Crown of Coral and Pearl: A Fierce Bond of Sisterhood & Loyalty, but Decent Romance + Giveaway

It’s always nice to get caught up in a fantasy novel now and then; Crown of Coral and Pearl is the perfect option. Not only is it easy to read, but it also includes great world-building, good pacing, and beautiful descriptions about the legends and culture of Varenia. I love reading about royalty and good sibling relationships, so I was instantly drawn into Nor and Zadie’s world.

Title: Crown of Coral and Bone

Author(s): Mara Rutherford

Release Date: August 27th, 2019

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Rating:  (4/5)

Thank you to FFBC Tours and Inkyard Press for gifting an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

At first, it was hard to get into the book.

A common mistake authors make are info-dumps. In a place like Varenia, people are forbidden to step on land, and live in an isolated village in the sea. There are many unique aspects such as: the high regard for beauty, pearls that have healing powers, and deadly blood corals, just to name a few. With the price of pearls dropping and oysters becoming harder to find, the village struggles to make ends meet as they grow poorer. 

So, there’s a lot going on with the premise of book. I admired how Nor and Zadie’s relationship remained strong and intimate, even with an abusive mother – pitting daughter against daughter for the crown. Beauty means everything, at least in this book. In every generation, the most beautiful girl is chosen to wed and sent to Ilara to wed the Crown Prince. From the beginning, it’s clear that Zadie has an advantage of becoming princess, since her sister, Nor has a scar. 

I loved the turn of events! 

It’s difficult to elaborate without giving too much away… but here’s a quote that expresses the twins’ dynamic. 

“I often consoled myself with the fact that if I didn’t have my scar, Zadie and I would have spent our lives competing with each other. The idea of viewing my sister as an obstacle, rather than my best friend, was unthinkable.”

Rutherford surprises readers by slowly unraveling the motives, and desires of the characters. I honestly can’t wait to read more about these two saving their kingdom, and finding true love. 

Here’s a shoutout to complex villains.

Boy, do I sympathize for Prince Ceren (who is the Crown Prince)! While he’s considered a cold-hearted fellow, it’s important to know that his mother died when he was young, which led his father to remarry, and his wife to give birth to a handsome man: Prince Talin. There’s bound to be some friction between the two, especially when they’re vying for the crown. 

And then one of the twins falls in love with Talin (aka insta-love) while being engaged to Ceren. Sure, Talin is charming and kind, but his “sea-blue eyes” doesn’t really satisfy me. Also, he’s far too quick in his judgment of disliking Ceren, especially when he has never done him wrong.

I’m totally here for antagonists, villains, antiheroes, etc. 

Overall, it’s an enjoyable story with beautiful descriptions, ocean aesthetics, and recommended if you’re looking for strong female protagonists.

Giveaway

As a treat, you can win (1) out of (15) copies of Crown of Coral and Pearl by Mara Rutherford! 

Click HERE to enter. 

Starts: August 19th, 2019 – Ends: September 2nd, 2019

Did I add this to my TBR because of the cover? 🤐 (that’s up for you to decide)

What water/ocean-themed books have you read? Any favorites?

I wished for To Kill A Kingdom on Netgalley, and luckily, in the next few days, I received a copy! I was beyond thrilled, but to this day, I haven’t gone past chapter 10.

Stay tuned for the sequel, Kingdom of Sea and Stone.

Yours Truly,