Crown of Coral and Pearl is a book of opposites.

The first third of the book I would have given this story 5 stars. I absolutely loved the aesthetics of Varenia and the bond Nor has with her sister. It felt so genuine, intense, and full of emotions. I sped through the pages I was hooked. Although I didn't really care for Zadie's choices and decisions, the reaction from Nor was full of guilt, anger, and a desire to protect and help. The writing was also very strong with evocative scenes and emotions with some nice descriptions here and there. If only the book had continued in this way.

If only...

The last three quarters or two thirds lost a lot of steam. Although the setting of the castle in and under the mountain is well drawn, the characters lacked the same amount of depth as the sisters and the rest of their compatriots back in Varenia. The two brothers, Ceren and Talin were shallow. Ceren being the bad, bad antagonist and Talin, the sweet and oh so loving romance lead.

Ceren's manipulations and overall quest to acquire the throne, while alarming, seems a bit too black and white. I didn't buy it and wanted to frown or roll my eyes, maybe scoff, at his actions. They were so outlandish and painted in the "oh I'm so evil" that I never took him seriously.

The romance had a great spark of a beginning but it was too easy and quick for me to really enjoy even with the set up. Talin lacked a personality other than being merely the romance stand in and the convenient ally to bail Nor out of trouble.

For me, the plot twists were so obviously done I was never taken aback or surprised by any of it. So, unfortunately, I lost my investment then when I first started out this story. I'm sad. This story had started out so strong. I had liked this even though I stay away from stories with ocean-based settings. Mara Rutherford has some talent so I'll see what she writes later on after this series.

eArc provided by NetGalley for review.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book was enticing and intriguing from the very beginning until the very end. I loved every minute of it. It is perfect for a quick summer read with a bit of adventure, romance, and protagonists. The author weaves story lines that twist and turn and spider web together, making the reader continually wanting more. The relationships between the characters are extremely believable and relate-able. There is a balance of good vs. bad and romance vs. dislike. Nor is a truly remarkable character...she has to be one of my favorites from the multitudes of books I've ever read!

All I can say is: I cannot WAIT to read more from this author! Bring on the sequel!

I was provided a review copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"Crown of Coral and Pearl" is now tied with "Spin the Dawn" as my favorite YA Fantasy of this year! I read this book in just a couple of days even with a busy work schedule this week. I have never read about a setting so unique as that of Varenia. Varenia is a poor ocean city where the houses are raised up and people either boat to a neighbor's house or swim there. They exist on diving for food and for special pearls that they trade to the land of Ilara. Ilara is run by a King and every generation a new queen (or Princess if the older king is still living) is chosen from the village of Varenia. But the young lady chosen will be the most beautiful of all the women. From their birth twins Zadie and Nor are groomed by their mother to be beautiful and delicate and to behave as if they are royalty although the still dive with their father for food and pearls. The people here live in complete poverty and more are hungry than not. At first the girls would have been difficult to choose between but years ago there was an accident and Nor ended up with a scar on her cheek. Now it pretty much a given that Zadie will be chosen. I could have spent the entire book learning about the life in Varenia and enjoying the tales of these two girls. But at a little more then a third of the way in, something happens and Nor is actually the one to go to Ilara. I was afraid I wouldn't enjoy the book as much at this point but I did! Ilara is a different Kingdom as well than I had read of previously. Nor is to marry Prince Ceren who is not at all a cuddly man. Instead she is more attracted to his brother. I won't give anything away because I knew nothing at all about this book when I started reading it and I love that and want other readers to experience that feeling as well. However this has one of the most creepy villains that I have ever encountered. This person was terrifying. Ilara is not on the up and up and there is truly horrifying things happening in the castle. Read this one! Seriously I can't say enough about how much I loved it.

“... be careful and cautious with your heart, for things are not always what they seem.”


Ok. So I liked the majority of this book. I like the world that was built. The beautiful yet poor sea village of Varenia. The simplicity of Ilara that felt brand new being seen through Nor’s eyes. The cold and dark yet rich mountain of New Castle. The royal court and how corrupt and mysterious it was. Our heroine not knowing who to trust in the new land she’s navigating.

I liked the characters that were presented. Nor and Zadie’s twin sister relationship isn’t new to YA fantasy, but it did feel like it’s own. The contrast in their relationship versus the one between Talin and Ceren. The author did a good job presenting the world and the characters. The story is good. It definitely had me turning pages and wanting to read every possible second that I could. I loved how most things started to unfold and make sense. There is another book, and the ending to this one definitely has many things resolve, but also leaves a few open ended. So it will be interesting to see where the next book takes us.

All that being said, I did have some issues with the story, and that’s why it’s only getting three stars from me. I had a bit of an issue with the author TELLING me things instead of showing them to me. For a book that essentially hammers in the message about beauty not being everything I need the “bad guy” to be labeled as such from his actions not his first appearance. Also. If you’re going to add romance, then I need it to be built up. I need the romancing couple to actually have more than a page of dialogue before they fall in love. Maybe that’s personal preference but. Also, the ending was a bit weak for me at points. Don’t get me wrong I plan to read the next book, because I want to know what is going on with all the open ended plots, BUT it fell a little flat for me. Also I would have loved a bit of a tease of what’s to come. I think the author makes it pretty obvious that things aren’t all what they seem, so I’m a little sad that our heroine didn’t hold that mind set.

All in all. This was still a great story. I’m probably being picky about my dislikes, but I was digging the story so much, and I was a smidge let down by some of the things I mentioned. I do have confidence that the next one will be just as much of a page-turner though.

Crown of Coral and Pearl is a story about sisterhood, sacrifice, and rising up to meet challenges we never thought we'd see. Beginning in Varenia where beauty is prize above all else - as it represents the possibility to be picked as the most beautiful maiden. But also a means of family security. Nor has grown up knowing she would not be picked, not only because of her scar, but because her sister Zadie has the inner beauty to see the good in everything.

But when Zadie is injured, Nor has to go in her place. Thrust into a role she never imagined, Nor is forced to not only pretend to be her sister for her own survival, but her home's survival as well. A story of random twists of fate, of the power of love, and bravery to fight for our future, Crown of Coral and Pearl is about dispelling the way we may have valued ourselves. It becomes a story of manipulation, of politics, and sharks hidden in plain sight.

4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book, especially the second half. The first half was a little slow due to the immense amount of world building.
A creative world with wonderful characters and I can't wait to see what happens next. (There's going to be a sequel, right?)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world building is amazing, you really get a feel of what it’s like to live in each setting. The twin relationship is well developed and we get a lot of character insight. I would have liked a little longer ending, it felt a bit rushed so I’m hoping there is a book 2. Overall a great read that I highly recommend.

I was provided with an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

When reading the premise of this book, I was excited. It sounded like a fresh new fantasy! I was excited to read a fantasy by the sea with some political intrigue. However I didn't expect the summary to tell me what half the book was. Nothing new happened in the book until about 46% into the book, which is not a problem with the story just whoever is in charge of writing the summaries. So I highly recommend only reading half the summary, better to go in with not knowing a lot.

I loved the setting. Varenia, were out main character Val lives with her twin sister Zadie and the way this society (and especially their mother) values beauty can be paralleled to our society. Beauty is important because the most beautiful girl is chosen to go marry the prince. I loved the discussion of beauty that this book brings out. The relationship with the sisters is beautiful and almost heart breaking.

Sadly, the romance was to insta-love for me. It also took way to long for Nor and Talin to have an actual moment together to where the romance felt real. Not sure how it takes forever for the characters to meet and talk yet it still felt insta-love. Considering the romance was also to be forbidden (as she is to marry his brother) it did not excite me the way forbidden romances should.

Ceren, the prince. I was surprised how much I loved and hated him all at the same time. The author did an phenomenal job in making me feel sympathy for this character, even for a moment! I loved when Nor's interactions with him and I almost just wanted more. He was such an interesting but complex character. He was a highlight of the book for sure!

I sadly did not enjoy the endings. The twists were expected, and a few that were not expected didn't make sense and seemed to be thrown in there for no particular reason. I was disappointed how everything wrapped up and at the same time how there were still conflicts added in the last chapter that will never be resolved.

Overall the first half of the book was slow, but interesting especially where the . The second half was fast and some information was thrown at the reader for no reason. Overall, it didn't flow.

I liked this book, I'm glad I read it and it's definitely unique. If you want a new fantasy story by the sea with a forbidden love, court and a small mystery wrapped around it then this book is for you! The premise and the setting were very interesting, the execution however was not the best. As much as I wanted to love this book, in the end I felt unsatisfied and was left with questions.

I'm rating this book with a solid 4.5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed the read!

The heroine, and main character, Nor, is strong-willed and fiercely loyal. She has a twin sister, Zadie whom their mother desperately wants to become Queen of Ilara. Through a series of events, Nor goes to Ilara as the future queen, even though Zadie was selected by the elders. As Nor meets the people of Illara, her future husband, Ceren, and his brother, Talin, she learns that the kingdom is not as her people, the Varenians believed. The storyline flows with adventure, suspense, romance, and few plot twists along the way. The characters are developed so they have depth and are engaging. I found myself rooting for Ceren (in the beginning) and wishing for more backstory about Sami and his father, the Governor. I've heard there will be a sequel and I cannot wait!

A great read for all young adults, and adults, who enjoy adventure and fantasy fiction. Would be a good read for fans of the "Red Queen" series by Victoria Aveyard.

Thanks to Net Galley, Inkyard Press, and Mara Rutherford for an advanced review copy. This review reflects my honest opinion and is not biased in any way.

I love a sea-based YA Fantasy. And Crown of Coral and Pearl may contain my favorite sea setting yet. The world of Varenia and it's antithesis Ilara were so well developed and full of interesting nuance. I had a couple of problems with this book, but in general, I was incredibly engaged through my entire read. Nor was wonderfully smart and her bond with Zadie was so well-formed, the politics of this world were actually interesting, and I loved the journey Nor took us on.

Seventeen-year-old Nor (whose name means 'coral') lives in the ocean village of Varenia with her twin sister Zadie ('pearl'). They are truly of the sea - they swim, boat, and live in a house on stilts within the open sea. Due to an ancient rule made by the nearby land kingdom of Ilara, no Varenian is allowed to go to shore for fear of death.

With one exception: whoever is chosen to be the next queen of Ilara, the very people who keep them in the sea. Once every generation, the most beautiful girl in the village will travel to Ilara to wed the prince. Nor has always wished it could be her, but she knows it will be her twin, Zadie, in the end. A childhood accident left her with a scar on her cheek, while Zadie has stayed perfect under their Mother's iron rule. And when Zadie is picked, everything is as it should be. Except, not really.

Only, Zadie doesn't want to go and she's willing to go to desperate lengths to make sure she doesn't. Instead, Nor is sent, armed with a pot of cream designed to hide her scar and keep her true identity secret. But it turns out that Ilara is not the savior from her dull sea life that Nor thought it would be. She's swept up in the politics to try to protect her village from exploitation and extinction.

I really enjoyed this plot. We had enough time in Varenia to get a feel for their way of life and feel an ache for it when we're stuck in Ilara. But like I mentioned, I had a couple of problems. The main one being the romance between Nor and Talin. I, quite frankly, need a romance plot in my YA fantasy. But like others, I was a little annoyed by the insta-love here. As the book progresses, we get more of Talin's personality (still not enough) but the only thing that connects them initially is beauty...in a book that seemingly teaches that inner beauty is way more important. Tough look here.

My other gripe - the ending. It came out of nowhere - it was rushed, pretty implausible, and seemed all and all too easy. I would have rather had a cliff-hanger that led to something more well-developed than a rushed mess. I'll definitely be reading the next book in this series because that ending left me with more questions than answers.

Nor and Zodiac are identical twins, except for a scar on Nor’s cheek. Together, they grew up in Varenia, an oceanic village known for their pink pearls. For generations, the elders have picked the most perfectly beautiful girls to marry the princes of Ilara. Zadie is sure to be chosen. But, is she in love with someone else? What will Nora do without her? When Zadie is seriously injured, it becomes clear that the village must form another plan and it’s up to Nora to figure it out. What awaits Nora on land? Will she endure without her family? Can she find a way to save Varenia? The plot is engrossing and draws the reader easily into Nora and Zadie’s world. The characters are well developed, likable, and realistic. Fans of fantasy, adventure, and romance will enjoy reading this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I’ve always wanted a twin, but reading this book showed me the conflicting issues having a twin comes with.
This book was a bit predictable in its overall plot; prince picks his bride from neighboring country, bride doesn’t want to be picked, drama ensues, bride falls in love with a different family member. The author of this novel, however, keep you guessing with little twists and turns along the way, and stopped at such a big cliff hanger that it made me hungry for more.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book. It’s the perfect ya novel, with romance, drama, adventure, and beautiful description.

I’ve had Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford on my to read shelf for a while so when I was able to get at copy while at ALA this year, I bumped it up on my reading schedule.

The main character is Nor and she has grown up in the ocean village of Varenia so she’s been surrounded by water her whole life. Her village is struggling to get by because of the limits they have on trade as well as the fact that the pearls they hunt and sell to survive are becoming more and more scarce. The only way villagers have to become more is to have a daughter chosen to go to Ilara. For generations, the princes of Ilara have married the most beautiful girl in their village and because Nor was injured and scarred years before, she knows her chance is gone. Luckily for her family, Nor has a twin named Zadie.

As the time comes for a girl to be chosen, the inevitable happens and Zadie is chosen. Unfortunately, she doesn’t want to leave. She’s in love with Sami (the Governor’s son) and she’s happy in their village. When Zadie does something drastic to stay, she puts Nor in a bad position and ultimately pushes the leaders of the village to send Nor in her stead. I get that she wanted to make her own choice but she basically removes any choices Nor has and even puts her life in danger so she comes across as selfish.

I’ll start with Nor’s family relationships. The relationship between Nor and Zadie was interesting. Nor is very clearly willing to do anything to keep her sister safe. I didn’t love the way Zadie forced Nor into the situation she was in and then ultimately did nothing to sway the leaders of their village that Nor was not guilty of what they were accusing her of. Don’t even get me started on their mother. I disliked her almost immediately and the fact that she made Nor feel like she wasn’t beautiful because of a scar only made her worse in my mind. Nor’s relationship with her father was solid and I loved that he saw through everything.

As Nor is sent off to marry the prince under the guise of being Zadie, she realizes she might be in over her head at court. Not only is her betrothed, Prince Ceren, cold and someone who makes her uncomfortable, she finds out that the emissary sent by the prince was actually his brother, Prince Talin and she is drawn to him in a way she knows she should not be. It was interesting to see Nor try to navigate the politics of court as well as balance Ceren’s weird moods. Where she can, she attempts to bargain with Prince Ceren for the safety of her family and her people, but it doesn’t always work out as she planned.

While Nor’s relationship with Talin strengthens, she puts herself in a risky place with Prince Ceren and things come to a head when he finds out what she can do because of her childhood accident. Ceren immediately looks for a way to use her ability to give him more strength and power and when he finds what he wants, he delivers an ultimatum.

Overall, I thought this was a good book. I do want to mention that the world building is really well done. From the ocean village to the castle fortress, I was able to picture how the world came together. On top of that, the story kept me interested and the characters were well-developed. While I would have liked to see more development in the relationship between Nor and Talin, I thought Ceren was a great villain. I would have liked to learn more about what was going on with Zadie as well, but knowing that this was Nor’s story, I see why we only got a glimpse of it via Sami.

If you’re looking for a YA fantasy that has an interesting twist, consider checking this one out. I enjoyed it and will be looking for more from Mara Rutherford in the future.

Crown of Coral and Pearl begins with our main character Nor, a young woman from the sea state of Varenia, preparing for the impending ceremony for the selection of the most beautiful girl in Varenia to be chosen to marry the royal prince of the ruling kingdom, Illara. Nor, while beautiful, is marred with a special imperfection - especially compared to her stunning twin sister, Zadie. After the predictable selection is made, the story takes a gruesome twist showing the will for some to retain their independence, no matter the method. And once the chosen young woman reaches Illara, she finds that the situation there is much more dire than she ever imagined.

This book certainly stands out among the usual YA fantasy fare. Even simply the setting of Varenia is unique and interesting, with the descriptions of the sea and the daily activities of the people there assisting to make the story extra vivid and poetic. Most of the characters are memorable, although sometimes remembering who was who in Illara and who was married to who and when, did get slightly confusing. There were certain times that I had to go back and read paragraphs over again to fully digest the content.

More rounding out of characters and adding some backstory and depth would have been great, but since this story is clearly the first of a series, I can only assume that these character reveals will be coming in later books. There were some great twists and unpredictable actions from the characters that felt fresh and exciting while still remaining in the realm of plausibility. The romance portion of the novel was decently set up.

Overall, I will be recommending this book to those looking for a fresher take on the typical YA fantasy journey story.

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

You know, if I would just stop getting my hopes up, I wouldn't be so let down when the book doesn't live up to them. Crown of Coral and Pearl is good, but not great. It's got a meh quality to it. It reminds me of Leigh Bardugo's "When Water Sang Fire" from Language of Thorns, but it isn't nearly as inventive as that.

The plot summary promises romance. Arranged marriage, two princes, and all that. But honestly? Nor didn't click well with either prince. One is a sociopath and I actually like him better than the prince who she just felt so attracted to despite never having a real conversation with him, or a classic YA moment filled with sarcasm that makes me blush and grin. Actually, at one point in the book I thought she would choose neither prince and I was rooting for that outcome the entire time. Or for the "good" prince to have a Red Queen-esque betrayal, but no.

The plot could be great, but it felt very weak. After all, the background of Ilara is fascinating. Two drowned lovers, vengeful gods, kingdoms at war?! But the story chose to focus solely on the current tale, without bringing those wonderful background elements into it, and it suffered for it.

I just wanted so much more from this book. More magic, more explanations, more romance, more...everything. Perhaps there will be more fulfilling reveals in book 2, more unravelings of myths and legends. But until then, I remain unsatisfied.

For the young women of Varenia, beauty is power. The most beautiful girl of each generation is sent to the neighboring kingdom of Ilara, as penance for the death of the princess of Ilara centuries before. No other Varenian ever sets foot on land, at least not legally, spending their lives as fishers and pearl divers on a sea with ever-dwindling resources. Nor and Zadie are twins who have spent their entire lives preparing for the choosing ceremony under the relentless and determined eye of their mother. When Zadie is chosen but cannot make the journey, Nor masquerades as Zadie to protect her people from retribution. Ilara controls Vaneria’s access to fresh water and the prices of pearls, and the Ilara kings are known for their fierce punishment of the sea nation for any slight, real or imagined. Nor expected to encounter new things when she finally reached land, but she never could have imagined the political intrigue and ruthlessness of the world she encounters.

Crown of Coral and Pearl is a strong debut novel for author Mara Rutherford, and I will keep my eyes out for the sequel. The plot fits in the familiar vein of female-protagonist YA fantasy, but I will never complain about more stories of young women who take their lives into their own hands and seek to make the world a better place. Nor’s relationship with Zadie is one of the most unique facets of this book, and in my opinion, more compelling than the fledgling romance story line. A solid pick for fantasy fans, as long as they don't require active and deliberate development of a system of magic or other trappings of traditional high/epic fantasy.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the novel from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Short and Sweet

Princes from Ilara have married maidens from Varenia for generations. Nor has always known that it was either her or her sister, Zadie that would be picked to go to Ilara, but all of that changed when Nor ended up with a scar on her face. When Zadie is injured before she is set to leave for Ilara Nor is picked to go in her place. Everything isn't as great as Nor imagined it would be, Prince Ceren is cold and off-putting. When Nor becomes closer to Prince Talin she learns a lot of things that she wasn't aware of before coming to Ilara. Now Nor has to find a way to navigate Ilara and save her people.

Characters

Nor: Nor is our main character and I liked her. Nor was strong and wasn't afraid to speak her mind, she risked taking Zadies place knowing that she could be killed if she was caught. Nor loves her family and the people of Varenia even if they treat her badly, she's was still willing to do what was right and try to save them.

Zadie: Zadie is Nor's twin sister and one of the most beautiful girls in Varenia. Zadie is constricted by a lot of rules mainly because her mother doesn't want Zadie to jeopardize her chance at going to Ilara. Zadie is meek and doesn't speak out much and thats one thing I didn't like about her, especially after her accident.

Sami: Sami is Nor and Zadie's childhood friend and their only friend. Sami is the son of the governor but he doesn't have much say in what his father does, but Sami does plan on being governor of Varenia one day and wants to rule differently than his father.

Talin: Talin is Ceren's younger half brother. He may seem kinder than his brother but he may have his own motives, which is why Nor has to watch out for him. Talin is helpful in trying to keep Nor safe from Ceren but Talin isn't always around because he doesn't live in the castle with everyone.

Ceren: I thought that Ceren would have some kind of redeeming qualities, but that wasn't the case at all. You want to feel bad for him because he's sick, but then he'll just do something thats awful to counteract you feeling bad. He loves to make people feel uncomfortable and he's just plain cruel.

Romance

Nor and Ceren: Since Nor took the place of Zadie, Nor is going to become Ceren's wife. These two didn't have any chemistry. I don't think Ceren likes anyone at all. Ceren is cold and cruel and only kept Nor around to use her.

Nor and Talin: Nor has been attracted to Talin since he came to Varenia. Nor didn't know Talin was a prince until she came to Ilara. Talin is different from his brother in that he's kind and willing to make Nor feel comfortable.

Zadie and Sami: Zadie and Sami have always been in love, which is why it was hard for both of them when they found out that Zadie was chosen to go to Ilara. This leads to Zadie doing something dangerous, which was a risk because in the end she didn't know if Sami would even stay with her after what she did.

My Thoughts

~ I thought it was interesting that the people in Varenia are only used to the sea while everyone from Ilara is used to the land. When Nor finally gets to Ilara she learns that adjusting to land isn't as easy as she thought it would be.

~ I thought Nor's mother was horrible and was an antagonist herself. Nor's mother would be the antagonist on Varenia while Ceren would be the antagonist in Ilara. I thought Nor's mothers attitude was horrible and she obviously favored Zadie because she would be the one chosen to go to Ilara, she also tried to blame Nor for Zadie's accident.

~ This book started off very slow, I'm sure it was slow to build up the setting and the plot but I don't think it really helped build up the plot. When we finally got to the plot and some action the book was basically over.

~ Nor decides that while she's in Ilara she'll do some spying and try to report back to Sami by meeting him at a market.

~ In Ilara it's the women who are supposed to be in charge but since there hasn't been any female heirs and the queens have died before their husbands, the kings have ruled.

~ In Varenia there are pink pearls that can be traded in for currency and these pearls also have healing properties, which is why Ceren is interested in learning more about them and is trying to keep them for himself.

~ While in Ilara Nor is confined to the castle and isn't allowed to leave unless Ceren gives her permission.

~In the castle Nor makes an alliance with Melina, an older woman who also came from Varenia. Nor has to be careful when meeting with Melina because Ceren doesn't like her.

~ Nor learns a lot about things that have happened in the past and Ceren's future plans which will affect the people in Varenia.

~ I thought the ending was okay it could have been better I think if the pace of the book was a little faster and the plot didn't occur towards the end of the book there could have been more added that would have made the book more exciting.

Overall

The book ended on a cliffhanger and I'm interested to see what will happen next with Nor especially because of everything that happened in the end. I liked this book but I thought that the pacing was slow and there wasn't much that happened until the end.

Crown of Coral and Pearl captured my attention from the first time I saw that cover and read the synopsis. Upon finishing the book I definitely had some mixed feelings. For the most part, I found it enjoyable and the story did an excellent job keeping my attention . However there were a few aspects that I didn’t like as much and effected my overall feelings about the book.

The setting was very unique and a really cool part of the book. The story starts out in Nor’s home of Varenia, which is quite literally built on the sea. Their houses are built on stilts and they use boats to travel from one house to another. The village life revolves around fishing and other seafood, and diving for pearls. Mara Rutherford does an amazing job capturing what it must be like to live in such a place with her descriptions.

I really liked Nor as the protagonist. She was very capable, selfless, intelligent, and kind. It was easy to sympathize with her plight and I rooted for throughout the book! The strong sibling relationship between Nor and her twin, Zadie, was also a positive aspect of the story.

The romance kind of killed some of the momentum for me. It was very insta-lovey and there was no actually reason why Nor falls in love with Talin other than she finds him extremely handsome. They spend some time alone together, but not nearly enough to convince me that their relationship is real and fulfilling.

The pacing was the only other thing that really bothered me. I don’t know why, but it just felt really off. I feel like the story itself was fast-paced, but not a whole lot is going on plot-wise for much of the first half of the book. For instance, what felt like only the halfway point of the story’s plot was actually the 77% mark of the book (thanks, Kindle). At the time that I was reading, I was under the impression that this was as standalone (the ending reads like one) and so the pacing did feel right, especially since the ending kind of wrapped up quickly compared to the rest of the book. I’ve since check again and apparently there will be a sequel and I truly believe that that is a good thing!

Crown of Coral and Pearl introduces readers to a smart, adept heroine sure to please and a setting unlike others in YA fantasy. This didn’t quite check all the boxes for me, but I can see others really loving it!

This is so fun, and unique and I completely love this! I don’t read very much YA Fantasy any more and this one is just so easy to read and fly through! I’m just going to go over some plot and some key points that really made this stand out for me.

Overview:

In this world, one beautiful girl is chosen from the village of Varenia to become the wife of the Prince of Ilara. Now, of course, there isn’t a set time of year this happens, it’s just every time there’s a new prince. Nor and her sister Zadie are the daughters of the runner up for the prettiest girl for the current King. Their mother is bitter and wants one of her daughters to be picked for the current prince, Ceren. Everyone knows Zadie is going to be picked, there’s no doubt about it, only because Nor was in an accident when she was younger and her face is scarred.

But of course, things don’t go as planned, Zadie ends up severely injured and Nor has to take her place as upcoming Queen. She ends up meeting Prince Talin, Cerens brother, and this truly changes a lot for her. Nor has feelings for her soon to be husbands brother, and this complicates a lot of things. So really there’s a lot of relationship issues, political issues, and a sort of mystery on a dead queen.

What I Enjoyed:

I pretty much devoured this whole book in two days. It’s so easy to read, the story flows so well, and by the time it ended I was ready to have book two in my hands. The characters themselves are fleshed out so well, even though this is a first-person told story. I think it’s hard a lot of the time to get a general sense of surrounding characters because you’re in the Main Characters head 24/7, but that isn’t the case in this book.

Nor wants more from life. She wants to see her people prosper and thrive and that is exactly what her mind is on 24/7. Nor is never too worried about finding love or finding happiness, even though when it does present itself, she doesn’t hesitate to snatch it right up while STILL keeping her goal in mind.

I personally ended up loving Prince Ceren much more than I expected. He’s got a lot of issues of course, very controlling but I think at the very core he just wants love and to be a better person than who he was raised to be. He is a crazy scientist boy who I wish would have put his energies else but nonetheless, I really like his character.

Prince Talin is Cerens brother and just so happens to play a very large role in this story. Nor really likes him a lot, he’s half Varenian, and he is also really interested in Nor. But he knows a lot of the castle secrets and Nor tries to get closer to him to figure out this mystery man, but there is also an undeniable spark between them.

Now I’m not the biggest Love Triangle fan, because it’s always so easy to figure out who the MC will be with, but this one doesn’t handle this situation like a Love Triangle. It’s very apparent from the start that Ceren is the villain of this story and I liked that a lot. It seems like there isn’t a lot of plot here but I’m not trying to spoil anything, because this story goes by so fast.

One more thing that I love SO MUCH about this book is that Varenia is a water kingdom, and I’m such an ocean nerd that I loved their people so much. There’s a lot of talk about the sea and ocean creatures and parallels between life and the water. My Marine Biologist Heart was thriving.

The ending of this TRULY shocked me so much, and I cannot WAIT for the sequel!

If you’re looking for a super fun fast fantasy novel, I definitely recommend checking this out when it releases on August 27th.

I hope y’all have a great day/night, and Happy Reading!

In the floating ocean village of Varenia the most beautiful girls are chosen to forsake their families and move to the mainland to becomes princesses (and later queens) of Ilara. This year, the top contender is Zadie, but it's her identical twin Nor, not Zadie, who dreams of leaving Varenia -- and her small provincial life diving for pink pearls -- behind forever. Full of courtly drama and intrigue, romance and rebellion, secrets and betrayals, Crown of Coral and Pearl is the exciting first book in a brand-new fantasy series.