You'll enjoy it if you enjoyed Sky in the Deep. But as a standalone it left something to be desired.

Not only is the cover amazing and beautiful, but so is this book.

Adrienne Young writes like she’s there and retelling the story for us readers to relive it with our own eyes.
Tova and Halvard are growing up before us in a very short period of time, with decisions that can change the fate of two tribes. The ending was perfect. Can’t wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to author, publisher, and Netgalley for an advance copy of The Girl The Sea Gave Back.

Okay y’all, so at first I was like wow Adrienne Young writes some beautiful sentences. The. I was like well this is a little confusing with the jumping back and forth and here and there and who are all these people with the funny names??
Then I was like okay I’m understanding the jumping around, but this story is a little bit too slow burn for me. AND THEN I was like ooh this is getting interesting. Then it was like p-p-plot twiiissst and I was like okay now this slow burn is working well for me. Then I was like 😱😱😱 and then it ended and I was like wow I’m not satisfied but also fully satisfied, how does that even happen?!

And let me stress one more time, Adrienne Young writes beautifully. I probably highlighted 30 sentences that I loved.

I can’t believe I’m about to say this but I didn’t enjoy this at all. In this we follow Tova who is a brand new character from a new clan with new gods. And Halvard who we remember from Sky In The Deep. This is a dual perspective with chapters jumping back and forth between Tova and Halvard, and we also get flashback chapters where we go back as far as 13 years I believe, which was before Sky in the Deep was set. Tova’s clan the Svell, and Halvard’s clan the Nadhir are at war, but things happen gradually through the book. The thing I loved about the first novel was that it jumped right into the action and it had a main character that I loved and understood. The only thing I could say about Sky in the Deep that I believe it missed was the brutality. I felt like it was very light for a Viking inspired fantasy and there is nothing wrong with that I still absolutely loved Sky in the Deep but in my opinion it could have used a bit more brutality. I thought we would get that in this second novel but to no avail. Everything I loved about the first book was missing in the second. I was bored to tears reading about Tova and I felt like I didn’t get a whole lot from Halvard. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters and I was just going through the motions whilst reading this book. Also the very little hint of romance you get in my opinion was completely unnecessary. I hate to be so hard on this but I was really looking forward to this book and I was severely let down.

I received an arcade of this from net galley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ok so let me start by saying I adore Adrienne Young then to see this cover I knew I had to read it ASAP.

This book is just beautiful from cover to cover and everything in between. I love the Viking characters and backdrop. I think Viking culture is so rich and so under represented. The stories entwined within this had me enamoured. I think this was a beautifully woven story that are perfect for sky in the deep fans like myself. I am almost at a loss for what else to say aside from it is a must read. It is a must read that you have to let envelope you in its rich stories and history!

Ever since she washed up on the shore as a child, Tova has lived among the Svell people. Never truly viewed as an equal, she uses her gift as a Truthtongue, an interpreter of runes, to help the Svell. Now the leaders of the Svell are divided on the subject of war and turn to Tova to cast the stones to decide their fate. In doing so she sets off a chain of events that will change her world forever.


To be honest, I didn’t love this book. When I started it I was unaware that it was sort of a sequel to the Sky in the Deep, and I think that was part of the problem. I quickly became confused with the story. There was a lot of similar-sounding names and characters, and I had a hard time keeping track of who was who and what tribe they were apart of, etc.


I liked both Tova and Halvard as characters and enjoyed their unique perspectives. The story was interesting, but not compelling, and by the time I became interested in the storyline and the characters, the book was mostly over. 


I think this was really an example of judging the book by the cover. I instantly fell in love with the gorgeous cover art and intriguing title and thought the story would have more to do with the sea and mythology. Instead, it was focused on war, superstition, and belonging. It was a good story, just not for me.

I will definitely recommend this title. It is very well thought out and imaginative. I can't wait for more titles by this author.

I repeatedly tried reading this book, but I could not get past even the first twenty pages. The names were difficult to follow or remember. I would read the first ten pages or so, put it down, and not be able to remember what I read the next day so I would have to start again (which is not a common occurrence for me). Apologies - no matter how much I tried to force myself, I just could not get into the book.

I really enjoyed Young’s first book, Sky in the Deep, and when I heard she was writing a companion novel in the same universe I had o jump on it! Young is a master of words; each line is lyrical like poetry and paints such lovely pictures. I enjoyed this one, it’ll definitely become one I read more than once!


Thank you thank you thank you so much t the publisher for granting my wish for this book! I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review.

A thrilling fantasy about a girl trying to find out who she is and what her place is in the world. She is a seer and is growing up with a people who are not her own and don't trust her and her ability. Battles rage as she tries to find her fate. The surprising end leaves you craving more.

This is Adrienne Young's second book and I read the first one as an arc as well. I love the way she tells a story, very imaginative and immersive. I am already looking forward to the next story she has to tell. In this book particular I loved the way she used magic, not as a focus but rather a supporting detail. It fit very well with its genre and I loved every word.

Adrienne has done it again. As you know from my previous post, I’d held out on reading Sky In The Deep until a snowy day this last winter, and it instantly captured my heart. I was overjoyed to have been given the opportunity to read The Girl The Sea Gave Back as an ARC.

⁠Halvard and Tova’s story lines are beautifully crafted, and you are once again pulled into the absolute all encompassing world that Adrienne writes. This book moved me so much that I ended up ugly crying on the airplane on my way back from vacation.⁠

I was so excited to see Halvard all grown up. The little boy we’d fallen in love with in Sky In The Deep, by no means has disappeared. Adrienne preserved the heart and soul of a character, even as he grew into a young man. I was so proud to see him, and overjoyed when I got to see snippets of how the community has changed in the last few years, along with moments with characters from SITD.

However, this isn’t just Halvard’s story. It’s Tova’s. Her circumstances and life story were heart breaking. I found I loved her just as much as I loved Halvard and seeing how their story lines circled around one another was fascinating. I fully believe that one of Adrienne’s strengths is how much she understands character, and the fragility and resilience of the human spirit. She deals with loss and let down as well as she handles joy and tradition.

I also just stand in awe of the fight scenes that she writes. It’s masterful, beautiful, and compelling. You feel pulled into what is the frantic energy and slow motion capture of a battle scene. It’s another astounding part of how the world of Halvard and Tova comes into place.

Adrienne cemented herself as one of my dearly beloved authors with Sky In The Deep, and The Girl The Sea Gave Back is a heart rending sophomore novel that will keep you looking for the specific kind of pain, and joy that Adrienne creates. I would highly recommend this stunning novel.

Additionally, this beautiful book is out TODAY so go make sure that you grab a copy. The first editions have a special surprise under the cover and it will ONLY be for the first editions!⁠

Thank you to Adrienne Young, NetGalley, and Wednesday Books that provided me this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

My Review: I was so anticipating this book, it was one of my top releases of this year because I LOVED Sky in the Deep. It took me quite a bit to get into this one, which sometimes happens when you have a second book that is a companion and doesn't follow the same characters. I also really struggled to connect with the characters, part of it was in my mind Halvard is still the little boy we saw in Sky in the Deep and I struggled to wrap my brain around the fact that he is grown up (like when you see a family member when they are little kids and don't see them again for many years, in your mind they are always that little kid). Also, Tova was a bit mysterious and disconnected by the nature of her roll as Truthtongue, so I struggled to connect with her in any way. I did however really enjoy the way they each grew as characters throughout the book. It is a slow book as it is mostly driven by the characters as opposed to plot driven, but if you can sit back and let it take shape the wait is so worth it. Once again Young knocked it out of the park with the rich world and culture, diving deep into the various belief and religious systems. All in all a rich, beautiful book to savor!

My Rating: Even with the slow start and small difficulties I had, I really enjoyed the world and the story that built throughout this book. While I do still prefer Sky in the Deep, this one still earns a solid Four Paw rating!

This review is hard to write as Sky in the Deep was one of my favorite reads last year. Three stars is generous for this book.

I never felt that I was able to connect with the characters. There needed to be more depth to them. The author tried to add that depth in through flashback scenes but they fell flat and interrupted the flow of the story. This made the book a slog to read and it took me a month which is not typical for me.

At times you would see the same scenes from two different perspectives. This just put a stop to the momentum of the book and made you have to rewind mentally before continuing the story.

What did I like? I still like the world and the addition of the different groups with different beliefs. If the MCs could have just told the story instead of all of the back and forth and flashbacks it would have been a better book.

When I requested this book I didn't know it was the second in a series and you must read the first one otherwise it's quite hard to understand the plot and the characters.
The book is well written, the world building interesting but I couldn't connect to the story and found the characters a bit bland.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

When Sky in the Deep came out, I think the whole YA book community was so excited. It was a wonderful book, great story, compelling characters, and the setting was perfection. The Girl the Sea Gave Back is no exception. At times riveting, anger inducing, and it even has moments of tenderness, wrapped in with the world of Vikings. The descriptions of the characters, along with the settings (and the inclusion of our previous characters from Sky in the Deep), make for a wonderful book and story line. I hope that Adrienne has plans for a third book in the setting, because I know many, like myself, will jump to read it.

The era of Vikings is fascinating to me. What they did, what they ate, who they were. And The Girl the Sea Gave Back makes it very real. Overall, I loved this journey!

There's really not much to say, but that:

1) This is as good and powerful as Young's first book, Sky In The Deep. Tova's voice and Halvard is just as strong, just as wanting as Eelyn's.

2) I loved seeing my old favourites back in this one, even ten years later. It's wonderful to see an older Halvard as well!

3) The world is just as interesting, a fantasy historical based on a Viking setting.

4) There's more on the deities, on the fates, and mystic in this one. But it all pulls well together.

5) Good pacing - there's always something happening, but also a good balance of character building.

I find that this is an overall easy, heartfelt, simple little standalone that just feels in all the places that want the feels as much as the action. I really enjoyed reading this. It was a good break from reality, without boring me. It was a fantastic read.

Hadn't read Sky in the Deep so found this book hard to follow. It was very slow paced and I kept waiting for some complex terms and names to be explained and it just didn't happen.
Great bit of world building but not very easy to follow.

The time jump definitely threw me for a loop when I first started reading but the story line was very good. I am very glad I read sky in the deep first. I also hadn’t checked they were the same series until after. Seeing old characters in new roles and seeing how much they’ve grown is so sweet. Meeting new characters and learning their history is also very interesting. This book was definitely one for the shelf.

Wow.
First, that cover. It's gorgeous. It instantly caught my eye and I'm am glad I decided to read the synopsis, which drew me in further. I've read Adrienne Young's previous work, Sky in the Deep, and I was deeply impressed by the world-building and complexity of its characters. The Girl the Sea Gave Back is no different as it actually takes place in the same world as Sky in the Deep but with a different cast of characters. We follow Tova this time as she must confront the collision of war upending everything she has known. The prose was beautiful and the action scenes were quite descriptive if not at times starkly brutal. Tova is a strong heroine who tries to do what's right, even when no one is there to stand beside her. Overall, a great story.