Mara Rutherford's novel, Crown of Coral and Pearl, is filled with moments that will satisfy all of your fantasy needs. There were many times throughout this novel that things felt familiar to other fantasies that I had read before but there were plenty instances where I was blown away by something fresh and bright.

I love the relationship between Nor and her twin sister. It felt very dynamic and incredibly realistic. I love reading about twins in literature so I was completely excited when I found out that this book was about twins.

The romance in the book wasn't my favorite thing I've ever read but it wasn't bothersome enough to really annoy me. I just felt that it was very sudden and I didn't have enough time to invest anything into it.

The villain was interesting. The author definitely made me feel bad for him with his tragic past which honestly that's all it takes for me to forgive any villain. I think Ceren was one of the most fleshed out characters in the book and a great deal of the moments that I did really enjoy were because of him.

All in all, it was a rather enjoyable book. It was a quick and engaging read and I look forward to reading more work by the author.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**Spoilers in review.
After reading the description of this book, I knew that I needed to read it and I'm glad that I did!

I loved reading the story of Nor and her relationship with her family, her village, and her journey to be princess.

While parts at the beginning dragged, I couldn't put the book down! I was dying to know was going to happen next.

And for as much as the beginning dragged, I felt like the ending was rushed. It was about 1/3 into the book before she was on her journey from Varenia to Ilara. And it felt like only a few pages of: her being locked up, killing Ceren, finding out Queen Talia was alive with a daughter, finding Zadie, and founding out that Sami was banished. I'm not sure if this was to set up a possible series, but I felt like there were storylines left unfinished.

Overall this was a great book to read, and I'd definitely recommend it for others to read!

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a pleasant surprise! I will admit that I found the first few chapters of the book to be a bit slow due to character introductions and backstories but, once the story picked up it went by way too fast. The world that Mara Rutherford has created is beautiful, from the blue waters of Varenai to the cold, mountain castle of Ilara.

I absolutely loved the relationship between twin sisters Nor and Zadie. Their bond was truly at the foundation of the entire story and it was great to see the characters stay true to that. Of course, there was romance in this book, but I really appreciate that it was not the focus of the plot.

I really liked Nor’s character development and Talin but let’s talk Prince Ceren. He truly is evil but there were moments that had me questioning if he really was evil and even hoping for a redemption character arc. Second book possibly?

I did find the last few chapters to be a bit rushed. I am hoping for a sequel because the ending left the story wrapped up but also left the door open for more. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I found myself wanting to keep reading. Crown of Coral and Pearl is definitely one I would recommend!

I really like this book and I flew through the book in one sitting. Crown of Coral and Bone has rich, atmospheric world that was really fun. There was some epic level of world building going on that was just right, it didn’t over explain but still painted a beautiful enough that you could see in your minds eye as you read. The authors writing is beautiful and she knows how to weave in these details that seem to make the world come alive. The world building was really just fantastic and what I feel made the story that much more engaging.

I also really enjoyed the sister relationship between Nor and Zadie. I thought it was a touching and authentic sister relationship. Everything that Nor did for Zadie is something I would have done for my siblings, hands down. I love that the backbone of this novel is Nor and Zadie’s relationship and the things you are willing to do for the people you love.

The pacing through the novel is fantastic up until the end, I wasn’t bored once. I just felt like the end was rushed and didn’t have enough time to really develop. I feel likes going to leave readers feeling slighted.

I must say I also really like the villain of the novel. I felt for the villain, understood why feeling like you never really measured up could twist your heart and make you bitter inside. When mean is all you have, mean is what you become. I wanted a redemption arc for this villian.

The reason I knocked off a star was because of the rushed ending and the insta-romance. I hate that troupe more than anything. The main pairing spoke FOUR times before Nor is absolutely smitten with him. I had no connection the male interest because the only thing Nor seems to see is his blue eyes and that fact that’s his ridiculously handsome. For a girl who wanted for the be more than pretty, whose sole worth has been judged based on her looks, this just didn’t make sense. I just couldn’t get behind this romance and the pairing. There was no development in the relationship. It was superficial and shallow and undercut the message of the novel.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’ll be wishing a for a sequel!

I absolutely loved this book right from the start. The main characters, who are twins, Nor and Zadie were written as people you'd actually want to befriend and were not annoying at all. I loved hearing about their ocean village and the lives they lead. The one thing I didnt really like was the relationship between Nor and Talin. It was a little too insta lovey for me and I was secretly rooting the Ceren even though he is a horrible guy. great book and I look forward to the next one!

With its rich world building and dynamic characters Crown of Coral and Pearl pulls you in with the first sweep of the Alethian tide and never lets go. From the watery world of Variena, with its stilt houses built upon the sea and its modest clans of pearl divers, to the gothic mountain stronghold of Ilara and its diminishing royal families, Mara Rutherford has created a rich and varied landscape to build her fantasy world upon.
The two main settings create such different atmospheres that immediately permeate the characters and the story as it unfolds. I loved the airy, watery, sunshiny freedom of the Varenian setting during the first 3rd or so of the book, allowing you to get to know the main characters and especially the relationship between the two twin girls before introducing the contrasting land of Ilara (as the one twin Nor goes to the mainland to marry their prince) where the heroine finds herself in an actual mountain of a castle, with its sheer black cliffs and cavernous walls - its interior constantly in a state of night and populated by questionable people and an even more questionable lord. This portion of the story pays homage to classic gothic horror with overtures of Shelley and Stoker, with its creeping darkness and slightly mad villain (Is he an anti-hero? Is he some creature of the night? Is he a crazy fanatic?), and a sadly less than complex hero/love interest (yes I know people will poo poo me for this, but the villain in this case way outshone the hero who fell more or less flat in my book, I think he was meant to be the Golden Boy, the Light in the Darkness etc. however in this case the shadows far eclipsed him) and....drum roll please, because no fantasy adventure is complete with out one - a fantastic underwater cave beast (I mean it, I love Nor's "Battle with the Beast") !
Now - about that ending though? I'm hoping this is part of a series (which it doesn't say it is) because otherwise that denouement leaves much to be desired. Its rushed and then oddly starts off into momentary action again before a very anti-climatic wrap. Please tell me this is a to be continued? If so I am definitely along for the ride!

Truthfully, I couldn't finish this book. I think I got about 75% of the way in, and then finding myself extremely bored by the plot, the characters, and the conflict, decided I should move on. It's a story about twin sisters who get separated because the most beautiful girl of their ocean community has to be sent to go marry some prince on the land. Turns out he's evil, colonialism is bad, and also women are held to impossible standards of beauty. Also the scar the main character has is supposed to disqualify her, except surprise, it can be covered up with magic ointment. Now she can go live in a mountain with a villain and be hot for his brother. It's got a series of YA romance/vaguely fantasy tropes going on and an dsyutopic misogynistic society which could have been an interesting commentary on the over-valuing of beauty and colonialism except...it just didn't ever get there. Subtle, this book is not. There are other, more interesting books that cover similar tropes/plots.

I liked this book more than I thought I would, to the point I was half way finished with it before I even realized it. But now that a day has passed, I'm struggling to say why I liked it; for every reason I liked it, my brain tells me why I am wrong.

I did think the book had a lot of similarities to some other YA books out there, but to be honest, I don't worry about that so much because there are only so many unique plot points out there.
I liked the premise of the story, but was also frustrated because I'm tired of stories where the princess to be was chosen, or won a contest or whatever but instead of actually wanting to be with the prince she was promised to, she falls in love with his brother. I appreciated that this book was kind of subtle about the budding romance.

I had trouble connecting to the characters in the story. Talin didn't really appear enough to fully get to know. I don't like Nor or Zadie-and I understand that is because of how they were raised. Hell the only character with real substance was Ceren...the guy we are all suppose to hate. And now I wonder if there is more to come from him.

But I will keep reading the series, I enjoyed the story enough to want to know what happens after all the surprises at the ending!

This book caught my attention from the very beginning! It was packed full, so much happened my head is still reeling! I can't recommend this book enough!

This book took me places and made me feel all the feels!

The world-building is fantastic. From the ocean to the mountains, everything is so real you can smell the salt on the breeze and hear the echoes in the caverns. I felt like I understood the people and belonged in their world.

The cast of characters is excellent. From friend to foe, it's hard not to feel strongly about each of them. The heroine, Nor, was so very well-written. Her pain is real, her love is strong, and her bravery knows no bounds. Her family is realistic. Her friends are loyal till the end. And her love interests? Wow.

First we have a handsome emissary Talin, who comes to evaluate Nor before she is married off to the Crown Prince. And their meet cute is SO cute, as she makes a fool of herself and flees in embarrassment. She leaves an everlasting impression that ensures he won't forget about her.

Then she meets her betrothed, Prince Ceren. He is as cruel as he is beautiful. And even if he was painted as the villain, there were moments when I liked him, even rooted for him, even dared to hope he would change his wicked ways and win the heroine's heart.

The first half of the book, when the world and plot are being set up, is when the writing really shines the most. I was quickly drawn into the setting. When the scene changed from the ocean village to the kingdom in the mountains, as a reader I made the transition along with Nor, who was setting foot on land for the very first time. Everything was fresh and new and took a small amount of adjusting.

After that, there was a middle section of the book where I felt like things grew a bit vague. The royal family lives inside caves in the mountain, I understand that. But it seems like every night they are dining with the local noble families, and whenever Nor wants to visit one of them she just walks to their quarters. So...it appears all of the nobility dwells inside the caverns together? I'm not sure if that's just the way things are or if I'm making assumptions, because the specific people she visits are the king's former mistress and the king's war council member, so it makes sense for them to live in the "palace," but...does everyone else, too? They always seem to be there.

I do feel like this book could have been a lot longer. The plot progressed at an even pace for the first half, but the second half felt somewhat rushed. I might have liked it to slow down, to give me time to savor the scenery a bit more. Nor and Ceren clash almost immediately. I feel like there should have been more build-up to their relationship before his intentions suddenly became violent. Because I was low-key rooting for him, I also wished he and Nor had had some more tender moments like at the lake, when I was fooled into believing he could become a good man and earn her love. And the times when he behaved like a complete and utter villain, I wish she had reacted with more horror, instead of greeting him the next day as if he hadn't just choked her or baked her a pie full of live bats like some kind of monster.

But the plot is SO good, every bit of it. It was unpredictable and exciting, sometimes even grotesque.

The ending is either left to the readers' imaginations or is pending closure in a sequel, and I'm strongly hoping for the latter!

Likes
I was absolutely blown away by this book! I didn't know what to expect when I went into it but I found myself immersed in the story almost immediately. The plot is such a unique one and learning about the way that world worked was fantastically done. Therefore, the world-building is done very well. I wasn't left questioning why something was the way it was and the stories were the best part about the book. There was world-building with the society of pearls and their worth as well as some invention-type stuff going on that gave it this extra flavor that I enjoyed. Nor is an awesome main character. You can feel the way she cares for her sister and I would liken this relationship to Scarlet and Tella from Caraval. I thought the idea of diving for pearls sounded super fun until I found out there were deadly jellyfish in the water, but that's beside the point. I really loved Talin. A lot. He was that character that you knew you were going to fall in love with. His brother, Ceren on the other hand? Really annoying for most of the book but he did get a tiny sweet spot from me towards the end. I appreciated how the book took a sort of feminist turn and I was totally here for it! It felt very organic and I feel like the story flowed really well, which kept me interested for the duration of the book.

Dislikes
I can't say I disliked much about this book. The pacing was wonderfully done and I literally had to finish it in one day because I needed to know what was going to happen! My only real dislike is that this isn't a series. I've been trying to read more standalone titles recently but this I feel could be expanded so much into something like Priory of the Orange Tree with the way the world has been laid out and I can't wait to see what else this author writes!

Solid four star read!

Crown of Coral and Pearl has been on my radar for a few months now, so you can only imagine how stoked I was when Net-Galley graciously provided a copy for me to review.

First things first, this beginning of the book was THE BEST THING EVER. I loved the dynamic between Nor (our Main Heroine) and her twin sister, Zadie. Add in a community who lives and breathes all things sea related and BAM instant love. The second half of the story was great as well, but toward the end things felt a bit rushed which is the only thing holding back me awarding this tale the elusive the fifth star. We’ll get to that in a minute because first can we get an amen for sisters who would do anything for each other!

Nor and Zadie are twins, so I was expecting a bond to be present but the one the reader experiences throughout the first half of the book is phenomenally displayed. You can literally feel their kinship and loyalty to one another. So when it comes to a super tough decision on Nor’s part I actually shed a single gangster tear because the emotions racing through her are so on point. It all felt so real! THE DRAMA!

If you’ve read the synopsis then you’ll know Nor is set to travel to Ilara to marry the Crown Prince. The whole arrangement is set up flawlessly, but when she finally makes it to Ilara my interest started to wane a bit. The crown prince is not a likeable character-at all. Think Carden from The Cruel Prince, but darker with no redeeming qualities. So if you’re going into this story hoping for a bad boy turns good trope-this ain’t it sis! Which again is perfectly fine! My only complaint is the last five chapters kind of rushed by and (for me) didn’t really set up what the theme of the next book would be...assuming there is a next book.


Overall opinion is this book was so beautifully written and you can tell the author is a twin herself because the bond/emotions the sisters feel are so realistic! Thank you again to Net-Galley for letting me dive in head first and review this baby!

I am entirely enthralled and in love with this book. The surface of it seems shallow and demeaning to girls and women, and we do get to see both sides of this- but overall the characters recognize that beauty isn't necessarily a strength. The characters realize that their lives aren't their own because of the standards of beauty thrust upon them by their society. Refreshing to see imperfect heroines who admit it! We also see the shallowness and bitterness that imperfection brings to some in personalities that could be true to life.
The world that is built seems very interesting as well. I love the concept of the Blood Corals, the danger and the beauty of the sea being shown but not bashing us over the heads with it. The plot has a few minor twists and turns, nothing drastic but the voice of Nor is complicated and REAL. She yearns for more but is terrified of the prospect. She’s not a fearless and robust get-it-done revolutionary but a girl who wants more than her small village can give her and one with real stakes in the game of change.
My only complaint is the tropey-love at first sight triangle going on. While I was happy with the resolution it’s still something that felt like it could have been more developed. This book is worth a read regardless of this facet of the plot however.

I really enjoyed this book. There were so many positives, that even though I had a few issues it, overall I really liked it and am looking forward to (the hopeful) sequels. At the very heart of this book, and one of my favorite things about it, was the relationship between the sisters. The bond was so strong and really was the lifeline of the book. I also LOVE the trope of a girl between two brothers and this aspect didn't disappoint here. It was quite good.

If I had any issue with the book, it was that it wasn't super original, though honestly I don't really care since I love any kind of books like this (e.g. Red Queen, Ash Princess, etc.). The ending was also a little weak. While I thought everything had been built up pretty well, I was disappointed by the quick resolve of the ending. Hopefully that will be corrected if the author does any sequels.

So I was going through all of the books that I need to review, and even though I finished this book over a month ago, it seems that I still haven't written it. So here goes nothing.

This book was fantastic. The pace was perfect for me, not to slow and not to fast of a read, I found the story very engaging, the characters well thought out, and the premiss of this novel to be vastly entertaining. There were a few tropes in there, however, they played out really well. The ending was a little bit of a surprise and not a bad one at that. I have a feeling that I will be buying all of Mara Rutherfords other works, as this was a nice light and entertainingly easy read that I found left me satiated.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

GO READ THIS BOOK. This is the best YA novel I've read in ages. I was drawn into Nor and Zadie's world from the very first chapter. Varenia is a beautiful village built on docks in the ocean, and the descriptions of life by the sea did not disappoint. The premise is believable, all the characters are well-written, and the romance aspect does not overshadow the plot or limit the characters. Even the "villain" is almost sympathetic.

I also really enjoyed that this was a stand-alone novel and there is no waiting for new books to find out what happens.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, my review is spoiler-free and was not affected by the ARC.

First of all, I have to admit I'm surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this book. It had a variation on a lot of familiar themes, but the way they were addressed and handled in this book made them feel fresh again. I was always engaged, always eager to know what would happen next. I liked the characters and the world enough that I would be glad to come back to them should a sequel be published.

Usually the romance in YA really bothers me, but not as much in this one. It wasn't the main focus of the story and they actually had conversations and got to know each other before their first kiss. I would've actually liked even more fleshing out of Talin's character, but since we're stuck in Nor's perspective, we don't get too much. It was nice that there was no love triangle and it wasn't too heavy on love angst, either. It's still there, but again, it's not the main focus of the story.

The world Ms. Rutherford introduces the reader to is an interesting one. At first I didn't like how Nor's society put so much emphasis and pressure on women to be beautiful, but later on this is addressed and I ended up liking how it was handled. I found the politics of the world to be interesting as well. There was still a lot I would've liked to know about-- especially the history of the various countries and their religious beliefs-- but what we got still intrigued me. A lot of what was going on I could see reflections of the real world in them. Yes this is a fantasy, but when things happened I often thought "Yeah, I can see that happening in real life", which I like in fantasy since it brings a relateability to the characters and their circumstances.

Nor is one of the better YA heroines I've come across in a while. Any of the insecurities she may have, like thinking she's not as beautiful as her sister or what have you, are perfectly understandable because of how she was raised. I also like that not only are we told that she's kind, resourceful, brave, stubborn, and curious; we're also shown that through her actions. I don't have a sister but I think that was depicted well, even if they spent way too long worrying over a problem with a very obvious solution. Again, we're stuck in her perspective so we don't really get that much insight into how and why Ceren became what he was, but I liked him (in that "I hate you but you're well-written to be hated" kind of way).

Since this is an ARC, I won't dwell too long on the formatting. I'm assuming they'll fix it in the final product, but I would've liked more of a break between the final sentence of one chapter and the start of a next. Usually books start new chapters on a new page; I'm sure this will do the same. As it was, it did compel me to keep reading, but I still would've liked that break. The biggest editing error I noticed was that every single word that had "fl" somewhere spaced those two letters out. So for example it would read "f loat" or "aff luent". I did eventually learn to expect it but it was still really distracting and constantly pulled me out of the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book a lot. I'm definitely going to be suggesting it to my libraries for purchase. Thanks again for the opportunity to read this ARC!

A beautiful debut with one of the most interesting worlds! Beautifully drawn characters, action scenes that were actually easy to follow, and wonderful twists make this a fantasy to be loved and remembered. Also I’m such a Nor/Talin shipper and I hope there is more to this story and so much more from Mara.

I was not a fan of this book. at all. I will probably not read more from this author in the future...……………………………...

With Crown of Coral and Pearl Mara Rutherford has created a world filled with intrigue and adventure. I was drawn into this story from page one and was a little disappointed when it ended because it meant I had to leave these characters for a while (at least until book 2 comes out).

There is so much going on in this novel, but it never feels like the author is trying to do too much. I found learning about the history and traditions of Varenia was as interesting as the court intrigue in Ilara. Nor and Zadie's sisterhood is beautifully written and I appreciated that Nor is never painted as a martyr - she makes sacrifices, but never acts like a victim. Although getting all of the benefits of life, Zadie does not become full of herself and never forgets everything that Nor has done for her. It would have been easy to write Zadie as selfish, but really she's just a teenage girl who wants some control over her destiny.

Nor is a great heroine because of both her strengths and her weaknesses. She always does what she thinks is right and recognizes when she makes mistakes. I really enjoyed seeing her grow from a young girl looking to escape her small community into a young woman seeking to protect her family and her home. She makes mistakes and doesn't avoid dealing with the consequences of those mistakes. I think Ceren had it right when he pointed out that she is more interested in protecting others than herself - the best part of this is that she doesn't even stop to think about the harm that could come to her and only thinks of others (even though many of the people she protects are strangers to her). In the end she has to do something that goes against everything she's been taught and I appreciated that she didn't just complete this action without emotion.

Ceren is a well crafted villain in that you are repulsed by many of his actions and his selfishness but are also given little glimpses into what has made him that way and left feeling sorry for him at times (although those moments are very very very brief). He is given enough of a backstory to understand why he is the way he is rather than just having him be a stock villain. He is one of those characters that you wonder how he would have turned out had his childhood played out a little differently or if he hadn't grown up in a mountain.

I think my liking of Talin had to do as much with him being a genuinely good guy as with the way he accepts Nor and sees her beauty when so many others in her life have not. He and Nor do not always think before they act which ends up getting them in trouble, but also helps them save one another.

I saw that this is currently a standalone, but I really really really hope the publisher picks up the sequel. There is definitely more story to be told and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I know some reviewers have felt there was nothing original with this story, but even though some of the elements are familiar they are pieced together in a way that makes for an interesting and engaging story. There were a few twists that I did not see coming and kept it from getting to predictable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy novels and is looking for a new characters and worlds in which to get invested!