The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
momoj8's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
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? No
3.0
amymprice's review
4.0
It’s like Hunger Games meets Abraxos from TOG meets Atlantis. I really don’t know how to explain it otherwise.
Didn’t quite meet 5 stars because I feel like some characters (especially Crane and Judas!) could have been developed better. But we’ll see what she does with what I’m assuming will be the second book.
Didn’t quite meet 5 stars because I feel like some characters (especially Crane and Judas!) could have been developed better. But we’ll see what she does with what I’m assuming will be the second book.
hippityhoppity's review
2.0
Characters weren’t perfect, but I was still enjoying the book until we got to the ending. Well, if you can call it an ending because it’s so open ended it felt like the author didn’t know how she wanted to finish the book. All of that random build up was for absolutely nothing. The author’s writing is actually really good, so maybe if there’s a direct sequel to the book I’ll change my rating.
rickytickytavi's review
2.0
Drawn in by the promise of "In an oceanic world swarming with vicious beasts;" disappointed by that and everything else. Very formulaic. About the only deviation from genre tropes was the lack of a second boy to draw the female lead's attention away from her greater goals, but that was replaced with rekindling feelings for the ex-boyfriend of an incompatible social class and extreme power imbalance. Zero queer rep.
chelseas_reads's review
3.0
i have a lot of thoughts about this book. it was a rollercoaster of things happening and trying to remember everything. this book had a lot of interesting ideas thrown in, but also a lot of things that felt too similar to other books. (yes, i understand how tropes work, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out how it should).
the first thing that really stood out to me was the similarities between monsters born and made and skandar and the unicorn thief. firstly, we have aggressive magical horse like creatures that get used in racing competitions. (i could be wrong on the horse connection for monsters born and made, seeing as there’s also water creatures. but these things pull a chariot, so i’m assuming they’re horse-like). while this point is irrelevant because plenty of books feature it: they’re both dystopian in setting.
it’s probably a reach to call them similar, but i couldn’t stop thinking about skandar while reading it. it was off putting and kept disrupting my reading experience. (i’ve seen a lot of people compare it to the hunger games, but aside from the setting and a vague competition, there’s no other similarities). unfortunately, due to the similarities with other books, i found monsters born and made forgettable.
anyway. i enjoy competition books. it adds a layer of tension and creates a fast paced book. so perks for that. (i kinda wish they raced a different kind of creature though. race a polar bear or something?)
another thing i loved was the south asian inspiration. this is a popular trend at the moment, and i’m 100% loving it.
koral was an interesting character for the author to use as an mc. she wasn’t particularly likeable nor was she hate-able. i felt indifferent towards her. i didn’t really care if she lived or died (which isn’t a good thing. we need to be rooting for the main characters).
on a plus side, this book features ex’s to rivals to allies to something more? it’s a big confusing mess to explain, but it works really well within the story. i love characters with history! it makes their romance more believable.
my feelings for this book are a little all over the place. i wanted to love it so bad, but i found that it wasn’t particularly memorable or unique. i feel like there’s a lot the author can learn from this book, and i’m excited to see how her writing improves between now and the next book.
the first thing that really stood out to me was the similarities between monsters born and made and skandar and the unicorn thief. firstly, we have aggressive magical horse like creatures that get used in racing competitions. (i could be wrong on the horse connection for monsters born and made, seeing as there’s also water creatures. but these things pull a chariot, so i’m assuming they’re horse-like). while this point is irrelevant because plenty of books feature it: they’re both dystopian in setting.
it’s probably a reach to call them similar, but i couldn’t stop thinking about skandar while reading it. it was off putting and kept disrupting my reading experience. (i’ve seen a lot of people compare it to the hunger games, but aside from the setting and a vague competition, there’s no other similarities). unfortunately, due to the similarities with other books, i found monsters born and made forgettable.
anyway. i enjoy competition books. it adds a layer of tension and creates a fast paced book. so perks for that. (i kinda wish they raced a different kind of creature though. race a polar bear or something?)
another thing i loved was the south asian inspiration. this is a popular trend at the moment, and i’m 100% loving it.
koral was an interesting character for the author to use as an mc. she wasn’t particularly likeable nor was she hate-able. i felt indifferent towards her. i didn’t really care if she lived or died (which isn’t a good thing. we need to be rooting for the main characters).
on a plus side, this book features ex’s to rivals to allies to something more? it’s a big confusing mess to explain, but it works really well within the story. i love characters with history! it makes their romance more believable.
my feelings for this book are a little all over the place. i wanted to love it so bad, but i found that it wasn’t particularly memorable or unique. i feel like there’s a lot the author can learn from this book, and i’m excited to see how her writing improves between now and the next book.
britlovestoread's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
I really loved the idea of this book but unfortunately it didn't quite live up to my expectations.Â
This was still enjoyable, but it felt a little too similar to The Hunger Games, and I think we could have used a lot more detail on the characters and the setting.Â
The pacing was also kind of confusing and the ending felt rushed and pretty chaotic.Â
But the monsters were so cool!Â
This was still enjoyable, but it felt a little too similar to The Hunger Games, and I think we could have used a lot more detail on the characters and the setting.Â
The pacing was also kind of confusing and the ending felt rushed and pretty chaotic.Â
But the monsters were so cool!Â
gabriella_batel_author's review
5.0
An exciting, fresh take on games to the death. It had all the heart I need from this kind of story, plus more, and satisfied me in so many ways that others haven't managed. A wonderful read, creative yet familiar, and everything I want in a book.
Full thoughts here! https://youtu.be/BtUNSLqWnFU
Full thoughts here! https://youtu.be/BtUNSLqWnFU
akacya's review against another edition
4.0
2023 reads: 357/350
2023 tbr: 84/100
koral and her brother emrik risk their lives every day to capture the sea monsters surrounding their island. their family has been indentured by the ruling class to provide these maristags for a deadly chariot tournament known as the glory race. to save her family from starvation, koral decides to enter this tournament.
i’m so glad i finally got around to reading this! i was quickly drawn into this story. i love when main characters are driven by the motive to save their family, which was exactly the case with this book. the plot was also captivating and there was even a side of romance! i think this was meant to be a standalone but it’s one of those books i wouldn’t mind getting a sequel.
2023 tbr: 84/100
koral and her brother emrik risk their lives every day to capture the sea monsters surrounding their island. their family has been indentured by the ruling class to provide these maristags for a deadly chariot tournament known as the glory race. to save her family from starvation, koral decides to enter this tournament.
i’m so glad i finally got around to reading this! i was quickly drawn into this story. i love when main characters are driven by the motive to save their family, which was exactly the case with this book. the plot was also captivating and there was even a side of romance! i think this was meant to be a standalone but it’s one of those books i wouldn’t mind getting a sequel.