Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with this sample in exchange for an honest review!
TW for bullying, attempted suicide, and depression
WOW! Just... wow. A multi-POV story, The Sea Is Salt and So Am I tells the stories of a small group of teens living in a hurricane-battered coastal town named West Finch. Harlow strives to save her hometown and keep her best friend, Ellis, close by, while Ellis is struggling to manage his emotions regarding his troubled family life and uncertain future. Tommy, Ellis' twin brother, is recovering from a failed suicide attempt and adjusting to life post-hospital. The story so far follows them as they try to manage complicated relationships and attempt to save their flooded hometown along the way. The Sea Is Salt and So Am I is rife with emotion, heartache, and love.
From the first sentence, I was enchanted. I was immediately reminded of I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson and The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake- both books that have a permanent spot on my "favorites" shelf. Hartt's writing is breathtaking, and she paints a beautiful and clear image of both the setting and the characters right away. Speaking of, the characters are masterfully done. Each character has a distinct voice, and they all feel so REAL that I found myself getting lost in their thoughts. There is no rough patch or bumpy introduction; from the second the book begins to the second the sampler ends it's a smooth and cohesive story. I cannot wait to get my hands on a full copy of The Sea Is Salt and So Am I.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes a book packed with emotion. This book will make your heart ache, but in the very best way possible.

I feel it's a little sneaky to include just a sampler and expect reviews based on just a few chapters. I can't really give an actual review if I don’t know the full story.

Thank you so much for the extended chapter preview for this book. I really enjoyed the writing style but with my current mental health and the content warnings for this book I think I need to be in a better mental headspace before trying to pursue reading this book more. I think that there is a lot of potential here and hope to pick it up in full some time in the future. The characters and setting felt very real and was able to connect with them pretty quickly.

As soon as I saw the beautiful cover I wanted to read this sampler, unfortunately I don’t think this book is going to be for me.

I found it difficult to connect with the writing style, I had to keep rereading pages to see who was who and what was going on, and to be honest I didn’t retain any of the chapters I read.

I’m sure many people will love this story but if the writing doesn’t flow for me, I find it hard to focus on the book and struggle to make it through.

2 stars- 1 for the cover and 1 for the premise and the setting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This review is based on a sampler, which consists of the first 6 chapters of the book. I also want to note that there is a trigger warning from the author at the beginning of the book that it contains “instances of suicidal ideation and attempted suicide, as well as detailed depictions of depression,” so please take that into consideration if you pick up this book!

I’m totally hooked on this story from the sampler. The book is set in a small, coastal town, which is one of my favorite settings. I also loved how complex the characters are from the get-go. The book has 3 POVs and each has a distinct voice and seeing the characters from each other’s perspective create a really interesting dynamic between them. I can’t wait to read the rest of the novel when it comes out!!

Before I get into my review I want to make sure you are aware of the trigger warnings in this book: "Suicidal ideation and attempted suicide, as well as detailed depictions of depression".

The Sea Is Salt and So Am I gave me vibes that reminded me of Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno in the way that it takes place in a small coastal town having to deal with flooding and focuses on deeper emotions than other contemporaries tend to focus on. So far within the first few chapters, we have a discussion of environmental impact and a character dealing with depression. I was sucked in by the stunningly raw and beautiful writing and loved that these characters seemed relatable and the most realistic characters I read about recently.

There are so many undertones this novel focuses on that it is truly captivating and heartwrenching. I love that on top of these topics there is also the potential for romance which will hopefully add a lighter breath to the story. We get to read multiple points of view and I think that it a great way to encapsulate Cassandra Hartt's story and plotline. This sneak peek left me wanting more and I recommend this to anyone looking for a new emotional contemporary, especially on the coastline.

I’m hooked and can’t wait to read the rest of this book. Harlow and Ellis are close friends. Ellis’s twin brother Tommy, is clinically depressed and is on meds. One day they see him jump into the ocean but don’t think much of it because he’s wearing a wetsuit. Well, later a friend finds him, and he’s transported to the hospital to get better. There is a hidden rage between Tommy and Harlow. Tommy seems to blame Harlow for many things. What happened to cause this rage?

A very awesome start to the book! I can't wait to see what the full version is going to look like. Can't wait to for the final copy to be released! Definitely going to be diving in.

I was very curious about this book because of the cover. Interesting premise. Sea settings are my favourite to read so this book seemed interesting. Happy that netgalley has this sample because the first 6 chapters are definitely a promising start. I really want to know more. The characters seem intriguing and I'm eager to see how their story goes. It also hopefully has good mental health rep. Looking forward to it's release.

Writing this review must be one of the hardest ones I’ve ever written.
This whole storyline and the topics it covers lay so close to my heart. Having had my own experience with losing a friend by suicide and losing my dog after sickness, this sample hit home. I’m really curious to read the whole book as soon as it finishes.
I did have some problems with the writing styles at times. Sometimes the chapters read really quickly to me, sometimes they didn’t and I wasn’t as captivated.
Overall, I’m really curious to read the full story.

To begin, I want to note that I did read the extended sampler edition of this book. As I read the extended sampler, I honestly struggled to connect with this book.

What I liked:
- The setting of the story was intriguing and really captured the whole small-town vibe, where everyone knew about everyone's whereabouts.
- The characters were based on three different teenagers and their experiences of depression and mental health issues. The novel used POV chapters that focused on each character's experience.

What I did not like:
- It was really challenging for me to grasp who these characters were, especially in the beginning of the story. I felt like I read the first three chapters and had to stop and ask myself... "who are these people again?" From this disconnected feeling, it was challenging for me to connect with the rest of the story.

Overall, I would give this book another shot. I just think I need to reread the beginning and have the whole book accessible for me to provide a more honest review.

Interesting premise. The first six chapters of this book is very engaging. I would love to read the full version of this book to get to know the characters more.. This book describes some serious issues like suicide, depression, teenage life crisis and climate change that will pique one’s curiosity as to how the author will deliver a well-written and meaningful story.

I look forward to reading this book. I’m thankful to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read an extended sampler of this book.

They say one mustn't judge a book by its cover but what can you do when the cover is so pretty? I opted for this sampler for the art but was hooked by the easy, flowing storytelling. Thanks for this, NetGalley. Although my TBR is long, I'd be keen to add this title to it as I am curious to know where this story goes.

Ok, first, the cover is SO GORGEOUS that made my eyes hurt, and by the way was the reason that made me felt curious about the book. The sneak peek from "The Sea Is Salt and So Am I " is so weel writing and really surprised me, only a little sample and I can already see how much I'll be heartbroken with this book. Ellis, Ruby and Harlow: can't wait to meet you guys better.
Thanks for the sample! I loved it..

The chapter sampler for The Sea Is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt was so intriguing, and I can't wait to read the whole book! The story is well written so far, and the characters are intriguing. The cover of the book is also really beautiful and would draw me in on its own.

I seriously can't wait to continue with the rest of the story of Harlow, Ellis, Tommy and West Finch.

The chapter sampler for The Sea Is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt really intrigued me, and I can't wait to read the whole book. I enjoy seeing how different authors handle tough subjects like depression and suicide, and I look forward to seeing how the story unfolds. And that cover! So gorgeous!

I really liked the cover. This book is well written and interesting. Thank you for the read! Looking forward to checking out more.

From this excerpt, I could already tell that this novel is going to be absolutely heartbreaking, but so important. It touches on tough themes such as depression and suicide. The prose is beautiful yet subtle, and I already know once this book is published, it is going to move the reader. Loved it so far!

Stunning cover! And after reading this excerpt I’m excited to read the rest of this story and add the book to my collection!

I read this sampler 2 days ago and I still can't stop thinking about it. I'm intrigued and want to read the rest of it. It's almost too cruel to give me the sample and then not provide the book immediately.

I love the Amazon "Send a Free Sample" option for Kindle because I can read the sample and then buy the book and keep reading.

I want to know what Harlow said to Ruby and how Ellis lost his leg. Harlow seems obsessed with Ellis and Tommy hates her. What's that about? I need answers.