Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I loved this book. The writing was gorgeous, the narrative was engaging and the characters were exceptionally well drawn. It reminded me quite a lot of Life of Pi, but I feel Vick delves into deeper issues than the previous author. By shipwrecking a European alongside a potential refugee, Vick draws attention to the underlying issues of the refugee crisis. The inclusion of tales from the Arabian Nights to highlight the power of stories to give us hope was also perfect (even if they were made up). Excuse me while I go and delve into Vick's back catalogue...

What a joy of a book. I usually try very hard to write reviews that do not spoil or give away bits of the ending, this time I could not. The story was a little like the storms that come from nowhere if you are sea. It was like riding a boat in choppy water. Even at the end there were some interesting twists and turns.

The descriptions of how the ocean and its wildlife reacts are good. At times they are almost poetic. The different strengths of the characters in the boat shone through as did the different cultures that they came from, they complimented each other perfectly. There was also menace. When they landed on the island, I put the book down because I felt there was a presence there and I was frightened. Once when it was established there was a third person the menace continued. It was clear something would happen but it was not easy to establish which two characters would continue to live and how the plot would develop.

I thought it was very clever how Aya's life and the 1001 nights stories combined. I felt there was something magical or fantastical about her and wondered if she was real. This is why the ending is so very powerful. It is a good book for promoting empathy. I am also left with the feeling that it might not be a stand alone book, that there is an opportunity for a sequel. I do not often read sequels, I would read this one.

Thank you for allowing me to read it on Netgalley and I am still thinking about it 24 hours after finishing it.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. It felt very similar to Life of Pi but I did not find that the characters were very well written, and everything just felt very rushed. I found that the plot was too jumpy and confusion. I found no connection to the characters, and I found myself not really caring what happened to them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable book. It was an interesting take on a ship wreck turned survival on a deserted-ish island. While this was a tense yet touching story about friendship, it felt like something was missing. I've yet to put my finger on it specifically but it feels like more could have been added to it. I enjoyed the stories within the stories but they felt too brief for their purpose to the novel. It also seemed like Bill was starting to romanticize Aya, which felt off to the tone of the story. Among these few things that felt off to me, I thought the author did a FANTASTIC job creating suspense throughout the book. The final scene when they're in the boat was an excellent example of this! Read this if you enjoy the suspenseful survivalist genre.

There was something quite wonderful and magical about this. A story of a new friendship through adversity, hope, acceptance, and a need to survive. It’s part reality, part mythical. The mythical element of this story really added to its strength, and provided opportunity to include more difficult messages and themes in a way suitable for younger readers.

A powerful story and one I wish was around when I was younger. I remember reading books together as class when I was younger, and I hope this becomes one of those books. Suitable for middle-graders but there is definitely something for the older reader as well.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3287375621

Fifteen-year-old Bill is with a group of young boys and their captain on a yacht when a storm appears seemingly from nowhere. The others manage to get off the boat but Bill turns back to get supplies. Before he has finished, the storm has blown the life raft away and the yacht is quickly taking on water. Bill is forced to cast off alone in a small wooden boat into the raging storm. He survives the storm - a small miracle in itself - but he has no way of knowing where he is and if he has enough provisions to last until he is found or if he will be found. But fate has another miracle in store for him - he spots what he first thinks is the dead body of a young girl draped over a barrel. When she opens her eyes, he knows he has to rescue her even though he realizes this means even less chance of survival. But, together, Bill, the young British boy and Aya, a young Berber girl may just be able to beat the odds.

Girl. Boy. Sea. by author Chris Vick is a YA adventure story that will appeal to both young boys and girls and one that adults can also enjoy with plenty of action to keep the reader glued to the page. It is also the story of how the human spirit, faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, can overcome if they ignore differences like birth place and gender and work together, an important lesson right now. It also shows the importance of storytelling in helping us to overcome our differences. I thoroughly enjoyed Girl. Boy. Sea. and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-written YA adventure.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Zephyr for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

An enjoyable read, nice story and well written, I just found the pacing a bit off and it was slow up until about the halfway mark. An enjoyable read, but I would have enjoyed more if it picked up sooner.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion