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A review by lyss_reads
When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Thank you for opportunity to read an advance copy of this book!
When the Tides Held the Moon, by Venessa Vida Kelley is a romantic YA fantasy with lyrical prose, stunning artwork, and a world that will leave you mesmerized long after you've left.
Set in 1910's New York, Benny is an immigrant from Puerto Rico, working as a blacksmith in the mills when he receives a mysterious job opportunity to build an elaborate tank for wealthy business man Sam Morgan. Impressed by his work, Sam offers Benny a new job on Coney Island.
Soon things spin out of control as Benny is swept up into a world of carnies and sirens. By the time Benny realizes what he has done, it's too late. Benny's work has become a prison to showcase Morgan's latest attraction, the Prince of Atlantis.
As Benny works to help restore the old failing theater, he can't help but feel drawn to the Merman held captive by his own invention. As plans for survival and escape devolve into love, Benny must face everything he's kept hidden and choose between his friends, his love, or everyone's freedom.
While I found the plot of this book straight forward and predictable, it was a light and easy read. I enjoyed the complexity of the relationships in the book and the diverse representation of cultures and languages within the characters. I found even the sections written in other languages were easy enough to interpret the meaning given context clues, but a glossary of translations was included in the back for those who prefer to know exact meaning.
Rio and Benny were a beautiful couple and it was easy to root and swoon for them.
The artwork of course was breathtaking also, and paired well with the atmosphere of the book.
I would highly recommend this to any collector of beautiful books and covers.
I am looking forward to seeing the finished product when published.
When the Tides Held the Moon, by Venessa Vida Kelley is a romantic YA fantasy with lyrical prose, stunning artwork, and a world that will leave you mesmerized long after you've left.
Set in 1910's New York, Benny is an immigrant from Puerto Rico, working as a blacksmith in the mills when he receives a mysterious job opportunity to build an elaborate tank for wealthy business man Sam Morgan. Impressed by his work, Sam offers Benny a new job on Coney Island.
Soon things spin out of control as Benny is swept up into a world of carnies and sirens. By the time Benny realizes what he has done, it's too late. Benny's work has become a prison to showcase Morgan's latest attraction, the Prince of Atlantis.
As Benny works to help restore the old failing theater, he can't help but feel drawn to the Merman held captive by his own invention. As plans for survival and escape devolve into love, Benny must face everything he's kept hidden and choose between his friends, his love, or everyone's freedom.
While I found the plot of this book straight forward and predictable, it was a light and easy read. I enjoyed the complexity of the relationships in the book and the diverse representation of cultures and languages within the characters. I found even the sections written in other languages were easy enough to interpret the meaning given context clues, but a glossary of translations was included in the back for those who prefer to know exact meaning.
Rio and Benny were a beautiful couple and it was easy to root and swoon for them.
The artwork of course was breathtaking also, and paired well with the atmosphere of the book.
I would highly recommend this to any collector of beautiful books and covers.
I am looking forward to seeing the finished product when published.