I really enjoyed this book! I loved Varenia! What a cool and well built little colonoy! The world was intriguing and well developed and I really like how well written Nor and Zadie were, the relationship felt very authentic! The plot and the story were exactly what I wanted from a YA! I also loved Talin!
What a great first book and can't wait for more from Mara Rutherford!
Thanks again to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an early copy for an honest review :)

Mara Rutherford's Crown of Coral and Pearl explores the close bonds of sisterhood, the truth that beauty is only skin deep, and forbidden romance in an evocatively described fantasy setting that is sure to have broad appeal. The gorgeous landscapes that Mara Rutherford has crafted—a village on the sea and a dark mountain kingdom—will entrance fantasy readers everywhere. This book is apparently the authors debut novel. The story is narrated from Nor’s point of view, a fierce and lovable character

Twin sisters Nor and Zadie are coral and pearl. They were raised on an ocean village called Varena where pearl diving is the main source of income for the villages and beautiful girls are a way for the village to gain great honor. This year, the Crown Prince of Ilara will choose a bride. Zadie is beautiful and has been groomed by her overzealous bitter mother to be the one chosen. Nor was permanently scarred after an accident when she 10 years old for pearls thus thought of as worthless by the same mother.

"Because you are the twin of my soul. You know me better than anyone ever has or ever will. Because I trust you more than I trust Sami. And because you are the strongest person I have ever known. Only you can help me".

But, Zadie is in love with someone else, and doesn't want to abandon her home. Sami has Zadie's heart, while Nor has her soul. It's hard to separate either for the sake of a marriage that isn't guaranteed to end in happiness. 20 years ago, one of their own was chosen but was never heard from again. Zadie decides to choose her own fate with or without her sisters help. When all is said and done, Nor is reluctantly chosen to take Zadie's place and pretend to be her for the sake of everyone in the village.

One of the best things about this story is the bond between twins Nor and Zadie that was unbreakable and more than once, Nor showed how much she was willing to sacrifice for the benefit of her sister. But, when Nor arrives in Ilara, she comes face to face with the man who she is supposed to marry, and he's anything but Prince Charming waiting for his Cinderella. In fact, Ceren is a psychopath while is half brother Talin was much more surprising and likable.

The first half of this book takes place in Varenia, while the second half takes place in Ilara where it is dark, gloomy, restricted, and filled with surprises as well as a bit of romantic inclinations between Nor and Talin. I am interesting in what happens next to Nor, Zadie, Sami and Talin. Things could get very interesting.

Mara Rutherford’s debut novel, Crown of Coral and Pearl, features a unique and intriguing world. So, let’s dive straight in. Dive in, get it? The tropical water world of Varenia is so inspiring you’ll want to pack your bags to the Bahamas. I loved the “home” aspect that Mara captures and by the end of the book, Varenia feels like your home too. A fantasy novel set in the sea and it’s not about pirates? A breath of fresh air! Okay, you’re going to have to excuse all the ocean puns for this review. I’m not even sorry.

I loved how beauty was this all-consuming thing in Varenia. Nor’s mother was bitter and twisted, trying to make up for her own failings. The world beyond Varenia was just as interesting with all the water-superstition and the dark, cave-castle that was making everyone sick. The meeting of Talin was so interesting and you feel Nor’s excitement upon seeing her first person who isn’t from Varenia.

This book, once you pick it up, you can’t put it back down! However, there were a couple of things that would shift this book from great to fantastic. Shell we begin?

The first thing that stood out to me was how similar it was to A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas. A poor girl is forced into a strange land, locked away in a castle, there’s a strange curse on the inhabitants, has to fight a giant tunnelling creature, and makes a bargain with the evil prince in a dungeon. The love interest is called Talin and there’s also a race of people called the Galethians. Sound familiar? A few tweaks to these scenes and names would help the book really stand on its own so it doesn’t say “ACOTAR fan fiction”.

The relationship with Talin started out so promising, but there just wasn’t enough of him and he felt a little thrown in at the end. Readers will feel as though they don’t really know anything about him other than he has a Varenian mother. This was a relatively short book so adding more Talin scenes and a Talin side-plot wouldn’t hurt and it would deepen his character. I still want to know how Talin knew it was Nor from the beginning? Or was it because they were meant to be? That still doesn’t make sense. I know a few identical twins and I’m ashamed I still can’t tell them apart, so how was Talin able to?

The pacing in this novel began very nicely, there was enough depth without it dragging on, and being fast-paced without sacrificing character development. However, in the last few chapters, all of that is thrown out the window and we discover a different revelation each chapter.

In the end, there’s still much that isn’t explained and most of the revelations were told not shown at the end, which felt shallow. There’s a really interesting plot twist right at the end that Talin just explains and there’s not really any reason why he tells Nor then, other than it’s the end of the book.

The actual crown of coral and pearl is presented somewhat randomly at the very end in such a dismissive way. It doesn’t have the oh-my-god-it’s-the-crown moment, it’s just more like a the-book-is-ending-and-we-need-to-explain-the-title sort of thing. I felt like Nor’s blood-coral knife was more important than the crown anyway and should have been used more often in the book as it was related to her accident as a kid. It was carved from the very thing that took away her beauty, which is everything to a Varenian woman, but now she can use it to free Varenia. The knife is such a significant thing that isn’t really mentioned until the end. Maybe she could pick some door locks and do some more damage? The Blood Coral Knife sounds just as cool, hey!

Whale I would personally change a few things here and there, the story was stunningly unique and un-put-downable. The love story, in the end, was between Nor and Zady. A beautiful journey of siblings, home, self-reflection, and the greater good. It’s shrimply irresistible! Last one, I promise! Or so it a-piers…

I could not put this book down. It felt like such a fresh concept an I loved the characters and world building. I am already looking forward to the next one.

I really enjoyed the idea of CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL when I read the blurb and had no trouble getting into the story.

The storyline in book one of the Crown of Coral and Pearl series was unique. I really enjoyed the village that Nor lived in and I enjoyed learning about their days there. The bond between the sisters was strong and beautiful to watch. The land portion of the storyline wasn't my favorite location wise, but the pace did pick up some and a lot of danger was introduced.

I felt like the romance between Talin and Nor fell short. I wanted more development between the two. Their connection at first was really strong, but felt like there was more development between Nor and Ceren and that kinda sucks as he was the bad guy.

The ending didn't do much for me. Not a lot about it surprised me, it added more questions to other things I was waiting for answers too and just didn't feel like a smooth wrap up.

Although I didn't totally fall in love with CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL I would still read more. I will be on the lookout for book two.

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Hmmm... I was really excited about Crown of Coral and Pearl, I love reading about sisters let alone twins and their sibling dynamic and the book didn't disappoint with that. It unfortunately fell flat for me in other aspects. Lets start with the good. The world building was super interesting and I loved the history behind Nors island and I loved the bond between Nor and her sister. Their twins and as a twin myself I like reading about other peoples perspective on twins dynamics. What fell flat for me was Nor herself she was suppose to be an MC who breaks the construct of typical beauty but when she meets the love interest she comments on his beautiful eyes and heads straight into insta love territory which beauty and attractiveness are the only basis behind insta love.

Overall Crown of Coral and Pearl has good sister relationship and interesting world building I just didn't seem to resonate with the MC or the romance.

I loved this book so much. There is not much I can say to do it justice.

It has mystery, suspense, romance, and a kick-ass heroine all wrapped up in an amazing cover. This is one of those books that I need a physical copy on my shelf. 😍

This is Mara Rutherford's debut and she needs to beware. I'm keeping my eye on her. 😏

Thank you to NetGalley, Mara Rutherford, and Inkyard Press (and Harper Collins) for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is told from the first person perspective of Nor, a girl who lives in Varenia. Varenia is a village in the middle of the ocean, and for years, the princes of the mainland kingdom of Ilara have married the most beautiful Varenian girl. The girls of Varenia train to be a princess, hoping that they will be selected as the most beautiful. When Nor gets a cut on her face from a poisonous blood coral to save her twin sister, Zadie, from being marked, the scar on her face keeps her from the running.

Nor wishes more than anything to leave Varenia, to see the world, but Zadie will be the one in the running to go, since her physical appearance isn't hindered. But Zadie doesn't want to be chosen. She loves the governor's son, Sami. Despite her training, she just wants to live a happy life with the boy she loves.

The alliance between Ilara and Varenia is fragile. Varenia is known for its pearls, valuable not only for their beauty, but for their healing aspects as well. But the mollusks that produce the pearls have been over-fished, and the pearls are now more scarce than ever before. The most valuable pears are the pink and red colors. There is a link between their color and being found near a blood coral, a coral grown from the blood of the dead.

When Zadie is chosen, as everyone in the village knew she would be, she asks Nor to help her gain permanent scars by wrapping deadly jellyfish tendrils around her legs. An emissary from Ilara has already seen Zadie, but the elder finds the best thing to do is send Nor in her place in secret, using a stain on her face to hide her scar. This must remain secret because the last time Varenia sent a lesser beauty rather than the most beautiful girl, their food and water supply was cut off by Ilara. They cannot let that happen again.

Prince Ceren is a ruthless, cold-hearted prince afraid to die. His father has an illness that makes a fifty year old man appear a hundred years above his age, and his health dwindles by the day. First Prince Ceren believes that the pearls will save him from this fate, and that the people of Varenia are keeping the special healing treasures for themselves.

There is also Second Prince Talin, a man Nor finds herself infatuated with from the moment she lays eyes on him (a love-at-first-sight trope, if you will, that isn't done that well). In comparison, Ceren is a cruel, cold man that Nor would rather not marry. 

A relationship builds between Nor and Talin, though the elements of the relationship could have used a bit more build-up. I actually found myself liking Ceren as a character more than Nor or Talin. He seemed like one of those cruel, ass-hole types with a possibility for redemption. At least, that's what I thought, until he learned about Nor's encounter with a blood coral and how it bestowed her fast-healing. A gash would heal in minutes! Prince Ceren, driven to make his life last longer and strive to take the throne from his ill father, uses Nor's blood for experiments, looking for a way to gain the same healing ability she has. His time is limited. He is not yet twenty-one, which means when his father passes, the throne actually goes to a queen (though the current queen is said to be dead). Despite this, his brother can challenge him in a duel to the death for the throne if their father dies. This means there is a chance for Nor to find happiness, should Talin challenge Ceren and win.

The ending of the book isn't quite what I expected, but I liked it enough. It had a nice rounded closure to the events in the novel, but it also has potential for further adventures and political intrigue for Nor, among other characters. while I am content with this novel, according to Goodreads, there is a second book planned in the series set to publish Fall 2020, most likely picking up where this book leaves off.

One thing I both liked and disliked was the amount of time Nor and Zadie spend in Varenia (the amount of time we as a reader are there with them) as opposed to heading to the mainland. Reading on Kindle, it was about 40% of the way through before Nor leaves Varenia, which seems like a long time to set up the characters and the situation, but after finishing the novel, I can't help but to admire the events with Nor in Varenia as opposed to when she travels to Ilara.

Overall a wonderful read in which I would recommend to teens. I am likewise interested in reading the second book, because the end of this one really brings some new potential conflicts to the plate!

4/5 Stars

Author: Mara Rutherford

Publisher/Imprint: Inkyard Press

Edition: e-ARC, 427 Digital Pages

Hardcover Publication Date: August 27, 2019

A Spine that Shines? Quite Well

*This review is based on the e-ARC edition provided via NetGalley. All quotes used in this review come from the uncorrected proof. These are my honest opinions. Thank you.*

Can you hear the ocean humming? See the blood go sweeping past? The child of the waves is coming. To set our people free at last.
-Mara Rutherford, Crown of Coral and Pearl

Initial Thoughts:

Happy release day to Crown of Coral and Pearl! I think this novel was well-done, and I truly enjoyed the writing. Mara Rutherford spins a unique tale about Nor and Zadie, twin sisters whose names literally mean “coral” and “pearl.” Varenia, Nor and Zadie’s floating village, is obsessed with outward beauty. The goal is to be chosen as the bride for the Crown Prince of Ilara, a neighboring country that holds a monopoly over Varenian pearls. After Zadie is chosen, something happens that results in Nor going to Ilara instead of Zadie. However, when Nor arrives in Ilara, she does not find the dreamy life she had expected to find.

There is much to appreciate about this book:

The sea/marine culture and setting of Varenia is breathtaking! I loved the legends and history of Varenia.
A forbidden romance arises. (More on that later.)
Some of the Varenians develop supernatural healing abilities!
There are sea monsters and underground caverns!
Nor learns of a mystery surrounding a murdered queen.
The villain is quite villainous!
Nor is a tough girl, and I loved her spunkiness!

‘You have the power to do anything and everything you dream of, more than any person I’ve ever known. And that power, that inner strength, that is what makes you the most beautiful girl in Varenia.’
-Zadie, Crown of Coral and Pearl

Characters & Romance:

Here are a few character overviews:

The story is narrated from Nor’s POV. For most of her life, Nor has lived in Zadie’s shadow, viewed by their mother as an “inferior” version of Zadie due to a scar on Nor’s face. Nor dreams of going off to Ilara to see the world. She is tougher than her twin sister and faces challenges with so much heart and determination. She risks her life by impersonating Zadie in Ilara. Throughout the novel, Nor demonstrates beauty on the inside, too. I love it when characters are forced to make difficult decisions, because it makes things much more interesting.
I have mixed feelings about Zadie, Nor’s twin. She seems a bit weak in the beginning, always going along with whatever their mother wants her to do. She also forces Nor to help her do something pretty terrible even though Nor doesn’t want to. And Zadie always lets Nor take the blame whenever something goes wrong. She never takes responsibility for her own actions, and it really annoyed me sometimes.
Ceren is the Crown Prince of Ilara, Zadie’s betrothed. He doesn’t know that Nor has replaced Zadie, and he is quite cold and cruel. His sad childhood history has ruined him. He is obsessed with power and the throne.
Talin is Ceren’s younger brother, and he is half Varenian. Here is where the forbidden romance comes in. (Don’t worry. I’m not spoiling anything aside from what the Goodreads synopsis already reveals.) Of course, Nor falls for Talin, and I really loved them together. They have great chemistry! I actually felt that Talin needed more page time. His brother seems to have more scenes, and I wasn’t so invested in those parts. I hope there will be more of Talin in the sequel!

What was so wonderful about being beautiful, if all it meant was being sent away from the people you loved at best, and at worst, spending the rest of your life feeling inadequate?
-Nor, Crown of Coral and Pearl

Final Thoughts:

Why did I rate Crown of Coral and Pearl 4 stars, not 5?

Mainly, I wasn’t completely invested in the story until about halfway through. It takes Nor quite a while to actually leave Varenia. She doesn’t leave until around page 150, and she doesn’t meet her betrothed until around 180 pages in. But after that, things become increasingly more interesting. By the end of the novel, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the e-book!

Aside from my mixed feelings regarding Zadie, I also found the mother character unlikable. Her obsession with outward beauty blinds her to the emotional pain she causes her two daughters. On the other hand, I do understand it could have been the author’s intention to make the mother unlikable.

Although Crown of Coral and Pearl does not end on a cliff-hanger, I feel there is plenty of room for a sequel. If Goodreads is correct, it seems that Kingdom of Sea and Stone is set for 2020 publication, and I am eager to read more of Nor’s adventures. I would really love it if the POVs could alternate between Nor and Talin in the sequel! But anyways, I definitely recommend giving this first book a try if it piques your interest! Happy reading :)

*Content Warnings: severe self-harm (the character almost dies as a result), bloody wounds, Nor’s betrothed physically harms her (has to do with blood and experimentation)*

Home was not a house, or a village, or a sea. It was family, and love, and the space where your soul could roost, like a seabird safe from a storm.
-Nor, Crown of Coral and Pearl

Crown of Coral and Pearl has had me excited to read it for nearly an entire year now and to have had the opportunity to read an ARC and review it for this tour is an immense honour for me. You could tell by the amount of squealing and screeching that could be heard throughout the Orlando area when I got the news. My neighbours know when I've got a good book, okay? And Crown of Coral and Pearl was a good book, y'all.

"Your mother taught you to believe your scar made you ugly, but it has made you brave."
I applaud Ms Rutherford. Her writing is vivid and captivating. In Crown of Coral and Pearl, she created characters that drew me in and held me captive every step of the way. I loathed Zadie and Nor's mother with every fibre of my being and I felt not just pity for Lady Melina but also a deep respect for the woman's bitter (ah, so bitter) resolve. Throughout the story, you can see Nor's character develop from a naive girl with a brash sense of bravery, where she acts without weighing risk and outcome, to a judicious and indomitable young woman who understands what she's risking when she rebels. I was actually on edge at several parts of this story, worrying my nails away, as I held my breath. Because of scenes involving a certain fictional sociopath, I have no nails left, y'all.

"Sorrow is good for the soul.....Those who have never known pain or adversity are as shallow as the waves lapping on the shore.
And what is wrong with being shallow?
What lies beneath the surface of shallow waters? Nothing. It's only when you go deeper that the ocean comes alive. The deeper you go, the more mysteries and surprises await."
Crown of Coral and Pearl was an amazing read for me. To save her sister and her country, Nor volunteers to take the injured Zadie's place as Prince Ceren's bride, knowing she'd never see either again. She goes in the hopes of making Varenian lives better but quickly learns that the shark, jellyfish, and blood coral she grew up diving around pales in comparison to her intended and his court. The only ones she somewhat trusts in Ilara are Prince Talin, Lady Melina, and her lady's maid, Ebb. Right from the start, Nor (and me!) can sense something off with Ceren and begins to understand the new depths she's found herself in.
"Mother always made Varenia sound so perfect. She said there was no violence or crime. I imagined it as a paradise. And when I came to visit, that's what I saw. I saw you."
The romance within Crown of Coral and Pearl is woven throughout, but it doesn't overshadow the actual story, the love one Varenian girl has for her sister and her country and what she'll do to save them both. I hardcore ship Talin and Nor, y'all. I'm not really a big 'forbidden love' triangle mess fan but sign me up! Talin first sees Nor when he visits Varenia before the girls switch places and when he meets Nor masquerading as Zadie on her way to Ilara, he suspects the truth and begins to fall more and more for her throughout the story despite her being destined for his brother. Nor begins to understand Zadie's reckless actions that lead to the switch the more she's around Talin. Ebb is the ultimate fangirl and does as much as she can to help the pair get together. We are all Ebb, okay.
"It's like a tiny star marking you as something special for anyone too senseless not to know it."
Overall, I'm giving Crown of Coral and Pearl all 5 of my bright and shiny stars. It gets 1 flame for the romance, no hot and heavies, just a light, slow burn throughout. I am absolutely in love with CoCaP and I cannot wait to put a physical copy on my shelves. I'm also willing to pledge fealty to Thalos to read the sequel when it's ready. I'm just saying. Content & Trigger Warnings are available on my site (https://www.onceuponatimeireadabook.com/2019/08/blog-tour-giveaway-review-of-crown-of.html)

Crown of Coral and Pearl is a good read. I found it compelling because it's a look into a world where beauty is more important than anything else. Sounds familiar doesn't it? Nor is scarred in a minor way, but she must replace her sister. Things aren't always as beautiful as they seem, though, and Nor learns this. This story is a lesson in what is truly important and beautiful. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Sometimes I wonder if it was our names that determined our fates, or the other way around. Nor and Zadie: coral and pearl."

This is such a lyrical fantasy with a wonderful sibling relationship and a really lush and unique world. The writing is beautiful and all the descriptions just so vivid--I definitely wish I could visit Varenia (a city that floats on the sea) and all its unusual locations.

Crown of Coral and Pearl is, at its heart, a story about sisters and what they'll do for each other (which I loved!). It follows twins Nor and Zadie who live on the floating city of Varenia, where one girl is always chosen to be the bride for the prince on the mainland. But Zadie is in love with someone else, so when she's chosen Nor opts to secretly go in her place. This sets her on a path of intrigue, political deception, and love which all tangles together so wonderfully.

I loved the romance, it was sweet and ANGSTY and so well done, while the villain was wonderfully complex. To be honest I loved everything in this story, from the conflict and the way it evolved over the story (especially with Nor finding herself and learning what she's willing to do for her people) to the unique and fascinating details of the world. I'm so happy we're getting a sequel and I CANT WAIT!

This really is a pearl of a book! ;) (I'm sorry, I had to.)

Beware the lionfish, my dear,
Beware the fish that’s made of stone.
Beware sweet nothings in your ear,
And the heart as hollow as a bone.

I was blown away by this story. Nor showed fearlessness and resourcefulness in the face of her troubles. Her love for her sister remained pure when she set out to both live her life and protect her people, despite their duplicity and statements otherwise. Talin was actually likeable and Ceren was hardly ever described in such a way that garnered sympathy, with few exceptions. The story ended in such a way that I would be eager to read a second book, but this first one fulfilled the reader in me. All in all, a pleasant read.

This book captivated me - twins raised in a world where beauty is the only thing that matters. Although one twin is fearless and fiercely protective, she is viewed as flawed solely based on a small scar on her cheek.

I loved Nor, the main character. She put her village first even when they didn't give her the same courtesy.

I enjoyed the story and I'm intrigued to learn what happens next. I hope there's a second book!

I didn't think the world building was as sound as it is in similar novels. I found myself skeptical and confused by many of the parts explaining how the village or kingdom worked

Overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of the author's work.

Crown of Coral and Pearl is a great book. The story is so unique and interesting and the plot is fast paced. Plus Nor is such a badass you couldn’t have a better MC.

I loved Nor. Nor is absolutely what made the book for me. She is brave and fearless and doesn’t take anyone’s crap. Even when maybe she should calm it down a little. She also have such a severe love for her family and her sister. Even when her mother is crap to her. She still understands where she is coming from. She can see what lies beneath people’s exterior.

One of the reasons for this is because Nor grew up in Varenia. A kingdom that survives by harvesting pearls from their deep waters and creating an alliance with the kingdom of Ilara by sending their most beautiful girl as a bride. The people of Varenia are not allowed to leave and they live in fear of these rules that they follow them closely. It’s almost like a prison, even though they love their home and their people. Very complicated in a way. They also hold beauty to an impossibly high standard because they want one of their daughters chosen at the choosing ceremony. Not only for the bride price but also the honor. So these girls are severely judged on their looks. Nor was scarred as a young child and therefore is out of the running for the ceremony. This however gives her an unexpected freedom and allows her to see how the beauty standards are ridiculous.

We actually spend a lot of time on Varenia before a bride needs to be sent and when Zadie can no longer go. Nor must go in her place. Once she gets to the Ilara and sees that things are not as they seem. The plot really picks up and gets very crazy with politics and court mysteries. It keeps you reading. We are also introduced to a host of characters that I did develop a fondness for.

The romance is sweet and cute. There is definitely a large difference between Ceren the crown prince and Talin, his half brother.

I don’t want to say too much about the characters because i don’t want to give any of the story away. I did really really enjoy it and I’m curious what the sequel is going to be about. I imagine it will be great too.

An ARC exchanged for an honest review.

Nor lives with her twin, Zadie, and parents in what at first glance appears to be paradise. Varenia is a true ocean village.
Children learn at a young age how to dive to the bottom of the sea and explore the coral reefs to look for oysters and collect rare pink pearls. However, paradise is not a wonderful as it appears at first glance. With those pearls becoming scare, times are hard. Friendships are also hard to come by for Nor and Zadie. You see, beauty in girls is the most precious commodity. Every generation the most beautiful girl in the village is chosen to be sent to the kingdom of Ilara to wed the Prince and become Queen. This not only makes the mothers overprotective of their daughter's beauty, but it fosters jealousy and rivalry. Nor and Zadie haven't even been allowed the chance to form friendships with girls.

"Boys may be physically stronger, Mother always said, but girls could be twice as vicious."

Fortunately for Nor and Zadie, there had never been any competitiveness between them, but perhaps that was because of an accident early in life that put Nor out of the running. However, a series of events and fate would decree that Nor would be the girl who was the Prince. After spending her entire life dreaming of going to Ilara, Nor finds it nothing like she expected and a whole host of problems. Her intended, Prince Ceren, appears to be just as cold and forbidding as the mountain fortress he lives in. The people are dying and her people are in danger.

Mara Rutherford has done some amazing world building in The Crown of Coral and Pearl. There are so many layers.
- The ugliness lurking under the beauty of Varenia.
- The contrast between the warmth and softness of Varenia to the cold and harshness of Ilara.
- The legends behind the blood coral.

If this was a standalone, I would say that one of this book's greatest messages was tainted by Talin and Ceren. Rutherford does a great job of showing a world in Varenia that puts too much emphasis on beauty. Nor's tiny blemish had disqualified her when she had so many wonderful internal qualities. (On a side note, I appreciated that the twin was not made to be a horrible person to contrast Nor.) The problem comes with Talin. Nor's only reason for liking Talin seemed to be his pretty blue eyes. Ceren on the other hand, while the villan, seemed to be a much more flushed out character. You couldn't help but feel for him, the older but less attractive brother who has been mistreated his entire life by his stepmother. Now, with a sequel in the works, it's possible that Rutherford could switch live interests on us, and I'm hoping that she does.

Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford is a fantasy about how love can destroy and how it can rebuild.

I loved the first half of the book more than its second half. Althought the summary tells us what happens in the first half, it’s still enjoyable due to the atmospheric world-building, beautiful description of the various relationships, history of Varenia and Ilara. My heart cried out when Nor was leaving Varenia and Zadie; their love was so pure and captivating that I fell in love with the book at that very moment.

The second half was interesting but lost the magic of the first half. Nor arrives in court and lo and behold, the emissary of Ilara Talin whom she met in Varenia is one of the Ilarian princes. She is to marry his older brother Ceren and he is such a Joffrey ( you know..from GOT!!). I don’t know if I should warn about an insta-love trope between Talin and Nor because it felt more like insta-attraction to me. I read through some of their chapters and they didn’t exactly say they love each other. I really hope to see more development on both of their parts in the sequel rather than fall headfirst into love.

Ceren was a Joffrey sure but you will sympathize with him in some parts of the book and then you know.. fall in utter hate with him. With that said..am I looking forward to the sequel? Definitely! There were a lot of things that were open-ended and I need a book two for those and I’m definitely here for more Nor and Zadie!!

Overall, I would highly recommend this book if you love books about the bond between sisters, engaging YA fantasy in a unique setting, wonderful worldbuilding, and easy writing to immerse yourself in.

Thanks to the publisher for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book from the first chapter!

The first third of the book is set in Nor’s hometown of Varenia. A small fishing village that is built on stilts over the sea. None of her people are EVER aloud on to land. The only exception being the one girl chosen to be queen. You fallow her and her sisters’ preparations for their lives apart as Zadie, Nor’s twin sister, will more then likely be taken as the next queen and sent to land. In a twist of events Nor takes her place.

The rest of the book was not quite as gripping for me. I think I fell in love with the community of Varenia and the salt water and way of life and it was hard for me to switch gears. I grew up in a fishing village and still live a short walk from the beach. I would never want to be anywhere that I couldn’t smell the salt in the air. I understand Nor’s feeling of confinement and claustrophobia living in the mountain castle.
The characters were very well flushed out, including Ceren the villain of the story. You get a real since of who the characters are and there dreams and the motives behind what drives them to do and act the way that they do. The descriptions of the setting were not boring but felt organic. The author did a great job of introducing new setting through Nor’s eyes and you feel and fear right along with her.

If your looking for an epic love story this is not it. If you are looking for an amazing book with a touch of romance then this one is for you!

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I can never get enough of YA Fantasy, I truly believe that. I was immediately drawn into the world of Varenia and Ilara. I found the idea of a village at sea to be very fascinating, and the world building was very on point. I left with few questions about the world, and information was provided in well timed and paced chunks. Varenians are obsessed with beauty, as the only Varenian ever allowed to leave the village and walk on land is the most beautiful woman in the village - once every generation when a Prince is ready to be married. It is seen as a high honor to be chosen, and families will do just about anything to send their daughters away.

Nor and Zadie are twins (their names mean Coral and Pearl, respectively). They are easily the most beautiful women in Varenia, at least until Nor is injured saving Zadie from drowning. Zadie is now a shoe in to win, and Nor is a cast off in her mother's eyes. The catch is that Zadie is in love with the Varenian Governor's son, Sami. She will do <strong>anything </strong>to be able to stay with him, instead of bringing her family the highest honor. After Zadie makes some ill advised decisions, Nor is sent in Zadie's place - but she must pretend to <strong>be</strong> Zadie. Both girls are strong in their own ways. Nor is the main focus, but she handles (most) of what's thrown at her with grace.

The Princes are great. Ceren is a smol and hurt boy who is a classic villain. Very cruel, but enough sad moments to make you question whether he is actually bad. Talin is gorgeous and kind, but unfortunately the younger brother. They have an obvious, and predictable rivalry with Ceren being jealous of the more liked brother and Talin being jealous that he wasn't born first.

My single critique of this book is that it was highly predictable. If you read enough YA Fantasy, you begin to see a common framework for most novels. A lot of the plot moved through predictable lines. The ending also seemed very rushed, and not as well thought out. This did not severely impact my enjoyment of the book, so it only bumped the book down from 5 stars slightly.

This book brings light romance, political intrigue, and strong, confident women. Originally intended to be a duology, but sold as a stand alone, Crown of Coral and Pearl has an ending that leaves more to be told while still being wrapped up. A sequel has been ordered by the publisher though, so more Nor and Zadie will be upon us next year (hopefully). I for one, will be purchasing a copy of Crown of Coral and Pearl - along with <strong>Kingdom of Sea and Stone</strong> when released!

Characters. I actually found all of the characters really enjoyable to read about! Nor was headstrong and loves her sister fiercely. I don’t have sisters, but I know I would do anything for my brothers. Nor also has some awesome healing abilities that I so wish were real! She also stood up to what was wrong in her society and what was wrong in the larger kingdom. Talin was also likable. He has some hard core secrets of his own that shapes how he lives his life. Ceren. Oh boy. It’s very clear that something is wrong in his mind. He honestly doesn’t understand that most of the things he does is extremely creepy. Like baking bats in a pie. Gross. He is a pretty messed up prince/ bad guy.

Writing. Loved the writing. Pretty straight forward. I never got lost or anything.

World Building. Rutherford’s world seems really interesting! I would love to get more details on the other kingdoms! The geography makes sense and of course I love the whole little village world in the ocean.

Plot. Here are the things I loved: The water! I am part Polynesian and my love for water knows no bounds. Where Nor and Zadie live is my dream. In a small house, on stilts, in the ocean. And they swim or take their boat to their neighbors house or the market. I also loved the author’s take on healing properties of water. I don’t personally believe water itself can heal you, but I honestly feel better when I am in water. I also liked the plot line of how their village was being threatened by the kingdom that “owns” them. And Nor sets out to fix things.

Didn’t like: There were no plot twists. What you see is what you get. Also, the romance. While I like those two characters together, it was too insta-lovey for my tastes.

Final Thoughts. Again, the things I liked outweighed the things I didn’t like! My water loving soul loved this take on the ocean! It was a really FUN read. And it looks like there is a sequel so I will definitely be reading that!