Forced toward an arranged marriage, the chosen braenese has a new enemy and he's not at all like the boy who washed ashore in Elowa. This one hates her before she even sets foot upon his sand. I especially enjoyed the cat and mouse chase between Zaria and Laz. Their hatred for each other is so intense that there were a few moments where I screamed “JUST KISS ALREADY” at my kindle (because I love a good enemies to lovers plot) but at the same time I loved and admired Zaria’s loyalty to Kirwyn the entire book. She rarely strays, and her internal struggle between staying and fighting and fleeing is so well-written and helps establish and reflect Zaria’s complexities as a truly dynamic protagonist. Her scheming and manipulation and just overall badassery gave me hugeee Jude from the Cruel Prince vibes (I even think at points she does Jude better than Jude) and she’s definitely proving herself to be a FMC queen deserving a seat next to Nesta, Poppy, Jude, Aelin, [insert favorite fantasy ya badass here]. So, even though I loved the first book enough to give it five stars, now I am torn... because if the first book was five stars WHAT THE HELL IS THIS ONE? Cause it's more than five. I don't think this story would make sense if Zaria wasn't at least a bit naive. I mean, she's been told, along with her entire island, lies all her life. It's literally in the blurb. She acts juvenile because she is quite literally a teenager. It's part of her growth as a character for her to realize how much she's taken for granted. I'm halfway through the second book in this series as I write this, and I can say that she doesn't stay naive. Her growth takes a natural pace, and she has a lot of learning to do, but it's realistic. How many of us would just know everything and be good at everything without first making mistakes? Especially as teenagers? Everyone who's giving a bad review seems to be attributing their poor opinion of the book to the fact that the main character, Zaria, is naive throughout this novel.

Elora Morgan tells this rollercoaster of a story with the elegant, refined voice of the young Braenese Zaria, encompassing the emotions, desires and confusion that we experience as teens (except perhaps the stakes are a little higher for Zaria). The eloquent yet reasonably simple language of the book made it a pleasure to read - not to mention the extremely well-constructed, loveable (and hateable) characters! There are only two possibilities with his strange (and strangely handsome) face: he's either a village anomaly or the Sea God himself, in disguise. The alluring boy-creature couldn't have come from anywhere else, because there is no other land in all the ocean. Man, I love the characters in this book. All of them. The two leads and the cousin, even the annoying girl Lida. I just... I did not expect to love a YA novel so much. I am a smut girl all the way but I felt I needed a break and so I went for this book and I have to say, it is in my top three of my favorite books I have read this year, and that includes my most beloved romance books. We already knew Zaria’s "hate to love" chemistry with Kirwyn was *chefs kiss* in Book I but there are definitely certain characters that can take run for his money! The accompanying tug to one side of his mouth, pulling his lips into a crooked line, sent chills down my spine.

Customer reviews

I like to consider myself a patient person, but this book has proven me otherwise and I'm a little bitter about it. It physically pains me that the last book isn't out and I don't have a date to count down to in chaotic anticipation. I was buddy reading this book. Do you think it's okay that I finished it a week early? No? Shh. Our secret. Despite the protagonists youth, her sense of duty suggested maturity beyond her years. She shows many signs of a young adult who was forced to grow up before she was ready - which builds a devastating effect when it all comes to fruition at the end of the book.

This book... there are no words to describe it other than amazing. I took some time writing my review because I wanted to re-read it and properly absorb everything that happened. If I'd read this book at 13 or 14, I'd have said it's nothing special but it's fine. Being older than that, I struggled getting through it. A couple of small, intriguing mystery elements appear early on, though, and were enough to keep me reading.

Beyond the God Sea by Elora Morgan Book PDF Summary

This is a very intriguing story of a young woman about to become the apparent bride to a sea god. Her whole life, she’s been preparing, unable to be touched by males in any way, she has led a very isolated and sheltered life, but she is excited for her destiny with the sea god. Until a mysterious boy washes ashore on her island, and suddenly, everything she’s ever known to be true slowly starts to unravel, even if she doesn’t want to see it. I eagerly and probably very impatiently await the last book. I have high expectations, which I am sure is so much pressure for an author, but with how well the first two books went I have all the faith in the world that the third will be everything. Just because someone wants what you want, doesn’t make them your ally. Just because they don’t, doesn’t make them your enemy.” When Zaria was reunited with Kirwyn it felt like pushing through the first 3/4 of the book was worth it. Elora is so good at making Kirwyn feel like "home" to Zaria, and I love the moments they had together - despite them being few and far between. I was honestly on the verge of tears when Zaria was demanding Kirwyn "couoldn't" save her. All of Zaria's emotion turmoil was really well-captured, and I felt like all of her confusion, anger, longing, and unconditional love came alive in the story. I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. I am a high school student who doesn't usually read any sort of fantasy or dystopian books, but there was something that drew me to this series - and I don't regret it for a moment!