Coral is a loose re-telling of The Little Mermaid that reminds me of movies like A Cinderella Story or Another Cinderella Story. This book is a modern day story of a girl trying to find her legs and her balance in a world out of her control. Depression and anxiety have rocked the boat like the red tide and she has to learn to move on and live with this disease. Told from three different points of view (Coral, Brooke, Merrick), the book provides perspectives of someone who is struggling with depression, someone who has had a love one die by suicide, and someone whose family member survived a suicide attempt. I can’t give a spoiler, but there is a realization I came to about half way through the book that it is critical to understanding the timeline and plot to this story, as well as the characters themselves.

All of the discussion of self-harm and suicide could definitely be a trigger for someone that is suffering from anxiety and depression. The author has written a warning at the beginning of the book, as well as include the suicide hotline information at the end. As someone who has struggled with depression, if I had not been in the right frame of mind, it could have been debilitating to read this.

As for the method of writing, I’ve seen many people criticizing the method of the three perspectives and the difference between fantasy and reality. I think once you realize how two of the characters are connected, things will make more sense. I do agree that these transitions could have been better and the connection of the characters could have been more explicitly explained. However, I do not think that this takes away from the amazing story that Sara Ella has here.

Overall, I loved it. I give Coral 5 stars.

I felt like the main characters and plot were a tad underdeveloped. I might have felt differently and less confused if I had seen only one characters perspective.

Coral is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" with multiple perspectives of mental health. And while I applaud the mental health representation, this book left me feeling confused and frustrated. Here are my reasons why:

1. The writing style wasn't easy for me to read. There were too many sentence fragments and one-word sentences for it to be comfortable.

2. I felt it was too jarring to go from a mythical mermaid perspective to a modern day one.

3. The multiple points of view felt disjointed. I felt that some perspectives got more depth at different parts of the book, and while that may have been on purpose, I like reading perspectives that are equal in quantity and quality so I can understand all of their experiences. For example, Coral's perspective dies out near the midpoint, then picks up again later. Instead, Coral's voice should have been at its strongest. That midpoint and onward left me confused at her character and the plot.

4. The timeline of events gets very jumbled near the end in order to serve the author's "big reveals." I felt frustrated because it felt like the author was willingly withholding information from the reader in order to make the plot seem bigger than it actually was. Big pet peeve. Even now having finished it, I'm still confused with the timeline, and I don't think I could accurately summarize what happened.

5. The mental health message is bigger than the story and characters. Don't get me wrong—I like messages in stories, and I think Coral offers a great one about having hope when going through depression and anxiety. But I don't think the message was weaved into the story and characters enough. The characters and plot seemed to serve the message too much, making the characters seem unreal and the plot fabricated. In an effort to preach mental-health awareness, it just didn't flow like a believable story.

I do think this story could be a powerful read for those struggling with mental health. Perhaps I didn't fully understand this book because I've never had the experiences that the characters had. But I do feel like the story was lost and the characters too underdeveloped.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 2.5
Plot/Movement: 2
Character Development: 2
Overall: 2

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC! This book will be released on November 12, 2020.

Absolutely beautiful, heart breaking and ultimately about the power of love. I note that many view this as a retelling of The Little Mermaid but I beg to disagree. I found this to be slightly inspired by it yes but only as a vehicle to tell a profound story about depression and the ugly consequences.
This quite rightly carries a trigger warning as it's a very heavy subject but told in a deft intriguing way. Its surprising, profound and imaginative. Told initially from the point of view of Coral we gradually learn about Brook, Hope and those around them. There was a moment I became confused and then as I read on I realised that the characters imagination and sheer overwhelming need for peace and escape had her sinking down into a pit that she needed help escaping.
The author takes us on a ride through imagination and tragedy and it will not please everyone. If blunt at times I wanted to simply walk away but I persevered and found this story pulled at my heart strings and made me feel for these characters. A unique way to get us to think about depression as a disease and I'm extremely glad I read this book to the very end.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Hello, I will be posting this review on Instagram, Goodreads, and my blog on November 4th. I will add links when they are live. Thank you!

Title: Coral
Author: Sara Ella
Genre: YA Fantasy/Retelling
Publication Date: November 12th, 2019
Content Warning:  suicide, self-harm, emotional abuse, anxiety, depression, PTSD, eating disorders, and unwanted/non-consensual advances.

Full Content Disclosure can be found here.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.



My Review:
This book covers a lot of heavy subjects but she does it by doing a retelling and I think it makes it easier to talk about and understand. Since I haven't read the original, I can't comment on that aspect but will discuss what I like and didn't like from this book.

The beginning of this book puts you underwater as Coral is introduced as well as the issue her sister has been dealing with and how her family sees it. They mention red tide and it being a disease but it was hard to understand exactly what was meant by this until further on into the book. Coral would do anything to save her older sister from it even when it felt like her family turned their back and didn't care. It was tragic and it only got worse.

There are two more point of views in this book: Brooke and Merrick. Brooke is in a rehab center and is trying to cope with grief. She feels like she is nothing. Merrick is a rich kid who graduated from High School and doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. He isn't a fan of his dad. Tragedy strikes his family and he tries to control the situation. I felt bad for him because all he wanted to do was help those he loved.

I enjoyed the different point of views and seeing how each character would connect in the plot. It was however a bit confusing at times and didn't really make sense completely until around 75%-80%. I wish I would have connected with the characters a bit more and I think I didn't just because of the confusion. There is a slight relationship that is formed but it doesn't take away from subjects that are most important. It also ties into the plot.

Overall, it was a decent read. I think it speaks on the heavy subjects fairly well and I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if it made more sense before the very end.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity.

Loved the way the story was told. It has lots of things from the original little mermaid but also it was its own thing which I adored. Loved how the story took it own direction. I’m in love with this tell.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I want to start off by saying that as a psychology student and avid reader, it pains me that not enough authors take care to correctly and delicately deal with mental health issues.

That is NOT the case with Coral. Sara Ella took great efforts to make this book a truthful depiction of mental health issues, and for that, I must applaud her

That being said, however, I had trouble getting through this book, and gave up about halfway through. I enjoyed Brooke's narrative, and even Merrick was interesting. However, Coral and her life under the sea made it difficult for me to enjoy the book.

There were too many metaphors and similes used regarding underwater creatures, and that made the book feel inconsistent to read. Moreover, the mystery of the "Red Tide" and structure of underwater life were not revealed for a large majority of the book, making world building a little unclear.

Perhaps this book simply wasn't for me. I do, however, look forward to seeing what else the author comes up with in the future.

5 stars

I went into this book thinking it would be a darker take on The Little Mermaid, but this was much more than that. While it does loosely follow elements of the Hans Christensian fairy tale, it is so much more than just a retelling.

In this book we follow Coral, a mermaid, who is about to turn 16 and become an adult. She is worried that she has The Disease, just like her sister and that The Red Tide will come and get her. We also follow Merrick, the son of a tech mogul, whose family is slowly falling apart at the seams and Brooke, a girl recently admitted to an inpatient home for people with mental illness. These three stories all merge and come to together in unexpected ways.

My favourite part of this book was the exploration of mental illness in this book. It is recommended to check out the warnings the author has put in the beginning of the book or on Goodreads, as she outlines possible triggers for readers. I personally felt that the exploration of mental health was done in such a raw and emotional way that made me feel all kinds of things and forced me to reflect inwards. The descriptions and mental health and other general settings/plots was very lyrical and beautiful. I also enjoyed the multiple perspectives story telling and how distinct each character was from the other.

I can understand how this book will not be for everyone. It deals with some pretty intense topics in an more out of the box way, but for me it all worked and I really enjoyed the reading experience I had.

Ella, Sara. Coral. Thomas Nelson, 2019. Gr. 8 and up. 978-0-7852-2445-7.
Trigger warning: Suicidal acts and death by suicide are discussed and described in detail.
Mermaids cannot cry. So when Coral discovers that her sister, the Crown Princess, has tears it can only mean one thing: Red Death is coming. Afterward, Coral knows it will not be long before Red Death finds her too. Only Coral’s Grandmother seems to understand Coral’s struggle but running away from the family curse also means giving up everything she has ever known. On dry land Coral will have to learn who she is all over again. Merrick, son of a wealthy business magnate knows that it’s his responsibility to uphold the family name in front of the paparazzi. When tragedy strikes and tears his family apart, Merrick is forced to take his sister into hiding while searching for his estranged mother. Brooke appears one day in the same coastal California town as if she just walked out of the sea. All three story lines become woven together in a deliciously unexpected twist. Coral is part fairy-tale, part romance and part tragedy rolled into one unforgettable story about loss and healing. Mental health is handled in a relate-able way as several characters struggle with depression, suicidal thoughts and suicidal actions.The ripple effect of mental health challenges within families is also a poignant takeaway from this novel. The alternating views from narrators keeps the reader guessing until all of the pieces are beautifully woven together into a modern day fairy-tale ending.
THOUGHTS: Although the subject matter is sometimes painful this book also carries a beautiful message about recovery and self-love. I would definitely recommend this title to mature teen readers. I received an ebook version of this title for review from NetGalley.
Realistic Fiction

The Quick Cut: A mermaid is left asking questions when her sister is infected with a disease. Drama unfolds as she interacts with others in her search for the truth.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mental illness is such an important awareness topic. Far too often, anxiety and depression are labeled as people being weak when in fact the issue can be traced back to physical issues. In this re-imagination of "The Little Mermaid", this incredible story is told center stage.

Coral is a mermaid devastated when her oldest sister, the crown princess, becomes Diseased by the Red Tide. Where she was perfect and unemotional, she is now encumbered and doomed. Coral doesn't want to play the political game while everyone pretends everything will be fine, but doesn't know how to move forward without her sister. Brooke is a human living in a mental health center after having attempted suicide. She doesn't see how life could get better and refuses to hear anyone else's perspective. Merrick is a golden boy on the outside, but dying to get his family away from his abusive father on the inside. Playing the game just enough to move forward with his plan to get away from him, he's shocked when his mom disappears and his sister gets in trouble. What do these three possibly have in common?

This book starts off so strong and then manages to completely fall apart about halfway through. Although I agree that the overall message to the book is so important, the backbone known as the story doesn't hold up. I will forewarn of the triggers in this book: there are some very detailed descriptions on depression, anxiety, and suicide. Do not take this one lightly!

The characters themselves also could've used more beefing up. All three were incredibly flat, but Coral was the most developed. The story that began with the King and her royal duties was quickly thrown to the wayside for a very confusing alternative I'm still not sure I understand.

The storyline works extra hard to weave these three together when it could have been better serviced focusing on one character. It felt at moments that multiple storylines were started and then dropped in order to make the message stand out.

As admirable as the attempt is, this book fails to achieve the goal.

My rating: 2 out of 5

As a huge little mermaid fan, I was really intrigued to read this story. Coral puts a unique twist on a classic tale. I enjoyed the nods to the classic little mermaid story. It was hard to get into the story at first but once it transitioned to Brooke's story I was hooked. While the format of the book was unique I felt that it could have been executed better. It was difficult to differentiate from a flash back to present day and I wish it could have been clearer or lined up a little more. The author also tackled the issue of mental health in a realistic and honest way. I felt that she handled the topic really well. Overall, it was a thoughtful read and a unique twist on one of my favorite stories.

This is like a Little Mermaid retelling, but the story focuses more on discussing subjects like depression, self-harm, suicide, anxiety, and death. I'm glad that I've read the author's note because it is helpful for me to get ready what the story will tell me.

I enjoyed the different POV of the characters. It gives me a depth understanding of them. I also can relate to them because I somehow went under the same situations as them. I've lost my favorite grandfather, and in the same year, my life went downhill, that leads me to feel like I'm trapped in an unhappy and dark room. And, this story shows us how one person can act and think when they have these mental illnesses which other people need to understand.

The author has written a story about a complicated subject, but I liked it. It can be complicated and challenging to read for others, especially if they don't understand the story being told. But I hope they will appreciate this one.

Thank his book was intense! I’m honestly still thinking about this book, days after reading it. It’s one of those stories that will be with you long after you finish reading it! The storyline was very complex. I couldn’t put it down.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Before I even start this I want to bring your attention to the author’s note. She is very clear about trigger warnings and that she wants you to talk care of your mental health. So if subjects like suicide, self harm, depression, anxiety, death of a loved one bother you at all, maybe wait to pick this one up until you are in a good state of mind
Where to begin with the lovely book. Let’s start with the plot. It was pitched as a Little Mermaid retelling. But to be honest that part of the story takes a back seat to the bigger discussions of mental health, grief, and suicide. The story is told through 3 characters: Coral, Merrick, and Brooke. Goodreads says:
Coral has always been different, standing out from her mermaid sisters in a society where blending in is key. Worse yet, she fears she has been afflicted with the dreaded Disease, said to be carried by humans—emotions. Can she face the darkness long enough to surface in the light?

Above the sea, Brooke has nothing left to give. Depression and anxiety have left her feeling isolated. Forgotten. The only thing she can rely on is the numbness she finds within the cool and comforting ocean waves. If only she weren’t stuck at Fathoms—a new group therapy home that promises a second chance at life. But what’s the point of living if her soul is destined to bleed?

Merrick may be San Francisco’s golden boy, but he wants nothing more than to escape his controlling father. When his younger sister’s suicide attempt sends Merrick to his breaking point, escape becomes the only option. If he can find their mom, everything will be made right again—right?
I thought the plot struggled a little bit. My biggest issue with Coral is that the transition for Coral(the character) from Water to Land didn’t make a lot of sense and was just odd. The Sea Witch was NEVER villainous and yet she was supposed to be seen as such for at least part of the story. And just how the separate stories weave together was a little messy. While I did enjoy each separate story, I just thought how they meshed together was awkward like a middle school dance. Which brings me to my second irritation, not a full on complaint : The romance. I can’t explain without spoilers but it felt like a lot of ridiculous miss communication and then suddenly “I LOVE YOU!” I mean I knew the two chracters would end up together. But still. It just didn’t flow perfectly. Like a river that hits a few rocks along the way. Not a huge deal but something to mention.
Speaking of characters, I did enjoy the ones leading this story. I’ll admit I preferred the side characters but I had no problem slipping into Coral or Brooke or Merrick’s story with ease. They aren’t perfect little angels, and do exhibit some unlikeable behavior. But to me it made sense under the lense of depression, anxiety, mental illness.
I thought the writing was both beautiful and haunting. Ella’s descriptions of anxiety attacks and depression were painfully accurate and didn’t skimp on the details. It was also relatable. If you don’t like mentions of Harry Potter and John Green in your books maybe skip this one. It’ll get on your nerves. But personally, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed each POV equally and felt they each had their own voice. I even struggled to put this down at times because just as things would move on , so would the POVs . So I was definitely hooked. Either way I give full points to Ella’s writing style.
Finally let me talk about my personal experience with Coral. I went into this excited because I LOVE the Little Mermaid. But what I got was so much more. Maybe the retelling aspect of Coral didn’t execute as planning but the conversation regarding mental illness was … perfect. I can’t express how much it means to me to see things like people regarding mental illness like disease just like cancer. Or positive representation of mental institutions and therapy. Or positive discussions about actually taking your mental health meds so that you can find your normal. I am crying writing this review because of how much this book meant to me. It touched my soul and I can’t thank Ella enough for writing this into the world. I feel seen, valued, and treasured. “I am not nothing and neither are you.”
Overall I give this 4/5 stars.

Coral by Sara Ella is such a poignant, emotionally gripping read. It's also an important one. Mental Health still feels very underrepresented, even in the increasingly diverse array of young adult lit. Sara's novel does a phenomenal job of weaving anxiety and depression, grief and emotional trauma into the story and treating them with care and respect. One of my favorite quotes is, "You are not nothing, my friend, and neither am I." So beautiful.

The entire book is raw and real. And intriguing. I have an awful habit of forgetting about a book I'm reading halfway through for one reason or another. You CAN NOT do that with this, for your own good, lol. So much of the story falls into place at the end, like this perfect puzzle that you had to complete to be able to appreciate the glorious picture.

A huge thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the free advanced copy of the ebook for me to read.

{ I will share this review, along with a styled picture of the book, on my blog and on Instagram on August 13th. }

Coral is a retelling of the classic fairytale The Little Mermaid and approaches the story from a darker point of view, as its main theme is mental health. While I found the message of the book extremely important, I don’t think that Sara Ella created a compelling and well-crafted story to communicate it to its best potential.

Our protagonist is a 16-year-old mermaid named Coral who lives in a world where emotions are considered a disease. Brooke and Merrick are people who have known grief and loneliness and they, as well, share their individual, sad stories. As you can guess, the paths of these three will eventually intertwine and we’ll get to experience why and how such a thing occurred and what happens next.

My first problem with this book was the way the author chose to tell her story. It was very confusing and unnecessarily complicated with all those different POVs, timelines and allegories. Everything is explained at the end but until then it’s a very frustrating experience keeping up with the author’s style of narration. Also, I had foreseen the big twist and I didn’t think it needed this kind of build-up for us to get there.

The characters were my second and main issue. They were bland and completely deprived of any unique personality trait. The only thing that characterized them was their mental illness and I was very disappointed I couldn’t relate to or connect with any of them. Basically, I’d be more enthusiastic to finish this book and I’d be willing to ignore the awkward and confusing story-telling if the characters were interesting and their motivations were appealing enough.

Thirdly, I think the romance was rushed and underdeveloped. I wanted more time for our protagonists to develop feelings for one another.

I really wanted to like Coral and I was really excited getting into it but, unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations.

I received this e-arc from NetGalley for review purposes.

I appreciate that this book tried to address depression and mental health but it wasn’t that meaningful because the plot became too twisted. A story can’t be impactful if readers can’t, you know, keep to the plot. Also, I think it’s time YA step away from mermaid retellings.

I wanted to read this book because I have heard such great things about it and how it handles the issue of mental health and suicide so delicately. Then I got the book and saw it was written by Sara Ella. I read her Unblemished series which started out good but then faltered which have me some apprehensions about reading Coral.



I was wrong to have doubted this book based on that. Sara Ella has clearly grown a bit as an author as of evident with this book. But there is one thing that kind of bugged me about the Unblemished series that she did in this book as well. Pop culture references, on over load. Mrs. Ella loves to make references to ask kinds of pop culture and she does it way too much. A little bit can go a long way and making the story relevant to time and place, we don’t need the overkill.



Now that that is off my chest left me get to the important part. This book is heartbreakingly beautiful.



There is a line of romance thread through the story that is both realistic and sweet. And though it is a big part of the book it really isn’t about that at all.
The story converges a mermaid fantasy with a reality that deals with the darkness, the abyss, that depression can be. There seems to be a great deal of meaning in this book. Even the title has meaning.



I have had my own struggles with depression and suicide and I felt that this book handles these issues with care. I was not triggered in any way, but that is just me, I can’t speak for others so that judgement would have to be up to you.



This book was really really good and I am glad to have read it. Iferl it can be an uplifting read despite the seriousness of the subject matter. I can, with a clear conscience, recommend this book too the YA community.

So, booklings, yes, read it.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 Star rating.



Thanks goes out to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book for a fair and honest review.



If you are in any way feeling helpless, hopeless or nothingness there is help. Please make the call to seek that help. I know it can be hard, but the help is there. You. Are. NOT nothing.

"𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘖𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯."⁣
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So, I’m not able to review this book the way I usually would, because I can’t rant or give away any spoilers.⁣
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CORAL BY @saraellawrites


OVERALL RATING: 5/5 STARS⁣
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FEELINGS: Oof this book is a rollercoaster. It’s not simply a retelling of ‘The Little Mermaid’ or a book about mental health: it’s a story that encompasses everything ranging from love to understanding how mental health is perceived now. There are literary references throughout which is every readers dream-I really loved recognizing quotes and references-and it’s a love letter to Hans Christian Anderson’s writing. ⁣
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Initially, I did think the book was simply going to make mental health seem like something glamorous, something like the trend it is becoming now. But it doesn’t. The fairy-tale setting, the characters struggles illustrate how difficult the struggle with mental health can be. It emphasizes hope as well as the journey it takes to get to your version of balanced and ‘normal’.⁣
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The characters steal your heart in this book, there is no one that you will be able not to feel something for. Sara Ella did a phenomenal job at tugging at your heartstrings and forcing you to reflect on how you treat others. There are twists and turns which makes the plot even more compelling because it’s not just a story about people dealing with mental health but it’s also genuinely intriguing. You are curious, sorrowful, ready to scream, and just plain old obsessed. ⁣
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I finished this book in one sitting, it took me three hours and when I was done, my heart felt spent. There is nothing greater than a book being able to make you feel physically worn out, as if you were on the journey with the characters themselves. ⁣
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TW: sexual assault, depression, suicide, generally dark themes.⁣
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RECCOMDNED FOR: everyone and anyone who wants a genuine story on mental health that isn’t romanticized or glorified, but plainly explained with a fairy-tale backdrop. ⁣
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3/5⭐️

DNF’ed after a few chapters in.

When I started this book, I thought it’d be a really good book. The author started it out with a trigger warning that I found touching and caring, but I should’ve read that and walked away. Not that she displayed mental illness in a bad way, but because I felt like I could relate so much to a point it was making me miserable and stressed trying to read it. I think it just hit too close to home and it hit me hard, as it wasn’t that long ago that I was in that place. It’s nothing that the author did, but I think I should’ve looked more into the book before requesting it off netgalley? I’m not sure, but I’ll probably be picking this up again in a time where I’m less sensitive to talk of depression and self harm.

Other than that, there were some other issues also that would’ve bugged me even if I were in a good state to be reading this book. One of the main issues was that I found myself confused and lost at times, and couldn’t entirely follow what was occurring. I also didn’t understand some of the words mentioned in a vague sense, like the Red Tide. What is the Red Tide? From other reviews I see that this was something cleared up in the end, but I felt that the reader should’ve had a little idea towards what it is so that it wasn’t completely confusing.

Another issue was that I felt that Merrick’s point of view was unnecessary in this book. Not that his story won’t affect another reader who might relate, but I felt that he didn’t fit into this book. I felt that his chapters distracted from Brooke and Coral’s, who’s story was more appropriate in this mermaid/human read.

So why did I — personally — not give this book 5 stars? : it was confusing, triggering, and at times boring to me.

I know it may seem that I’m bashing on the book, but I’m not saying you shouldn’t read this book for these reasons. I feel that it discusses important issues and may get better the more you read, but for me, it was too triggering for me to finish it. I feel really bad for DNF’ing it, but I just felt like for my own sanity I had to. 😅

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!! ❤️