Every generation, the most beautiful girl from the floating ocean village of Varenia is sent to the mainland kingdom Ilara to marry the prince and maintain peace among society. Nor knows that her twin sister Zadie is going to be chosen, but when Zadie gets cold feet about leaving home, Nor reluctantly takes her place, only to learn that Ilara is a cruel, treachery-filled place that puts her Varenian kinfolk in even more trouble than she realized. This book's greatest strength is its unique setting; the boats and docks of Varenia have a touch of iconic Venice or a mythical Amazonian village, yet remain entirely unique. While the mainland, on which the majority of the book is set, lacks the same vivid charm, it is still a unique locale that is itself central to the story. Character-wise, Nor is a strong and likable, relatable protagonist. Her sister Zadie is just too pure and sweet to be believable, and several other characters, including the girls' mother and Prince Talin are disappointingly one-dimensional, but Rutherford expertly creates a nuanced and surprisingly sympathetic character in the villain, Prince Ceren. The romance in the book falls into the too-sudden-to-be-believable trope that plagues many a YA novel, but the romance does not overwhelm the core story about a girl determined to save her kingdom and her sister. The book struggles with pacing somewhat, spending too much time in the expository stages in the Varenian village and then glossing over Nor's adjustment to Ilaran life, but the ending is timely and well-executed and will leave readers eager for the sequel. While not a standout in the YA fantasy genre in terms of originality or writing style, this is an enjoyable, fast read, gaining merit for its unique setting and strong protagonist.

I usually have little expectations when I first start YA Fantasy books now since I feel like I've read a lot of 'meh' or bad books. However, this was not the case and I really liked this book. I'm even curious to find out what happens next!

I was glad to see Crown of Coral and Pearl was available as an audiobook on Scribd since I was late reading it before its publication date. Right from the start, I found this story interesting and entertaining. I also really enjoyed the romance in this book. I was rooting for them the whole time.

In this book, you will meet Nor and Zadie. They are twin sisters that have been raised to be the most beautiful girl of Varenia to be chosen to be sent to be a princess in Ilara. Their mother is obsessed with this and therefore, when Nor ends up scarred on her face, all of her hopes are based on her twin sister Zadie. But when Zadie falls in love with the Governor's son... things won't go as planned and Nor will end up being the one going to Ilara. And while she dreamed of seeing the world, she didn't expect to be stuck with a cruel Prince willing to do anything to get more power.

Crown of Coral and Pearl was an interesting beginning to a new series I'm excited for.

(Thank you to the publisher for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

Thank you to the Publisher and Author for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book!!!

I absolutely LOVED this book!!!! What a fun and romantic and exciting adventure!!!! I was completely swept away in this story from the very beginning. Its interesting to think of an entire town built on water, unable to go to land and so they must find ways to survive and thrive living off of what they have around them. So of course they take to diving for pearls and the prettier the pearl, the better the price they can get for it. That's not the only condition for these poor people, they also are raised to value beauty above all else so that one day they might be picked to marry the Prince on land and then their family will be taken care of for the rest of their days. But what they don't know is that being on land isn't all that they had imagined. There are other unspeakable problems and horrors waiting for the chosen girl.

This book was part fantasy and part mystery as we follow the characters through their crazy ways of life. I liked that the main character is a twin, and there is that constant struggle for her to be compared to someone who is supposed to look just like her, while also trying to be the prettiest girl in their village/ water town? Luckily for our main character, she was in an accident when she was younger and a scar on her face has given her the opportunity to live a life that she enjoys rather than one based around staying beautiful.

From the sweet romance, to the mystery disease, to the different living situations from one setting to the next, there really isn't a dull moment in this book. I could hardly put it down in my wild need to devour it as fast as possible so I could find what happens next! I will most definitely be eagerly awaiting the next in this series and I am so happy that I was given the opportunity to read this book!!! It was wonderful!

Aaaaaaaaaah. That’s me screaming cause this book. I loved this book. Nor was great, and I cheered for her throughout the whole book. I did love the turning of the trope “she was beautiful but didn’t know it” on it’s head (spoiler, she’s beautiful and she does know it). I knew going in that this one would have a heavy romantic subplot, which is normally a dealbreaker for me, but I gave it a chance, and thought it was really well done.

I love love love Nor’s relationship with her sister. So refreshing to see, and I’m a sucker for strong family relationships. There were a couple well-planned twists, which I personally loved. Oh and that world, like honestly, all I did today was think about building an ocean city near a coral reef. Loved it. And wow, the way the settings shaped the characters, excellent, excellent.

What really sold me on this one, was how much it reminded me of the YA books I read when I was a teenager. It had that same feeling that I’m constantly looking for and yet constantly disappointed by. It was just laced with excellent nostalgia, and I read it in one sitting. Seriously, I stayed up half the night devouring it cause I had to know what would happen.

Anyway, this is a fantastic book, I’ll recommend it to anyone looking for a young adult fantasy.

I loved Crown of Coral and Pearl, I could not put it down, the storyline happens at a good pace, I never got bored. The characters are well developed and there is a character for everyone to love or eveb hate. Fantasy, fairytale and romance are all here.

The character relationships are really well fleshed-out, and I’m definitely anticipating how the romance further develops in the next book. The exploration of the lore and world building is an added plus, and I’m looking forward to what’s in store for the next installment.

Great fantasy debut. It took me a while to get into this one though for some reason and I found that I wanted more from the romance.

A fluid and immersive read, Crown of Coral and Pearl follows Nor as she is sent away to marry the cruel prince of a colonist nation, thereby saving her twin sister and village. With extensive world building and good pacing, I found Nor to be a sympathetic heroine and the prince Ceren was a well thought out anti-hero. The concept was original, but I found the novel to have some pacing problems, especially towards the end. Still, I found this to be an amazing read and highly recommend it!

A special thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I thought the book was pretty good. It was suspenseful and made me want to keep reading it. I thought it was a fun adventure to be on. I also loved that it was about a sisters bond. I am extremely close to my sister so I could really relate to what the sisters shared and I think that the author did a great job describing how the sisters were together and what they went through. I loved the main character Talin. I thought the little romance they has was perfect. Overall, it was a great book and I would easily recommend the book to fellow readers out there.

Wonderful world-building that pulled me in from the start. I fell in love Nor and Zadie and am so excited there story will continue in another book!

I loved this book from the moment I saw the cover, I liked the narrator and other characters, I loved the setting and world building. It was hard to put down and such an enjoyable read.

Welcome to this book review,

[Disclaimer: I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this book in exchange of an honest review]

This book attracted me for two principal reasons, first the description which is dark and beautifully mysterious and second the cover. Can we just take a moment to appreciate the beauty that is this book. This is set in a world where for generations princes of Ilara come and choose a bride from Nor's village by the sea called Varenia, every girl dreams of being chosen , but they discover that the price to become royalty is higher than they could've imagined.

I loved and disliked a lot about this novel, The concept was great and while the writing style makes for a wonderful reading experience, for me the mystery wasn't as much of one since it had so many predictable things happening in it. I really enjoyed the complexity of the relationships (friendships, family relations) between the characters, I also enjoyed how the author really went deep into the dysfunctionality of the family relations. This fantastical world was so well described that I could see it perfectly in my mind, my issues with this book started to grow bigger with the second half of it.
I am not a fan of insta love, I mean when I want to read it I will, but I don't seek it out and expect to see it in a fantasy novel where the setting is meant to be so dark.
I really enjoyed Prince Ceren and hated that the insta love between Talin and Nor made him to be perceived as an even worse character since he is her fiance.
While the ending is quite satisfying I am glad that this is a duology as I really enjoyed the world, I can't wait to have a better understanding of it.
I recommend the read if you love fantastical world beautifully described, where the author promotes the fact that beauty is more than looks.

3.75/5 stars

-Bookarina.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Spoilers below.

Crown of Coral and Pearl was a lot of fun to dive into. In it, you will meet Zadie and Nor. Twin sisters that live in a place where beauty gives you status (in a way). Now these two definitely had their ups and downs. Nor was in an accident when she was younger, an accident that ended up saving her sister's life. Yet, since that day she lost value in her own mother's eyes. It was okay though because Zadie and her dad both adored her.

Now I loved Nor. Heck, I liked Zadie but she wasn't my absolute favorite. At one point, I kind of felt like she was a bit selfish. I get that she found love in her hometown but all the girls knew that they could be the chosen one to marry the crown prince. Yeah, it sucked ass for her that she was picked but she put her life at risk just so that she could get out of it.

Plus, I don't like how their own mother treated Nor. Ugh, if I could pick any book to reach into and slap a character - this one would be it. I hope in the next book her mother realizes how much of a twat she was. I'm also a bit intrigued as to what is going to happen. I definitely have a feeling that things aren't going to go Nor's way. Even though Talin is with her, which they are so freaking cute! I totally ship them and want them to be together in the next one.. but I have a feeling his mom is going to pull them apart.

Ugh, I need the next book ASAP!

I loved reading Crown of Coral and Pearl. It was one of my most highly anticipated releases of the year, and it did not disappoint. I loved reading about the relationship between Nor and Zadie. I always love books involving relationships between sisters. I do wish that we had gotten more of Zadie's perspective, since I feel like the single perspective drew attention away from the relationship between the twins.
I think the world-building left a little to be desired, so I hope that will be explored more in the sequel.
This book reminded me a lot of both Gravemaidens and Grace and Fury, two books I also really enjoyed. My favorite part of the book was the relationship between the sisters. The writing was beautiful, too.

I don't like fantasy but this one blew me out of the water!
I must have more stories about these characters!
Now for the actual review, just wow. I know that I've already mentioned that I liked this book but you don't understand how much.
The characters were golden. Seriously, there needs to be another story about Nor's twin sister, Zadie. The dedication between these sisters is amazing to read about, especially because many YA books lack on family relationships. Oh, and the villain of this story was despicable but also did some surprising stuff that made me very sympathetic for him. At times, I felt more for him than any other character.
The intrigue of this book kept me flipping pages and invested.
I would highly encourage you to do yourself a favor and find a copy of this gem as soon as you are able.

Rating: 5 Stars
Content: 4 Stars

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

I liked Nor’s character straight from the beginning. Her protectiveness toward her family and her closeness with her sister make her an admirable character. Her spirit and thirst for adventure keep her at the center of her story as a heroine rather than the trade goods her people hope to make of her.

Besides Nor, other characters are pretty straightforward. The good guys are very good. The bad guys are very bad. I kept hoping for some hidden complexities, but that wasn’t really the direction the story took. I’m not sure I understood the plot. It felt out of focus to me. I felt like Nor’s goal gets overshadowed by other events, and fizzled a little bit as the story ended.

I found the clash of the two cultures– Nor’s oceanic people and Ceren’s mountain-dwelling people– really creative and interesting. Nor’s life at sea gave her a lot of freedom and vitality. Her new life in the mountain felt oppressive, dark, and creepy, even before all of the politics and people added complications. I thought the way CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL clashed those two cultures added a lot of feeling to the story and was cleverly done.

On the whole, I felt like the story world was cleverly created and Nor is a fantastic character. I’m glad I read the book, even if I wanted more complexity in its other characters. Fans of SEA WITCH RISING will like CROWN OF CORAL AND PEARL for its cross-culture story and its emphasis on the unbreakable bond of sisterhood.

I was really intrigued by this book. The unique plot line and drive in the story was interesting and kept me wanting more. 

In their world, beauty determines who gets to become the next Princess and marry the Prince. So when two sisters find themselves being pressured to be the best beauty, their survival is on the rise because if one isn't chosen, how will they be able to afford to eat? 

It's definitely a character-driven story featuring a sister bond. You are thrown into all the feels from anger towards their selfish mother to cheering the main character on as she becomes the heroine. 

There's a lot of political intrigue, family cruelty, and even some romance. It's a book that has it all, and I'm excited to see where the sequel takes us! This book deserves the full 5 out of 5 stars!!

Loved the treacherous court life depicted in this book! The villain was also very humanized, although it was to the point that I was sympathizing more with him than with the heroes. The insta-love between Nor and Talin was...something that could have been left out of the book-- there was no explanation of why she loved him other than really superficial stuff like his 'sea-blue eyes' and his extreme handsomeness. Nor, the main character, is an extremely clever young woman so it was baffling as to why she was in love with Talin. The ending was rushed and sorta implausible which threw me off.

I loved the exploration of the wonderful, difficult, but always close relationship Nor had with her twin sister Zadie. The world-building is amazing, the pacing is great, and Nor was a great character when Talin wasn't around.

Good LORD this was good!
The only downside is that I have to wait a whole year for the next book. That kinda sucks.
It's hard to believe that this is the author's first published book if I'm being completely honest.
I don't think I have to explain what happens is the book because it's kind of clear.
Anyway, the characters! OOF. Talin and Nor are loveable and all but Ceren! The guy is COLD. And I mean cold cold. He is cruel and vile and extremely unloveable and that's exactly what makes the book so damn interesting.

A really amazing book!! I enjoyed the characters and overall story. Very well paced too. Definitely recommend this