A book about surfing song me up.
I loved the relationships in the book and I was invested in the book, I had fun reading it. But there was something that was missing for me.

More than just a fluffy rom com, One with the Waves by Vezna Andrews is a book about finding community, connection, and healing. It's about the power of the ocean and how Ellie finds herself again in the surf. I appreciated the setting of '80s Southern California.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Ohhh how I love a good coming of age story and this one did not disappoint. Also with the added surfing element and beaches in genera, which as so fun and ripe with story… this was a fun read!

3 ⭐️

a book about surfing in the 80s? sign me up!

in this book, we’re following ellie as she learns how to surf amidst some really hard times. i loved getting to see her thought process as she worked through those big feelings while doing something she loved. as someone who loves the ocean more than almost anything, i thought it was beautiful to see that journey.

i do feel like perhaps some parts were a bit rushed and there were certain topics i wished had more depth. but overall it was a good read!

thank you to santa monica press for this eARC!

I really appreciated the scenery and sweetness of this story. There’s plenty of the stereotypical surfer slang and nicknames, giving you the nostalgia and laid back vibes the cover/title promises. Highlighting self growth and finding one’s identity, this is a coming of age story the reader can root for.

Even though summer is officially over it doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy a book set on the beach. Don’t let this beautiful cover fool you though. One with the Waves is a YA coming of age story that touches on some very heavy topics.

Despite the heavy topics, I loved watching the growth of the MC as she grieved and also started to heal from a tremendous loss. Not only did she have family members and friends to help her along the way, but she found solace in the waves and surfing.

At the end of the book there is a fun song list that reminds me of growing up in So Cal in the 80s.

Thank you #netgally for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub date: May 23, 2023

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. A decent teen read about making mistakes and growing. It was okay, but not the best.

This was a quick easy read but not a light one. I was excited to follow Ellie to the West Coast after the death of her father. The people she met there were endearing and supportive to the story. However, I struggled with the range of emotions displayed by both Ellie and her mom. There wasn't enough history revealed to understand the depth of their loss.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Unfortunately this one is not one I can give a rating to as at about 38% I ended up DNFing. Now this isn’t due it being a bad book, but it just wasn’t engaging me. Younger me would’ve LOVED this book! I was a huge fan of surf books when I was younger and all the book that I read that was the focus which was great! But it just isn’t something I found engaging with all the details on learning to surf. The story of what I read also looked a lot at learning to deal with the loss of her father at age 15 so beware if you’re looking at engaging this book that is a big theme as well. ☺️

7/10, this is a unique book but I've seen a book like this called One Would Think the Deep by Claire Zorn but it was only OK however this was better than that; I liked the characters and especially the setting which is California in the 1980s. The main character Ellie apparently experiences character development through surfing and I thought that concept wouldn't work but somehow the author pulled it off; the writing style was contemporary yet realistic which I liked. If you like books about surfing pick this one; I think you'll enjoy this.

Fun story about surfing, relationships, and family. This was such a good book. I loved the characters and the way the author kept the entanglements between the characters. A fantastic coming to age story and wonderful storytelling. I would recommend this book for sure.


thank you NetGalley and Santa Monica Press for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

Ellie is a fifteen year old who was born and raised in New York. Her life is upended when she is sent to California to live with her aunt and uncle. Her home life is not ideal because of her mother’s lifestyle. Being a teenager is hard enough and now she is moving to place that is different from her old life. The reader follows Ellie’s journey and we read the changes she goes through. The characters are well written. A fantastic coming to age story and wonderful storytelling.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and Santa Monica Press for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5/5*

CW: death of a parent, drugs, little mention of alcohol

This was a cute coming of age story that dealt with heavy topics as how it went down in the eighties. Though the characters were enjoyable, i felt the writing had its moments and you can tell the research that went into when it came to surfing and their locations. I would recommend this for a young adults that would be able to handle the topics as mentioned. I do hope to check out more of the author’s works in the future.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this advance copy for a review.

This was such a good book. I loved the characters and the way the author kept the entanglements between the characters real.
There was a heavy emphasis on surfing, which kept the plot going as well as opened my mind about all that is surfing! I really enjoyed learning about a sport I am not familiar with. I might have to give it a try! Or at least be more knowledgeable when I see it on tv!
There is some bullying which is disturbing on it's own, but I didn't really understand the point of it in the story. It seemed like an add-on for more drama. But I don't think it was needed.
All in all, a really good read.
Enjoy!

Born and raised in New York City 15 year old Ellie ia forced to move to California with her Aunt and Uncle when her father unexpectedly dies. In order to cope with all the changes going on in her new life she learns to surf and experiences so many exciting things for the first time.

I liked this book. Ellie grew so much after all she had been through. There is a lot going on in the book and it's nice to see the journey of a young girl that fights through all the hard obstacles!

I look forward to reading more from this author!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review!

3.5*

As a product of the 80s I was excited to find a book set in that decade! But that's where any idea of relating to this book went out the window, don't take that as a bad thing, though!

I've never set foot on a surfboard and have no desire ever to, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of this book. It's a sweet coming of age story, with a touch of melancholy. Ellie's world has been turned upside down and this is her tale of finding her way through the grief and upheaval of her life.

As someone who grew up in the South Bay, I was really excited to see a book set in my childhood stomping grounds, close to the time period I was there, too. I'm a sucker for a book where the ocean and the beach are a safe haven for a character, so this one hit home. The message of this book—having the confidence to forge your own path in life—is fantastic.

I would have hoped to have seen more 80s California surf vibes and references, though. It felt like there were only a couple bits of lingo peppered in. Had I not had such a deep connection to that time and location, I don't think I would have noticed or yearned for that, though.

My students who are Christian often want to see themselves represented in books. This text provides that element. The throwback element is nostalgic. The surfing element is interesting. I’m sure the story will appeal to some readers.

Oh boy, this was a hard book for me to read.

Let’s start with the good. There’s a great story here. It’s 1980-something and teenager Ellie is pulled from her life in New York after the death of her beloved father, and sent to live in sunny southern California with her aunt and uncle. As she struggles to cope with the loss of her father, she also deals with school bullies. When her mother joins her in California, things get worse. Mom is acting weird, she’s sleeping a lot and just being an overall terrible mother. Meanwhile, Ellie’s aunt and uncle have introduced her to surfing and while she’s on the water, she finds peace and calm from her turbulent life on land.

Unfortunately, that great sounding plot was hard to slog through. The dialogue continuously made me cringe. It wasn’t even that I felt like I’d stumbled into a stereotype of Valley Girl/Surfer Talk, even the “New York” dialogue didn’t feel natural.

And then there’s Ellie’s relationship with her mother. She was a daddy’s girl, and as much as she kept proclaiming that she wanted to spend time with her mom, it seemed that her mom had never been in the picture much before Dad’s death anyway. I got the impression that her mother only had her to make her dad happy, and now with him gone, she didn’t really want to be a parent.

Ellie was a really difficult character to root for. She struggled to make friends at her new school, but she also put in exactly zero effort. She was so upset when the one friend she had betrayed her, but were they really friends? They sat at the same table at lunch and the girl wasn’t openly hostile to her. Is that all it takes for Ellie to view someone as a friend? The author spent no time building up any relationship between the characters, so when the “friend” turned on her, Ellie was absolutely distraught by the loss of her friend, but as a reader, I never saw a friendship there. As the book dragged on, Ellie did eventually make true friends, but I couldn’t help but wondering why? There was nothing about Ellie that would make someone want to be friends with her.

As far as the surfing, I loved the descriptions of the ocean and the dolphins, but I had a couple of issues with the actual surfing. First, it seemed unnatural how quickly Ellie got good at surfing. I’ve never surfed myself, but for a girl who had never spent time in the ocean in her life, the first time in the water, she’s up on the board? Seems unlikely. The descriptions of the surfing were also unnatural, at times I felt like I was reading a boring text book on surfing instead of a fiction novel with surf details sprinkled in. In the end, you could quiz me, and I still couldn’t pass a surfing test due to the delivery of the information.

There was a romance thrown in for good measure, but it certainly wasn’t the main focus of the book. I definitely enjoyed it, though again, I couldn’t figure out why this boy liked Ellie.

As much as I’d wanted to like this book and recommend it, I can’t. With a few more drafts with a solid editor, I think this could be great. But as is, with the cheesy and clumsy dialogue and slow pacing, it was a struggle to finish.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced e-copy to read in exchange for my honest review. Even though this book didn’t work for me, I hope the book finds an audience who can overlook the things I could not.

"One with the Waves" by Vezna Andrews is a coming-of-age novel that beautifully captures the journey of grief combined with the chaos of emotions within the teenage years. The story follows Ellie, a young girl who undergoes a series of life-changing experiences after the tragic loss of her father.

Ellie's world is suddenly and drastically changed when her mother, Julia, decides to send her from New York to California to live with her Aunt Jen and Uncle Charlie. The move acts as a catalyst for Ellie's personal growth as she navigates the unfamiliar terrain of a new home, school, and friendships.

As Ellie adjusts to her new life, she develops almost an obsession for surfing, which becomes a metaphorical escape from the ongoing struggles in her life.

As the story progresses Ellie endures painful bullying at her new school. Gradually, she forms a new group of supportive friends in Chris, another girl who surfs. Other members of her group include Aisha, who stands with her against the bullying, Liam, Danny, Toma, and Chris’ girlfriend, Trini. In addition, Ellie forms a strong bond with Nick, an intriguing boy who shares Ellie’s strong passion for surfing.

The novel also sheds light on the harsh realities of addiction, as Ellie's mother battles alcoholism and drug addiction. Through Ellie's eyes, readers witness the devastating impact of her mother's struggles and the profound effect it has on their relationship. The exploration of this sensitive topic adds depth and emotional weight to the narrative, highlighting the challenges faced by families affected by addiction.

Andrews’ writing style is engaging, effectively capturing the raw emotions and challenges faced by Ellie. The characters are well-developed, and authentic, allowing readers to form genuine connections with them.

Although the author is skillful in portraying the complexities of teenage life, some moments feel slightly uneven. The timing from the climax of Julia’s addiction to the ending felt somewhat rushed.

Overall, "One with the Waves” is a heartfelt and compelling tale of resilience, friendship, and the power of self-discovery. It navigates through themes of loss, addiction, bullying, and the healing nature of passion. Readers will find themselves rooting for Ellie as she finds her place in the world.