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r_j_setser's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A unique twist on The Little Mermaid!
When Oceans Rise has a strong message to readers regarding toxic and abusive relationships and powerfully depicts what it's like to "lose your voice" in that relationship while trying to get out of it.
I won't lie, this story isn't the one I expected going in. It's a heavy story all around and if you've ever been gaslighted in any way (be it a romantic partner or someone else), it can be triggering with how much Malaya goes through. There were many instances where I had to set the book aside because it was just too close to home and I couldn't read it for a while. So I would definitely categorize it as a "heavy" read. Good, but heavy.
Outside of the toxic relationship, Malaya also deals with familial tensions. I thought the way the story approaches this was beautifully done in illustrating how our choices impact the trajectory of our lives; and furthermore, how minor choices could change minor things that we often don't think about. I also loved that the book was set in Corpus Christi (my home away from home, so that was fun), and I was deeply intrigued by all of the Filipino culture references.
Overall, I have mixed emotions about When Oceans Rise because it is such a necessary message and Malaya learns many valuable lessons; but it's so heavily laden with the goal of getting these points across that it was often difficult to get through. I enjoyed the storyline but many of the decisions Malaya made and the situations she found herself in just made it hard to read more than one chapter at a time. So I'm rating it 4 out of 5 stars and recommending it with caution.
Content warnings: Cursing is high (multiple uses of strong cursing). Sexual content is implied and there are a few steamy kissing scenes, but nothing more is shown on page. Action/gore is moderately present, but not too detailed.
When Oceans Rise has a strong message to readers regarding toxic and abusive relationships and powerfully depicts what it's like to "lose your voice" in that relationship while trying to get out of it.
I won't lie, this story isn't the one I expected going in. It's a heavy story all around and if you've ever been gaslighted in any way (be it a romantic partner or someone else), it can be triggering with how much Malaya goes through. There were many instances where I had to set the book aside because it was just too close to home and I couldn't read it for a while. So I would definitely categorize it as a "heavy" read. Good, but heavy.
Outside of the toxic relationship, Malaya also deals with familial tensions. I thought the way the story approaches this was beautifully done in illustrating how our choices impact the trajectory of our lives; and furthermore, how minor choices could change minor things that we often don't think about. I also loved that the book was set in Corpus Christi (my home away from home, so that was fun), and I was deeply intrigued by all of the Filipino culture references.
Overall, I have mixed emotions about When Oceans Rise because it is such a necessary message and Malaya learns many valuable lessons; but it's so heavily laden with the goal of getting these points across that it was often difficult to get through. I enjoyed the storyline but many of the decisions Malaya made and the situations she found herself in just made it hard to read more than one chapter at a time. So I'm rating it 4 out of 5 stars and recommending it with caution.
Content warnings: Cursing is high (multiple uses of strong cursing). Sexual content is implied and there are a few steamy kissing scenes, but nothing more is shown on page. Action/gore is moderately present, but not too detailed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Gaslighting
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Rape, and Emotional abuse
ashs_bookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse
annaszell's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I liked this book way more than I expected I would! Solid 4 stars ⭐️
Things I particularly enjoyed:
- Philippine mythology
- (Found) family
- Malaya's character growth
- The way (emotional) abuse and gaslighting were portrayed
This was not necessarily an easy story to digest, specifically the details around Malaya and Ian's relationship. But it was relatable. Not necessarily to this degree but yeah. On the other hand, Salvador was such a golden retriever, he provided the balance needed to feel good about the world.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Things I particularly enjoyed:
- Philippine mythology
- (Found) family
- Malaya's character growth
- The way (emotional) abuse and gaslighting were portrayed
This was not necessarily an easy story to digest, specifically the details around Malaya and Ian's relationship. But it was relatable. Not necessarily to this degree but yeah. On the other hand, Salvador was such a golden retriever, he provided the balance needed to feel good about the world.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
Moderate: Physical abuse
alexs_book_hoard's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content/Trigger Warning: This book contains portrayals of mental and physical abuse in a relationship.
This book is a Little Mermaid retelling, and boy did I enjoy it better than the original! Malaya gets the chance to change her life, only to realize her deal with the Sea Witch is unleashing monsters straight out of Filipino mythology. I loved all of the characters, and I thought this was such a unique take on The Little Mermaid. It posed a lot of thoughtful questions about how small choices make big impacts on our lives, and really drew on the emotions Malia had to face while overcoming the hold her boyfriend had on her. The only thing that left me scratching my head was the ending, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed my time listening to this book. The narrator did a great job bringing all the characters to life and giving them their own personalities!
Thanks Tides Collide Publishing and @netgalley for the review copy!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse and Emotional abuse
jalialynn's review against another edition
2.75
This book is a little mermaid retelling which, when i saw that i was so excited!! the little mermaid is one of my favorite disney movie, so i thought i’d love this but this book just fell flat for me.
There were things that i liked about this book. I really liked the magic system and how it was more of multiverse thing i thought that was really cool. I also love how the cultural aspect was a big part of this book. The whole concept of this book was really good.
This book was really fast paced in a way that i just felt like i couldn’t connect to the character and it was just scene after scene just to get to the end point. The book was fast paced but just also felt so slow at the same time.
Thank You Netgalley & the publishers for a copy of the audiobook for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Death, and Domestic abuse
bread_loaf_star's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
3,75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
The book delivers an action-packed narrative with fast-paced fight scenes that, at times, leave room for a more immersive experience. The Filipino mythological creatures introduced lack detailed enough descriptions, hindering my ability to vividly envision them. The exploration of an abusive relationship adds a layer of depth, instead of glorifying it as many other books do, it showed how horrible and the unseen sides can be. The later romance came across as less convincing. On a positive note, the magic system is intriguing, and the inclusion of research as a navigation tool adds a refreshing element to the storytelling. Overall, it's a fascinating blend of a Little Mermaid retelling with Filipino mythology, offering a unique perspective despite some areas that could benefit from further development.
Thank you #netgalley for providing me with the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own!
The book delivers an action-packed narrative with fast-paced fight scenes that, at times, leave room for a more immersive experience. The Filipino mythological creatures introduced lack detailed enough descriptions, hindering my ability to vividly envision them. The exploration of an abusive relationship adds a layer of depth, instead of glorifying it as many other books do, it showed how horrible and the unseen sides can be. The later romance came across as less convincing. On a positive note, the magic system is intriguing, and the inclusion of research as a navigation tool adds a refreshing element to the storytelling. Overall, it's a fascinating blend of a Little Mermaid retelling with Filipino mythology, offering a unique perspective despite some areas that could benefit from further development.
Thank you #netgalley for providing me with the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, and Death
ashdeclet's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse
alysbookishdaydream's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A great modern take on a classic. This book is the perfect mix of a story we all love, the little mermaid mixed with practical magic. The knods to filipino culture were beautifully woven in. This novel showcases the importance of family bonds in their heritage. This was honestly my favorite part of the book was experiencing their culture thru the storytelling. This story felt very close to my heart because it reminded me of abuses, and someone dear to me endured. Therefore, please check the trigger warnings. This book had action, suspense, paranormal mythical creatures, and unbreakable sister bonds.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse
It's a character development that show how one decision can impact your life.likeagilmoregirl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
When Oceans Rise is a powerful story about finding your voice and reclaiming your life after abuse. As is her family curse, Malaya’s first boyfriend quickly turns abusive. As he continues to apologize and charm his way back into her life, Malaya stays quiet about the abuse she is experiencing until, one day, it goes too far and a distraught Malaya seeks escape from her relationship with the help of a cunning sea witch. Malaya’s reality is dissolved and new monsters begin to surface in her new life.
Steeped in Filipino mythology, When Oceans Rise explores not only the power of voice, but also the way our limited perspective shapes the way we form relationships with our family, friends, and partners.
I thought this book was heartwarming, entertaining, and empowering and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
*Huge thanks to NetGalley and Robin Alvarez for the audiobook version of this novel*
Steeped in Filipino mythology, When Oceans Rise explores not only the power of voice, but also the way our limited perspective shapes the way we form relationships with our family, friends, and partners.
I thought this book was heartwarming, entertaining, and empowering and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
*Huge thanks to NetGalley and Robin Alvarez for the audiobook version of this novel*
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse
chantel_ingalls's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
First of all, I’d like to say thank you to NetGalley, Robin Alvarez and Tides Collide Publishing for access to the Audiobook ARC. WIth that being said, this review is nothing but my honest opinion. Let’s get to it:
When Ocieans Rise follows Malaya, a seventeen-year-old girl, whose family is cursed. In her family, every girl’s first love is someone evil and the relationship is doomed to end in death. Malaya doesn’t think the curse is real or that her first love is evil. What she doesn’t see is that she’s blinded by love and she isn’t noticing that he is hard at work gaslighting her and isolating her from her family. Malaya goes to her Tita Blessica for a reading and her Tita tells her that the boy she thinks if her first love isn’t her true first love at all and in order to meet her true love she must go to the Sea Witch. This leaves Malaya confused until she ends up in the hands of the Sea Witch after getting pulled into a riptide while surfing. The Sea Witch promises to undo Malaya’s poor choices and send her home to a life where she never dated the boy who ruined her, all she has to do is give up her voice…
Despite seeing the cover and reading the initial blurb for When Oceans Rise, I feel like I had no idea what I was truly getting into and although I wasn’t certain at first, I ended up absolutely loving this audiobook. This books is a Young Adult Fantasy, and in many ways it is a retelling of the little mermaid except without mermaids and with the addition of Filipino culture, folklore and mythology.
This books does contain Content Warnings* As someone who has experienced a really bad relationship in which, like Malaya, I was also cheated on and gaslit repeatedly, I appreciated the content warnings at the start of the audiobook. The way it is explained briefly but thoroughly that the main character goes through a relationship with mental and physical abuse that may seem nonsensical or infuriating to an outsider but isn’t something so obvious to the person going through it is spot on.
Overall, this book is well written it contains folklore and fantasy elements, parallel universe/realities, life lessons, and so much more. 5 stars from me! Highly recommend (with consideration to content warnings)
When Ocieans Rise follows Malaya, a seventeen-year-old girl, whose family is cursed. In her family, every girl’s first love is someone evil and the relationship is doomed to end in death. Malaya doesn’t think the curse is real or that her first love is evil. What she doesn’t see is that she’s blinded by love and she isn’t noticing that he is hard at work gaslighting her and isolating her from her family. Malaya goes to her Tita Blessica for a reading and her Tita tells her that the boy she thinks if her first love isn’t her true first love at all and in order to meet her true love she must go to the Sea Witch. This leaves Malaya confused until she ends up in the hands of the Sea Witch after getting pulled into a riptide while surfing. The Sea Witch promises to undo Malaya’s poor choices and send her home to a life where she never dated the boy who ruined her, all she has to do is give up her voice…
Despite seeing the cover and reading the initial blurb for When Oceans Rise, I feel like I had no idea what I was truly getting into and although I wasn’t certain at first, I ended up absolutely loving this audiobook. This books is a Young Adult Fantasy, and in many ways it is a retelling of the little mermaid except without mermaids and with the addition of Filipino culture, folklore and mythology.
This books does contain Content Warnings* As someone who has experienced a really bad relationship in which, like Malaya, I was also cheated on and gaslit repeatedly, I appreciated the content warnings at the start of the audiobook. The way it is explained briefly but thoroughly that the main character goes through a relationship with mental and physical abuse that may seem nonsensical or infuriating to an outsider but isn’t something so obvious to the person going through it is spot on.
Overall, this book is well written it contains folklore and fantasy elements, parallel universe/realities, life lessons, and so much more. 5 stars from me! Highly recommend (with consideration to content warnings)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Emotional abuse