A review by alexs_book_hoard
When Oceans Rise by Robin Alvarez

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!
 
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