Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl by Julie Kagawa [Blog Tour: Spotlight + Giveaway]

 

Halito! Welcome to the next stop on the Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl blog tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Thanks for stopping by! If you would like to win a copy of this book, be sure to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post. 👇 For the full tour schedule, please visit the Rockstar Book Tours website.

About The Book:

Title: SHINJI TAKAHASHI AND THE MARK OF THE COATL (Society of Explorers and Adventurers, #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Pub. Date: April 5, 2022

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 320

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl is the first book in a globe-trotting adventure that combines high-tech wizardry, old-world legends and a little bit of magic.

Shinji Takahashi is just an ordinary kid. An ordinary homeschooled smart-alecky orphan kid being raised by his aunt Yui. But when a magical guardian decides to use him as a conduit to awaken its power, Shinji’s life takes a turn for the extraordinary. Captured by the menacing Hightower Corporation, which is bent on using the guardian’s magic for its own nefarious purposes, Shinji must team up with a brilliant young tech whiz named Lucy and her robot mouse, Tinker, to escape the Corporation’s evil clutches.

Together Shinji and Lucy turn to the venerable Society of Explorers and Adventurers and its ragtag cast of spelunkers, hackers, mapmakers, pilots, and mythology experts (among other things) to return the guardian to its rightful home and release Shinji from its magic—which seems to be draining his life force. Time is ticking, the Hightower Corporation is hot on their tail, and success or failure might depend on one small thing—Shinji finally coming around to the belief that he is anything but ordinary.

Based on the Society of Explorers and Adventurers lore that exist across the Walt Disney Parks, Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl is the first book in an all-new action-adventure series that brings S.E.A. into the twenty-first century through a blend of science and magic, and a focus on two young characters on an epic journey through time and place.

About Julie Kagawa:

Julie Kagawa is the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Fey, Blood of Eden, Talon, and Shadow of the Fox series. She was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish, and the odd eel. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full time. Julie now lives in North Carolina with her husband, two obnoxious cats, and a pair of Australian Shepherds that have more Instagram followers than she does. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of SHINJI TAKAHASHI AND THE MARK OF THE COATL, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Birds of California by Katie Cotugno

Synopsis (via Goodreads):  Sparks fly and things get real in this sharply sexy and whip-smart romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a post #metoo Hollywood from New York Times bestselling author Katie Cotugno--page-turning escapist fun in the spirit of Beach Read, The Kiss Quotient, and Red, White and Royal Blue.

Former child actor Fiona St. James dropped out of the spotlight after a spectacularly public crash and burn. The tabloids called her crazy and self-destructive and said she'd lost her mind. Now in her late twenties, Fiona believes her humiliating past is firmly behind her. She's finally regained a modicum of privacy, and she won't let anything--or anyone--mess it up.

Unlike Fiona, Sam Fox, who played her older brother on the popular television show Birds of California, loves the perks that come with being a successful Hollywood actor: fame, women, parties, money. When his current show gets cancelled and his agent starts to avoid his calls, the desperate actor enthusiastically signs on for a Birds of California revival. But to make it happen, he needs Fiona St. James.

Against her better judgment, Fiona agrees to have lunch with Sam. What happens next takes them both by surprise. Sam is enthralled by Fiona's take-no-prisoners attitude, and Fiona discovers a lovable goofball behind Sam's close-up-ready face. Long drives to the beach, late nights at dive bars . . . theirs is the kind of kitschy romance Hollywood sells. But just like in the rom-coms Fiona despises, there's a twist that threatens her new love. Sam doesn't know the full story behind her breakdown. What happens when she reveals the truth?

I was so excited when I received an early copy of Katie Cotugno's Birds of California in the mail. Unfortunately, it ended up being a huge waste of my time. The story, the characters, the conflict . . . it all grated on my nerves. I kept reading (although I should know better by now) hoping it would get better, but the conclusion was just as disappointing. There was zero resolution. Nothing was really addressed or discussed, no epilogue to let us know how events unfolded, just flipping from one page to the next and discovering there wasn't anything left to read. From the synopsis we get a clue as to how the story will unfold, so it was obvious from the start what had happened in Fiona's past, if not the specific details. 

"...set against the backdrop of a post #metoo Hollywood..."

Additionally, the synopsis was VERY misleading. Birds of California was in no way like Beach Read, The Kiss Quotient, or Red, While and Royal Blue (all books I loved). Those were terrible comparisons for this story. It's also NOT a romantic comedy. 

I know this was a review copy, but there were a ridiculous number of spelling and grammar errors in this book. I started marking them as I went along, but decided to give up after about twenty or so sticky notes.

"Would you mind you trying it again?"

"...can almost feel he squish of it underneath..."

Also, Sam masturbates all the time. Bored? Jerks off. Hungry? Jerks off twice and then eats some baby carrots. He watches porn and acts like a total dude, but it was still weird that the author felt the need to mention how often he decided to get himself off throughout the book. He also mentions his mouth "tasting" like jockstraps after he's been drinking (pretty sure he made this reference more than once), and I just want to know how he knew what that would taste like . . . Personal experience? 

Don't even get me started on the sex. It was weird and not at all relatable. I almost wish the author had chosen to fade-to-black instead of making me read through the nonsense that was their "romance" in this book. They were talking and sort of insulting each other as foreplay, and then suddenly it was "happening for him." Seriously, her whispering something about lying in his ear shouldn't have made him blow his load like that. Especially with how frequently he gets himself off . . . 

Sam Fox was a coward. He let his agent walk all over him and claimed it was due to inexperience and a lack of understanding, but that was a cop out. He just didn't want to put forth the effort required to learn and do something about it. He also sought Fiona out for purely selfish reasons, was embarrassed by her outbursts, and didn't even ask her what her nightmare was about. Sam only cared about himself and what he could gain (or lose) from a situation. He was a garbage person that didn't deserve what little time she gave him. He was a terrible friend, an awful brother, and an even worse son. He's broke, can't pay his rent, but cares A LOT about how the public perceives him. Immature, shallow, obnoxious - the list goes on. He definitely wasn't a heartthrob or anything to swoon over.

When I turned the last page, my first thought was: "What the fuck was that?" I couldn't understand how it had ended without actually ending. Other problems I had . . . 

1) Why did Fiona's dad suddenly decide to be present? What triggered his need to be involved again after checking out for nearly a decade? It wasn't believable, nor was it explained.

2) Does Sam eventually dump Russ and get an agent that actually gives a shit? Why was his agent being cagey and condescending to begin with??

3) How did Estelle get Sam's number? 

4) It's worth mentioning again that the sex was weird and not romantic AT ALL. 

5) Knew where the story was going even though we got a lackluster explanation from Fiona when she FINALLY decided to talk to Sam about it. 

6) WHAT HAPPENED WITH JAMIE? Were there repercussions? 

7) What were Fiona's nightmares about? Why did she like True Crime so much? Why was it helpful??

8) It feels like we learn absolutely nothing about Sam and Fiona. What makes them tick? I wanted more background information to explain why they were the way they were. We're basically forced to accept them as is, and they were both horrible. 

I really, really wanted to like this one, but it was bad. I wish I could get those hours back . . .  (★★⋆☆☆)

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

DNF&Y [41]

 

DNF&Y is used to explain why I gave up on certain books, and what about them just didn't work for me. What I disliked about a book might be something you love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative! 

Heartless (Immortal Enemies, #1) by Gena Showalter

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Vengeance is irresistible…

Kaysar the Unhinged One, fae King of Midnight, can drive anyone to madness with his song. A ruthless warrior forged in hate, he lives to force his enemies to their knees. He will stop at nothing to succeed—even abduct and seduce his foe’s beloved bride, ensuring his own child one day sits on the male’s throne. Except, his prize escapes to the mortal realm before the first kiss, her heart transplanted into a mortal beauty with dangerous secrets…

Chantel “Cookie” Bardot is a professional gamer girl great at trash talking, bad at peopling. After a long awaited surgery, she begins to morph into a powerful fae princess. Catapulted into a strange land ruled by a cruel but seductive villain, she must battle flesh and blood monsters and navigate royal intrigues. But the true danger is Kaysar, whose every wicked touch tempts her beyond reason. Should she run…or descend into the darkness with him?

When I saw a book by Gena Showalter on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. Unfortunately, it was the second book in a series (really wish they'd listed that somewhere in the description), and after doing a little research realized it would be better if I read them in order. Luckily, my library had a physical copy of Heartless that I was able to snag. Sadly, this book was a major flop, and not at all what I expected from Showalter. 

For starters, both of the main characters were fucking psychopaths that needed therapy and possibly a padded room somewhere. Chantel "Cookie" said she was "murder curious" before ever leaving the human realm, and didn't really balk when she inevitably killed others. Kaysar's vengeance was understandable, if a little over-the-top. Although, I wasn't sure why the need to destroy his enemies overpowered his desire to search for his sister. Sure, one was more easily accessible than the other, but he seemed like a pretty motivated dude. 

Also, Cookie??? Do you have any idea how distracting it is to be reading about blood and gore only to have the character referred to as a snack? Every time I read the word "Cookie" it lessened the severity of the story. I think it was a poor choice in character names, and the one Kaysar eventually gives her isn't much better. Briar Rose? Seriously? It was unoriginal and unimaginative. I also have no idea if I'm pronouncing his name correctly, and stopped trying to sound out his last name entirely. 

The worldbuilding was lacking, the characters were dull and simple, and the story was repetitive and unnecessarily long. Additionally, the mental whiplash from the main characters was exhausting and exasperating in equal measure. Basically, it went like this:

Chantel: "You lied to me! I'll never forgive you!"

Kaysar: "I promise to do better."

Chantel: "Okay! One more chance."

Kaysar: *allows another truth to surface*

Chantel: "You lied to me! I'm leaving!"

Kaysar: "I will give you jewels! Also, I will do better."

Chantel: "Of course! You're sexy! One more chance, okay?"

Kaysar: "VENGEANCE SHALL BE MINE!"

Chantel: *gleefully murders everyone*

Kaysar: "You are perfection."

Chantel: "I think I want to go home now."

Kaysar: "MINE."

Chantel: "You're so hot when you're angry."

It was basically this for 200+ pages. There was no character growth, no exploration of the world, and just mind-numbing dialogue between two unhinged people. Chantel assumes she can navigate Kaysar's world because - get this - she played a VIDEO GAME that was similar. Killing in the game and killing in real life? Why would that be different? It was obnoxious. Her understanding of the world was limited, yet she thought she could just survive without too many problems. I got about halfway before calling it quits. (★★⋆☆☆)

You Have a Match by Emma Lord

🎧 Narrated by Eva Kaminsky

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A new love, a secret sister, and a summer she'll never forget.

When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie … although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.

When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents—especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.

The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.

The lack of communication in this book was slowly driving me insane. There were soooo many secrets and "missed opportunities" for honest conversations. And it wasn't just the kids . . . the adults were equally shady and evasive. At one point I actually wanted to SCREAM IN FRUSTRATION. That's when I knew I needed to stop trying to finish this book. It clearly wasn't working for me, and I'm not going to force myself to continue something I'm not enjoying.

The narrator was great, so bonus points for that. 

Unfortunately, everything else about the book made me cringe. The awkwardness between Abby and Leo, her reluctance to confront anyone about anything, and even the relationship between her and Savvy. Abby had so many opportunities to talk to Leo, Connie, her parents, Savvy, and yet she chose to avoid, avoid, and avoid some more. Every time I thought a conversation was inevitable, something would conveniently happen that kept her from being able to talk about it. I can excuse one or two "unexpected" disruptions, but it can't happen over and over again and still be believable. (★★☆☆☆)

Ice Planet Barbarians (Ice Planet Barbarians, #1) by Ruby Dixon

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Fall in love with the out-of-this-world romance between Georgie Carruthers, a human woman, and Vektal, an alien from another planet, in this expanded edition with bonus materials and an exclusive epilogue--in print only!

You'd think being abducted by aliens would be the worst thing that could happen to me. And you'd be wrong. Because now the aliens are having ship trouble, and they've left their cargo of human women--including me--on an ice planet.

We're not equipped for life in this desolate winter wasteland. Since I'm the unofficial leader, I head out into the snow to look for help.

I find help all right. A big blue horned alien introduces himself in a rather . . . startling way. Vektal says that I'm his mate, his chosen female--and that the reason his chest is purring is because of my presence. He'll help me and my people survive, but this poses a new problem.

If Vektal helps us survive, I'm not sure he's going to want to let me go.

I love that Ice Planet Barbarians is something Ruby Dixon initially wrote just for herself. It took years for this book to spiral into the success it is today, and it was totally unexpected. (The power of TikTok, right?) Dixon loved Science Fiction but wanted something more. She wanted something she couldn't find in the books that were already written, so she decided to create her own world and write her own story. All of this is in the author's note. She didn't write this book with the intention of it becoming a bestseller, she wrote it because it made her happy to have blue, pussy-eating aliens with ridged dicks who are led by their khui's and live on a desolate ice planet.

Vektal and his fellow Sa-khui are massive and fierce, but they're also insanely protective of their women and mates. I really liked their reverence for Georgie and the other human women, and how they treated them with the utmost care and respect (initial, non-consensual oral sex aside). And the purring! The idea of a khui resonating in someone's chest - a vibration that rumbled throughout their body - was one that always made me smile. I like when characters are "fated mates" and thought the physical manifestation of their connection was a nice addition to the story.

Does this book have a super deep plot with various fleshed out secondary characters? No. Is that what I expected when I picked up this book? Nope. Ice Planet Barbarians is exactly what I thought it would be: a smutty sci-fi romance with steamy sex scenes and a tolerable storyline. The story wasn't bad, but it's definitely not believable. You absolutely have to suspend your disbelief for this one to work, and certain aspects of the book were entirely too convenient (like how their language barrier was resolved). Did any of that detract from my overall enjoyment of the book? Not even a little. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Ice Planet Barbarians, because I didn't go into it with any expectations other that hot alien sex.

I do dislike that the author changed part of her book because people found a certain aspect upsetting. She had her reasons for including it (she wanted to show how high the stakes were for Georgie and the others), but decided to remove the explicit details to make it more palatable. Dixon said she decided it didn't belong in the book, but she did originally publish it with the rape scene included, and it was there for years before being removed and only vaguely referred to. We all know what's happening even if the author only alludes to it. It's not like the act itself was removed from the book, just mentioned instead of outright explained. I wish the author hadn't changed her book because other people wanted her to, but I can also understand why she did it. (★★★★☆)

I plan on reading the next book in the series and want to thank Berkley Romance for the copies! I also want to thank Blissfully Bookish for the merch (picture originally posted on my Instagram).

State of the ARC [34]

 

State of the ARC is a monthly meme hosted by Avalinah at Avalinah's Books! It's an opportunity for readers to catch up on their long overdue ARCs, but right now I'm using it to keep up with my upcoming ARCs instead. It helps me stay organized! Edit: State of the ARC is currently being hosted by Sarah (All the Book Blog Names Are Taken) while Evelina is on hiatus.

At Least You Have Your Health by Madi Sinha (4/5)

The Sign for Home by Blair Fell (4/5)

This May End Badly by Samantha Markum (4/12)

Like a House on Fire by Lauren McBrayer (4/26)

Birds of California by Katie Cotugno (4/26)

Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians, #1) by Brandon Sanderson (5/3)

I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston (5/3)

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune (5/10)

Starry-Eyed Love (Spark House, #2) by Helena Hunting (5/10)

Dark Stars: New Tales of Darkest Horror by Various (5/22)

Primal Animals by Julia Lynn Rubin (5/24)

Desperately Seeking a Duchess (All the Duke's Sins, #2) by Christi Caldwell (5/24)

Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley (6/21)

Gilt by Jamie Brenner (6/21)

This Vicious Grace (The Last Finestra, #1) by Emily Thiede (6/28)

One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke (6/28)

A Shoe Story by Jane L. Rosen (6/28)

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (7/5)

Any Other Family by Eleanor Brown (7/12)

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (7/12)

Some of It Was Real by Nan Fischer (7/26)

The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill (8/2)

Bend Toward the Sun by Jen Devon  (8/9)

Ruthless (Immortal Enemies, #2) by Gena Showalter (8/9)

Luck and Last Resorts (Love, Lists & Fancy Ships, #2) by Sarah Grunder Ruiz (8/9)

Hear Me by Kerry O'Malley Cerra (9/6)

The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe (9/13)

Neon Gods (Dark Olympus, #1) by Katee Robert🎧 Narrated by Zara Hampton-Brown & Alex Moorcock

Synopsis (via Goodreads): He was supposed to be a myth.
But from the moment I crossed the River Styx and fell under his dark spell... he was, quite simply, mine.

Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over far from the backstabbing politics of the Thirteen Houses. But all that’s ripped away when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, the dangerous power behind their glittering city’s dark facade.

With no options left, Persephone flees to the forbidden undercity and makes a devil’s bargain with a man she once believed a myth... a man who awakens her to a world she never knew existed.

Hades has spent his life in the shadows, and he has no intention of stepping into the light. But when he finds that Persephone can offer a little slice of the revenge he’s spent years craving, it’s all the excuse he needs to help her—for a price. Yet every breathless night spent tangled together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he’ll go to war with Olympus itself to keep her close…

A modern retelling of Hades and Persephone that’s as sinful as it is sweet.

Neon Gods was ridiculously spicy! I can't remember the last time I was so turned on by a book. Hades was mouthwateringly hot, and Persephone was his equal in every way. She might not have been familiar with his particular tastes at the start of the book, but she was an enthusiastic participant. She managed to seduce the "Boogeyman" simply by being herself around him, and he was all too happy to act out her darkest fantasies. 

Normally, a gruff and overprotective love interest irks me, but it really worked for this book. I enjoyed how Hades put Persephone's needs before his own, and how he would periodically pick her up and carry her around. He was doing it to keep her from hurting herself, and I adored him for it. He may have been growly and rough around the edges, but it was always about consent for him. He always checked on how she was doing, asked her if she was sure about certain things, and even made judgement calls based on how she was acting. If she seemed nervous or tense, he dropped everything and immediately changed their plans to something she'd be more comfortable with.

I loved that they actually discussed condoms, being tested, birth control, etc. It was very realistic and responsible. I also liked that the author chose to use normal words like pussy and clit. Normally, books go to great lengths to make a person's body parts sound like anything other than what they are. There was no "bundle of nerves" or "long, hard shaft," but characters simply naming parts of themselves. 

The narrators were fantastic! Although, Alex Moorock? Really? I have a hard time believing that's his real name, which means he chose it for this profession. Dork.

My one issue with this book was it's believability. I wanted more clarity about the world they lived in, and how their namesakes played a role in the story. Apparently, the thirteen all took positions that are reflective of the Greek Gods we're familiar with, which means they were other people entirely before climbing the social ladder in Olympus. If that's the case, who were they before becoming the elite force that rules the city? The legacy titles are inherited, but they too had to have other names before Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon. Demeter wasn't always Demeter, so did she just conveniently have four daughters with the right names, or did Persephone and her sisters adopt new names when their mother moved up in the world? I really wish all of that had been explained a little more, and really think it would have helped my overall enjoyment of the book. 

Regardless, it's definitely a series I plan on continuing. I can't wait to see what Robert has in store for us next! (★★★★☆)

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A desperate orphan turned pirate and a rebellious imperial daughter find a connection on the high seas in a world divided by colonialism and threaded with magic.

Aboard the pirate ship Dove, Flora the girl takes on the identity of Florian the man to earn the respect and protection of the crew. For Flora, former starving urchin, the brutal life of a pirate is about survival: don’t trust, don’t stick out, and don’t feel. But on this voyage, as the pirates prepare to sell their unsuspecting passengers into slavery, Flora is drawn to the Lady Evelyn Hasegawa, who is en route to a dreaded arranged marriage with her own casket in tow. Flora doesn’t expect to be taken under Evelyn’s wing, and Evelyn doesn’t expect to find such a deep bond with the pirate Florian.

Soon the unlikely pair set in motion a wild escape that will free a captured mermaid (coveted for her blood, which causes men to have visions and lose memories) and involve the mysterious Pirate Supreme, an opportunistic witch, and the all-encompassing Sea itself.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I wanted to like this one more than I did, but the ARC felt too much like a rough draft and not something close to being finished. There were too many holes and unanswered questions, and not enough character development and plot. Evelyn and Flora/Florian (the two main characters) didn't grow or change throughout the book, and I was so disappointed by their lack of development (too one-dimensional for my liking).

We know Flora and her brother Alfie were orphaned as children, and Flora (I'm going to use Flora instead of Florian for the purpose of this review, just because it's easier. They were genderfluid and went by both names in the story. They changed their name depending on their circumstances and what they needed to do to survive.) Flora has very few memories of their parents, but I wish we knew how they ended up as orphans living on the street. I think it was a defining moment in their lives that the author just glossed over and only vaguely mentioned when it was necessary. They never knew their dad, but Flora remembers their mom hugging her and other warm memories. Why would her mom just up and leave them? Where did she go? It didn't make any sense. We needed more details and background information to really understand how their childhood shaped Flora and their actions.

As it stands, I didn't like Flora as a character. I'm all for morally gray characters in books, but there's still a line that shouldn't be crossed, if you want me to like the MC. For example, Flora has to kill to be accepted onto the Dove (happens right at the beginning), and to ask that of a child. . . it was wrong, but something I could have possibly gotten over if the conditions were right. Unfortunately, Flora looks the other way for YEARS while the ship they're on commits abhorrent atrocities. Not to mention the rape that was alluded to but never specifically confirmed. If you're going to include something as serious as rape, don't do it a disservice by brushing the harsh truths of it under the rug. They mentioned hearing someone's screams behind a locked door, and how no one did anything about it. They also spoke about another character having his way with the prisoners, but it felt wrong to minimize the impact of what was implied. More to the point, I can't support a character that looks the other way when children and innocent people are raped and sold into slavery to have only the gods know what happen to them. I don't care what their reasons are. 

I also didn't like that it was mentioned repeatedly, like the author wanted to make sure we understood what was happening behind those closed doors. It was loud and clear the first time they glazed over the details and essentially used the romance equivalent of fade-to-black. Also, it felt like the author wanted us to sympathize - or at least understand - Rake, but he was a monster. I had no interest in his POV and didn't really know why it was necessary. I understand needing to play a part, but was there not a single genuinely decent person in this book? Killing to survive is one thing, watching others suffer so you don't have to is another. 

As for Evelyn, she was too naive. She also wasn't very compassionate or considerate, even though I think that's how the author wanted to portray her. She left Keiko (her lady's maid, best friend, and sort of lover) without first making sure she'd be taken care of in her absence. She knew what kind of people of her parents were, and yet she did nothing to help her friend. Even when she went to write a letter, she "didn't know what to say," and it all just rubbed me the wrong way. Her basically forcing Florian into learning how to read was also frustrating. I get that it allowed them time to bond for the purposes of this book, but it was still obnoxious that Evelyn felt like she had to help him. 

Insta-love. 😐 It wasn't remotely believable, but somehow these two fell in love amidst the shitshow that was their lives. Lies? "No problem." Betrayal? "You're the one for me, babe!" It was cringe-worthy the way these two jumped from acquaintances to lovers. 

Evelyn's weird connection with the mermaid was never explained, which was really annoying. It was nice to her and seemed to care when she was around, but why? Additionally, her being able to figure out what mermaids ate when no one else has ever been able to . . . a little convenient. Did it propel the story? Yes. Did she immediately tell like 5 people what she discovered? You betcha. Why would she tell people how to keep a captured mermaid alive? Wouldn't that incentivize them to keep stealing and killing the mermaids???? Like, maybe keep that information a secret?

What about the magic? Surely that added something to the story . . . Wrong. It was poorly explained, and I have absolutely no idea how it works. The story aspect was interesting, but if you want me to suspend my disbelief you have to make it believable. There's a song that's mentioned at the start of the book that ends up being VERY IMPORTANT, but it's never mentioned again (in its entirety), and I honestly have no idea why it even mattered. Xenobia seemed to think it did, but I wish the author had explained why. I almost flipped back to look for the song, but then decided it wasn't worth the effort. 

I picked this book up back in 2020 when I received the ARC but stopped reading it when it didn't immediately capture my attention. I thought it was my mood, which ended up being partially true. I was invested enough this time to finish the book, but the ending left me feeling unsatisfied and more than a little annoyed. I really feel like The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea had the potential to be so much more than it was. It felt unfinished, like it was just the bones of the book. I heard there was going to be a sequel, and if it's from that person's POV (the person we see floating around at the end of this book), then I definitely don't want to read it. They were horrible. 

Absolutely love the cover though! (★★⋆☆☆)