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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
medium-paced
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think this book will have a big readership. It's a really cool mix-up of Chinese mythology and a multi-point-of-view mystery. For me, the book maths was X-Men meets Borgen but with the pacing of a crime procedural like Law and Order. There's friendship, coming of age stories, family relationships, political intrigue and the dynamics of "integration" and whether shapeshifters should be allowed to mix and live with non-powered people. At times, I found the different overlapping narratives hard to distinguish and had to relisten to a chapter near the end but I really enjoyed how the book comes together. I didn't see YA about multigenerational Chinese American characters when I was young and I think lots of people will vibe with this.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This story is a modern take on the Chinese mythology from Classic Mountains and Seas. It includes a multigenerational storyline that, at times, was hard to follow on audiobook because I couldn't look back to the year we were discussing. It was equally hard because the characters spanned all three timelines. This story includes shifters and political segregation. I thought the fantasy aspects of this story were good, and the ending was satisfying. The author is planning a second book.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Victory Editing
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Victory Editing
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Story and pacing was good. I'm not waiting on the edge of my seat for book 2 but I'll definitely read it. I'm interested to see where the story goes and for Hawthorne to expand on the Monster Hunters and more about Arev and his family.
“Of Mountains and Seas,” by Emily Renk Hawthorne
This was my second read thru of this story but audiobook version this time. I initially rated it 3 stars, but now it's 4 stars. I stand by what I originally said that this book is good for people who love to annotate because it was confusing with time jumps and the amount of POVs. It made way more sense the second time thru and I picked up way more information than the first time. I really liked the story plot, and the mystery mixed in with modern type political intrigue. I love the cultural differences with the Chinese lore. Of Mountains and Seas was plot and character focused and not a lot of romance for readers who want that. Tons of character development, whether good or bad, which I really liked.
The narration was perfect. It helped make more sense to the story and brought the entire book to life in my mind. I preferred listening to the book versus the e-book, it really made it magical for me.
The cover is initially why I wanted to read the book; it is so pretty. 4 out of 5 stars.
-Shifters
-Magic
-Chinese Lore
-Political Intrigue
-Multi POV
Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.
adventurous
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
31/01/2025
For some, the only way to possess magic is to steal it from others.
Of Mountains and Seas is a YA fantasy that is based on Chinese Culture. Something I have less knowledge about myself but am all too keen to delve into by book.
Normally you should not judge a book by its cover but wow, what a beautiful cover this book has! The fact that the special edition is also so gorgeous convinced me to physically add this book to my bookshelf as well.
It is mostly about the bonds people have across generations and the way events are intertwined through time. In this magical story, we follow the PoVs of different character which makes you discover bit by bit more about what is really reality. In addition, you also see the views of several characters that showed what power and family really is. In addition, it ensures that the characters are dynamic and also each of them draws you into this story.
Although I was a little confused at first with the years and PoVs in this story, I enjoyed how every detail is related and how slowly but surely the puzzle pieces are falling together.
I hugely love the political power plays that were woven into this book.
This is an ARC ebook thanks to netgalley
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you NetGalley and Hawk Ridge Press for this ARC Audio Copy!
I really enjoyed the premise an the mythology of this book a lot. Chinese mythology is so interesting and there was a lot that I had never heard of that I really enjoyed learning about. I enjoyed how it was spanned over multiple timelines and multiped characters and how their lives were interconnected, but I had a hard time differentiating between some of the characters sometimes. I think if I had read a physical book it may have been easier to track what POV we were in better but I still enjoyed it as an audio book because the narrator did a good job with the story.
I really enjoyed the premise an the mythology of this book a lot. Chinese mythology is so interesting and there was a lot that I had never heard of that I really enjoyed learning about. I enjoyed how it was spanned over multiple timelines and multiped characters and how their lives were interconnected, but I had a hard time differentiating between some of the characters sometimes. I think if I had read a physical book it may have been easier to track what POV we were in better but I still enjoyed it as an audio book because the narrator did a good job with the story.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fascinating retelling of Chinese mythology with all characters interconnected over 70-80 years in the story. I loved the political aspects as well as the fantasy elements. This book is filled with characters to love, hate and have mixed feelings about. My one criticism would be the usage of words incorrectly in the text - I know that most people would gloss over this, but I am sadly not one of those as some phrases did not make sense unless you thought of the required word (example: use of extradite instead of extricate in Ch .54).
An amazing debut novel! This captivating story weaves together the lives of several characters across various time periods, revealing the intricate connections between them. The story is a remarkable fusion of magical realism and Chinese mythology, creating a truly unique experience. As I listened to the audiobook, it took some time to acclimate to the time jumps, but the plot proved to be so engaging that it quickly captured my full attention. I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment—this is a journey you won't want to miss!
***Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Renk Hawthrone, and Hawk Ridge Press for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
***Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Renk Hawthrone, and Hawk Ridge Press for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***