Right off the bat, the prologue provided descriptions that were easy and beautiful to follow, which was exciting because it reminded me of the first book and why I loved it. But getting into the chapters after, it unfortunately did not stay consistent. Though there were occasional descriptions that I liked throughout, I found myself getting more and more annoyed with the writing. Descriptions were too repetitive, saying the same thing in a different way back-to-back. Tova told us a million times what situation she was in among the Svell. There were inconsistencies, contradictions, and things that did not make sense with the scenes we were given. Like Tova not knowing who or what she was in terms of her life before the Svell and not being able to read the symbols marked on her body. Then immediately after she makes these claims, she begins telling us a long list of things she knew. “I don't remember much about my past except for this and this and this and this.” Also, there were too many editing mistakes. It was like playing a game of fill in the blank. I know this is an ARC and things have changed in the final version, but I still had to read it, you know? I do not think it’s much of a surprise why I got through this slowly.

“We gave you to the sea, Tova. But the sea gave you back.”

Something I found interesting while comparing the two titles is that I still do not know what Sky in the Deep means in correlation to it's book, yet The Girl the Sea Gave Back was explained in the prologue. I feel like I had the resources to guess what was going to happen too early on.

“There was some fate that bound us. Some future that lay waiting.”

In terms of potential romance, I was hoping this one turned into something adorable, perhaps interest-at-first-sight, and cute interactions to develop it. Boy was I sadly mistaken. They were drawn to each other immediately, that much was true, but it did not make sense. They had one interaction until the end (if you could call choking for no reason an interaction). I was expecting Tova and Halvard to meet up early, and it was strongly being alluded to the fact that this was going to happen, but guess what? It didn’t. An absolute missed opportunity for her to find him on her own and stay on his side when she was tasked to kill him. Having two people connected through fate is cool and all, but relying on it solely to form a relationship is not, how do I say this, show-stopping development. Instead of feeling an instant connection and saying he seems familiar and basing your decisions on fate, you can actually have a real reason to feel this way, like actually have a conversation with him. We know Tova and Halvard are connected by fate but I do not believe it was ever mentioned why. It did not feel like anything was fleshed out between them.

And I’m not sure why, but I had a hard time keeping track of side character names. Maybe because of the changing perspectives or maybe because my reading progress was slow, but you would think associating unique names to characters would be easier. Also, Halvard’s friendship with Mýra was so random? Why couldn't at least one of his brothers be around, we already read about their relationship in the previous book, it would have made more sense. None of the flashbacks had Mýra in them either. Show us how they became close friends.

What annoyed me about the two perspectives was that we had to read the same scene twice when Tova and Halvard were both there. Like just continue the story, what happened before is fresh in my memory and I don’t need to be jumping back to it again. 

Halfway in and besides a short battle, nothing really happened. I was mostly bored. There were points in between that made me think it was finally going to pick up and then that high always plummeted down as quickly as it came. That is until about 70% of the way in, when it finally got good with the looming war and the way Tova began to use her ability in a different way.

What I found interesting was how the Svell were winning battles with their big numbers yet at the same time they were fated to be destroyed. I think this element really included a possibility for an unpredictable outcome. Another factor to this was that the two main characters came from opposing sides which allowed that trope, expecting the protagonist to win, to be blurred because they existed against each other.

“I wondered if this was my last story.”

I’m definitely disappointed overall. It’s never fun to be let down by an anticipated read. But I do not think this will be the last time I pick up a book by this author. I just hope I’ll enjoy the future books that Young releases.

I didn't realize this was a standalone companion novel. I sort of felt like I picked up in the middle of the series. I struggled a bit, because I could feel a disconnect with the characters, like I was missing their back stories, and who they were. And that is completely my fault. So I stopped at the 50% point, and I am going to read the first book, and then finish this one. I think that will help me give a more accurate review. So far, I can give this book 3.5 Stars.

The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young was one of my most anticipated novels of 2019. However, it was a bit of a let down as I tried but couldn't connect with any of the characters. I loved the writing; it was as beautiful as it was in Sky in the Deep.

I guess I wanted more romance too..but the story was so slow that I lost interest early on.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Technically I would probably give this one 3.75 stars but I'll round it up to 4 because we like whole numbers around here. :)

While this book is set in the same world as Sky in the Deep, I believe it can be read as a stand alone and as its own story. It follows Tova and Halvard primarily, as well as their respective peoples. I loved the world building and the rich lore/mythology that has been woven in, but did find some plot points pretty predictable (not in a bad way, just I pretty much knew certain things that would happen).

Tova's struggle to find her place and to know who she really is was well flushed out, as was Halvard's doubt of himself and other's faith in him. Watching them grow and come into their own throughout the story was wonderful to see, as were the frequent flashbacks that provided glimpses into their respective childhoods.

I did feel the ending was a little abrupt and would have loved there to be an epilogue. When I reached the end of the book I really though there would be at least a few pages more, something solid about what came to pass. Can you assume what happened after the end? Yes, you absolutely can - but I would have loved something more final.

All in all I did enjoy the book and it made me want to pick up more similarly themed books. It was an action packed adventure that I really had fun reading and would definitely recommend to others.

After I finished reading the last word of this story, I just had to put the book down for a moment and ponder the story. It left me with a feeling of such hope and encouragement--a similar feeling to what I felt upon finishing Sky in the Deep. The story definitely reminded me a lot of Sky in the Deep as both stories left the same feeling in me and both showed peace between clans. But I loved both stories so much and they still felt very individual.
Halvard and Tova. ❤️ I honestly don't know what I can say to accurately sum up my feelings about them. They were so interesting and likeable! I truly appreciated how much Adrienne delved into their backstories and brought them to life and how she portrayed them--so real and complex.
I will say that Vigdis and Jourunn felt a little flat to me. They needed a bit more backstory to explain their feelings and reactions. Their anger and lust for power was never truly explained, and if that would have been explained, their characters would've been so much more alive.
Adrienne's pacing and description were once again perfect. I felt pulled into the book like I was standing right there with Halvard and Tova, experiencing everything with them. That's the mark of a wonderful story right there.
My only other complaint would be that I felt Gunther deserved more. He did so much for Tova, and while she did honorably bury him, it didn't seem like she dwelled enough on what he did for her to be truly thankful and understand/realize all he sacrificed for her.
This book definitely earned its four stars, and I'd give it a 4.5 if I could! One of my favorite reads this year, for sure.

This book had an interesting premise. I just could not get into it. I finally looked at some other reviews to see what was troubling me about this book. I felt like I was missing something. Yeah other reviews clued me in to the fact that this was the second book in a series and a lot of world building happened in book one. This gets a two star.

First line: “Give me the child.”

Summary: Tova has spent years living among the Svell since she was found washed ashore in a little boat. Her role is as a Truthtongue. She can tell the future. When she sees that the destruction of her village is imminent she has to tell her leaders but it brings about consequences she never thought would come to pass.

Halvard has grown up in the clan to the east. He has lived in a world of peace for years but it appears that war is coming. Halvard hopes to prove himself but when he is nominated as the new chieftain he is not sure that he is prepared for it yet.

My Thoughts: I liked this. I just did not like it as much as the first book. The summary is a little misleading because it does not mention Halvard and his family. I was happy to see him and the rest of the characters from the first book in this one.

I liked the Viking-esque story. It was fun. I just did not connect with it as much. Tova was just not as interesting as Eelyn.

FYI: This is a sequel to The Sky in the Deep.

So, I DNF'd this one at 35% of the way through, which I felt like I was decent enough portion to determine if I was interested enough in continuing or not. I found it hard to keep characters straight in my head and also didn't love the alternating POV chapter style, which is a personal preference. It's not that I felt this was a bad or poorly written book (I enjoyed what I read!), it just wasn't enough to keep me hooked.

This was a great read for me. I loved the mythology and historical elements of the story. I struggled with the names I the beginning but after a few chapters they felt more natural so it was easier to read. I enjoyed the different tribes and the struggles that each of the characters faced. The story is told from two POV but it also bounced between past and present of those two characters. I understand why this was a necessity to tell this particular story but I didn’t love that aspect of it. There was also a bit of instalove which I also didn’t love but it still worked within the story. Overall I really enjoyed this story and look forward to future books from this author.

I was not happy with this one, 10 pages from the end and there was no romance. I thought at least we would get something but no we did not. This read as the authors first novel, but it was not. I am really disappointed with this one.

I couldn’t connect with this one or the characters. The prose is very beautiful and rich here but I wanted more viking stuff and stronger romantic elements between the leads. However, I think it could just be me here. The story was about Tova who was found at six years old on the shore by a surrogate father, Jorrund. She was in a funeral boat that was partially burned out and it was obvious to him that she was a kyrr truthtongue which is a seer of sorts that uses stones like runes and reads them. He decides to use this to his political advantage and tells her that she was a sacrifice to the gods by her people. She grew up thinking that. The Svell whom she lived with hated her for being the messenger of bad things. They treated her like the things she saw where her fault even though they were the ones that would ask for the readings, mostly during dire situations or in times of war. The book is nothing compare to the awesomeness that is sky in the deep . maybe it's my fault for comparing it in the first place, but it's just something that you couldn't help noticing especially because this installment was supposed to be the companion novel to the previous hit release. despite all of its faults with how slightly tedious the plot is, how slow the pacing is, how lacking the character development is, and how abrupt the ending is; I also couldn't bring myself to hate this book completely.

Getting this beauty in the mail was one of the best days ever. I stared in awe at that foil and my husband got sick of me telling him how beautiful it was. But it's not just the outside that I love, its the story and the amazing world that Young built. Do not miss this one!

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for approving a late ARC just prior to release. I was so thrilled to actually receive this book for review upon request. My review opinions are my own.

This is such a exciting book ! I loved that it builds upon the first book Sky In The Deep and takes the reader to full immersion back into the world of Sky in the Deep. Back into the author's brilliant creation of the world of Vikings and ancient Gods was a fantastic read ! The author is so talented at creation of their world with every detail done to perfection and each charcter brilliantly well crafted .

The story takes place ten years after Sky in the Deep. The new characters are fascinating as are the returning charcters. This is action packed and I was unable to put this book down. The Truthtongue ( my favorite charcter) who uses stones with runes to see into the past, present, and future is a great charcter that adds depth and mysticism to the story.

I loved this book and highly recommend it. My review is cross posted. I look, forward to further works by this fine author.

Since the summary only mentions a girl named Tova I was surprised when a majority of the book focused on Halvard. Had I known the book was going to spend so much time following him I probably wouldnt have been as disapointed when I realized Tova was going to share more than half the page time with another character. Halvard was the love interests sweet little brother in the first book and even though he has grown since then he's still very kind and just. He's also humble and unsure of his ability to lead, but when he cant avoid war any longer he steps up to lead his people. I enjoyed seeing the characters from Sky in the Deep, but it took me a minute to place all of them and I would have liked to see more of what Eelyn was up to ten years later. We do get to spend some time with her father Aghi in Halvards chapters since the two of them have grown close and Aghi has become like a father to him.

Despite enjoying Tovas storyline the most, I never fully connected with her or got to know her that well. Shes learned how to make herself useful in order to survive and spends most of her time sheltered away practicing her bow and hunting in the nearby forest. I felt like the romance came out of nowhere and didnt have any true foundation to stand on. They seemed to have this mystical bond because their fates are intertwined, but thats not enough to justify their feelings since they havent had more than two short conversations. I did enjoy the relationship between Tova and the man who taught to her how to use a bow and knife to defend herself from the clansmen who kept trying to kill her. I was surprised she hadnt tried to rebel against the clan who treated her terribly ever since they found her as a child, but decided not kill her so they could use her ability to see into the future.

I thought her ability to read the future by casting stones was one of the best parts of the world. The reading isn't very detailed, but it shows future themes and events like war, victory, and death. The Spinners were also very interesting with the way they weave fate that even the Gods cannot change. I liked the way they were connected to the enemy attacks from the first book. I wish we got a bit more information about the different Gods and their powers. I didnt realize the Gods or the Spinners could bring people back from the dead. I wanted to see more of the differences between the viking clans like what traditions made them unique. We do see how much more accepting the people in Halvards clan are compared to the clan who took in Tova. We also learn how Tovas tattoos have meaning in her clan and how stone castings effect every aspect of their lives. I would have liked more immersive descriptions of the setting.

The writing was alright, but the pace was very slow and not even the threat of war added any real tension or excitement to the plot. Plus the fact that I didnt get to know the protagonists that well or see much character development made it even harder to stay interested in the story. I finally decided to switch over to the audiobook about half way through and that really helped. I was still disappointed that we werent told the reading from the last stone casting. If you do want to pick this up I highly recommend reading Sky in the Deep first as this one spoils everything that happens in that one. I personally didnt like how we got an entire chapter recapping one of the scenes from the first book because it felt like a waste of my time. I was really hoping to love this one, but I think the first book was better. Im sure other people will love this, but it just didnt work for me.

I was given this arc by netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This book was highly anticipated by a ton of people and I wilk say it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved this book. This was my very first book by ms. Young and deffinetly wont be my last.