Small towns, deep friendships, and mental health representation are the heart of this beautiful and heartbreaking novel. A difficult read (content warnings include suicide and depression), Cassandra Hartt’s prose is on display. This is a deeply emotional read and one for fans of The Astonishing Color of After and Darius The Great Is Not Okay.

This was a beautifully written debut. I felt like I was in this seaside town, experiencing these storms with the characters. I do feel that it was a little over written and much longer than it needed to be; there is so much to unpack in the story that it begins to overcomplicate an already compelling story. If this was more focused and compacted, it would have been truly extraordinary.

It was hard to root for these characters sometimes, leaving me conflicted throughout my time reading. They said horrible things to each other and treated each other like dirt. I enjoyed getting to see the different dynamics between this trio, especially how each relationship developed over the book.

ARC provided by NetGalley for review

TW for depression and attempted suicide.

This book offers an honest and real look into depression, anxiety, and suicide. I was taken aback by the author's poignant examination of these three teenagers and their mental health. Tommy's POV felt authentic to me, someone who has battled depression. Harlow's POV and her character was the one I felt most conflicted about as I connected with her desire to try and fix things in an attempt to make up for her previous actions. She didn't always go about things the right way, but there is something to be said for her effort to try. And Harlow tries so hard that I felt for her. Her emotions were conflicted, troubling, and sweet; all a realistic portrait of a teenage girl. Ellis though, man he was hard to sympathize with. While his and Harlow's relationship was co-dependent and toxic at times, I really disliked him for his relationship with his brother. Ellis barely tried with Tommy and that was what damned him in my eyes. While the other characters seemed to grow or at least understand themselves more by the end of the book, Ellis seemed incapable.

I really enjoyed this book. Cassandra Hartt did a fantastic job writing this story. The characters were loveable and the plot was intriguing enough to keep you turning page after page. I will definitely be checking out her other books

Lots of trigger warnings for this book. but oh my goodness, all the emotions.

The book centers around 3 characters, 3 teens. Twins brother and a girl. I wish I could say that they are the best of friends, but they aren't. In fact its like the three of them (especially the brothers) are in constant competition for attention, however its not even the good kind. One brother loses his leg and not to be outdone, his twin crashes his car. Its such a unhealthy and almost toxic relationship.

It is beautifully written and I was completely COMPLETELY engaged for 90% of the book but then the end just fell flat for me.

It deals with a lot of issues that teens may be going through today. Yes there is more to the story. Their home is in danger of being destroyed and all, but the mental health issues are the core of the book.

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and to the publisher for granting my wish!!!!

Warnings for a suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, brief mention of cheating (not main character), manipulation, past amputation. This book deals with very serious topics in not the most healthy manner but what human deals with serious things in the best way, anyway?

West Finch, Maine is on the brink of falling into the ocean and Harlow is determined that it won’t happen. She’s obsessed with measuring sand erosion and the upcoming hurricane season. Unfortunately, nature has other plans when a pair of near threatened piping plovers decides to build a nest on the coast, delaying the demolition of the jetty. Though obsessed with saving the town, she’s even more obsessed with saving Tommy, who took a swim in the ocean with no intention of returning. Harlow has a contentious relationship with Tommy, who resents her for taking away his brother, Ellis. When Harlow met Ellis, they became friends right away, pushing Tommy out of the picture even though he and Ellis are twins. But when Tommy is rescued from the ocean, Harlow is determined to keep him from falling into his depression again.

This book is told in alternating first person chapters between Harlow, Ellis, and Tommy, giving me a really good look inside each of their heads. Which is great because, wow, there’s a lot going on here. Revealed secrets and small town drama and inner neuroses and depression and anxiety. No one is neurotypical, that’s for sure. I was utterly drawn in by the writing style, so descriptive of both surroundings and feelings. The description of depression, as told from any of their points of view but especially Tommy’s, is so realistic and gut wrenching at times.

There are so many overlapping stories within this one book. There’s doom hanging over West Finch because it’s probably going to get washed into the ocean sometime soon. There’s Tommy’s suicide attempt and depression. There’s Harlow’s mysterious guilt regarding something she did to Ellis that he doesn’t know about. There’s Ellis’s guilt for not paying more attention to Tommy. And the Plan that Harlow and Ellis dreamed up, the plan to go to college together based on whatever colleges Ellis gets into with a track scholarship, quickly go up in flames when, A, she bombs her SATs, and, B, he injures himself while running, thus ruining his chances at varsity. And yet all these plot lines, along with a couple romances, are woven together so expertly, intertwining and weaving in and out of one another. They aren’t separate because of course they’re not; they wouldn’t be in real life, after all. Even when trying to wrap up these storylines, the characters and who they are are not lost in the process.

Harlow annoys me the most; she seems very manipulative from the start, so sure of what she wants, that she will lie to get it. Her hatred of Tommy bothers me so much in the start that I can’t quite believe in their budding relationship. She doesn’t really think about how real or not real her feelings are for Tommy aside from a small internal question that is never really answered. Tommy is the character I align with most. He’s an artist, his urge to make art lost to depression and antidepressants. He doesn’t really want to get better but uses his dog’s, Goose’s, cancer as a crutch, working and raising money for her treatment and avoiding thinking about really getting better. Ellis is a terrible friend, but then again, so is Harlow. Still, I find Ellis the more tolerable of the two and enjoy reading his chapters second to Tommy’s. All three of them are complicated and pretty unlikable, to be honest, but I actually liked that. Hartt’s writing just drew me in so effectively

West Finch is a delightful small town and I’d’ve loved to read more about its residents. There are a lot of names to get used to at the start but the unimportant ones fall away quickly as the story focuses on the main characters. The weather and the imminent doom of the oncoming hurricane season added to the sense of gloom as relationships start to change and fall apart. There are also several secrets among the trio that aren’t fully revealed, instead vaguely alluded to over the course of the book. I would have liked a little more clarity and a more definite ending, whether good or bad.

I recommend this book for fans of I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson. While the topics dealt with are quite heavy, the prose and characters are so compelling, I could hardly put the book down.

This is such a raw, emotional, reckless book. Hartt writes the experiences of three teens who are inextricably woven into each other; Tommy and Ellis are twins who want nothing more to understand each other but keep trying to get there the wrong ways, and Harlow is the steamroller of a girl who can't let go of either boy. All three characters have unique voices. This story is a masterclass in the easy ways we misunderstand each other, and how to write it in a believable way that doesn't leave the reader frustrated with the characters.
All three kids are incredible messes, but they're written so well that even though they hurt themselves and each other, they still feel relatable and I was rooting for them to succeed. Their cruelty was very much the cruelty of teens, and their apologies were very much the apologies of teens.
The setting and the external plot were well-suited for the characters. I felt just as invested in the climate issues West Finch was facing as I did Tommy, Ellis, and Harlow, even though the relationships between the three were the more prominent part of the story. It all felt very real and well-constructed.
The ending wasn't concrete, but it fits the story: while I would have liked a little more clarity on the next directions for the characters and the town, the ambiguity makes sense in context. Overall an incredible narrative with excellent queer rep, and both mental and physical disability rep.

If you are looking for a melancholy book, this is the book for you. It deals with so many serious issues including depression and suicide. There is a bisexual amputee among the mix of teenage friends. Their town of West Finch, Maine is being swallowed by the ocean. This is an admirable debut because of the variety of characters and the narration from different points of view. But all in all, such sad serious stories to speak to me the reader.

This was pretty good, but I’m not that big a fan of contemporary type books. The writing style is the only thing I can think of that stood out. Otherwise, this book wasn’t really memorable.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Roaring Brook Press in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, so I want to start this by saying a 3 star review means I liked the book, it's a book I will recommend at the library to readers that I think will enjoy it. This isn't my usual type of novel, but I think this is a solid debut by Hartt. The promotional material for THE SEA IS SALT AND SO AM I likens it to Sally Rooney's NORMAL PEOPLE, and I think that's accurate. So if you were a fan of Rooney's novel, you'll love this one!

This book deals with a lot of serious stuff - one character loses a limb in an accident, another is battling depression and suicidal ideations, there's sickness, and death. This book is dark and stormy and salty, just like the sea; it's not a feel good book, it's not supposed to be. But just like Cliff likes to tell Tommy, something good can come from something bad.

This Contemporary Fiction YA is told in three POVs: Harlow, Ellis, and Tommy. They are teens in a small town on the coast of Maine that is being lost to the sea... literally. Ellis and Tommy are twins and Harlow is Ellis' best friend. It's a story about a town being claimed by the water, it's a story about friendships, sexuality, mental health, and how secrets can erode people just like the sea can erode the shore. As a New Englander, I fell in love with West Finch, and was just as invested as Harlow in wanting the town to be saved.

These teenagers are messy and complicated. While I understand why Harlow and Ellis are they way that they are, I found them exhausting (though I don't think readers were supposed to love them). But Tommy.... sweet Tommy. And Goose! Tommy and Goose were the best parts of this book.

Overall this is a heavy read, but I think it's important for YA novels to not always be easy/happy reads - and not every teen wants to read Sci-Fi or Fantasy. I look forward to seeing what Hartt writes next.

I really thought I would enjoy this one. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into it. I picked it up multiple times and couldn't get more than a chapter or two read each time. The most difficult thing is I have no idea why I can't get into. The writing was fine, the characters were good, the storyline was moving along at a steady pace, there wasn't anything wrong with it that stands out. It just didn't click with me. So Unfortunately, at 49% I have to DNF. I've been meaning to try to pick it back up for the last couple of days but I just can't.

A brilliant and atmospheric novel, written beautifully and following three different POVs, Harlow's, her best friend Ellis and Tommy, Ellis' twin. While battling against Tommy's depression, their hometown at hurricane's risks and growing up, the main characters are teenagers, messy in their fights and misunderstanding, fearing changes and growing up. They are messy, spiteful, caring and humanly relatable. Plot wise not many things happen, because the book focuses on Harlow's, Ellis' and Tommy's growths, changes and their relationships with one other. The book is evocative and beautiful.

DNF 15%

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this E-Arc.

The sea is salt and so am I was a promising read to me about friendship, sexuality, mental health, and coming together. But as I was reading it, it just fell short. The writing in my opinion was choppy and hard to get into. The main character Harlow was mean and self destructive. I’m sure as the book moved forward it would play out more but it just bothered me. I hope to come back to this book one day and give it another try!

Also posted on goodreads!

Thank you to NetGalley, Roaring Brook Press, and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I'll start with what I liked: I liked Goose. (Who wouldn't.) I loved the beautiful cover, although I'll say this, it is definitely reflective of the book's contents: bitter salt and darkness. I loved the writing style, which was lyrical and evocative, and as sparse as the town. The town itself was practically a character: I definitely could envision the cold salty air, the crumbling buildings, the grey skies. The worn-out, beaten down townspeople stuck in their dreary little town, unable to escape since who else would want to move in and buy their homes? The author has a wonderful ability to create an immersive environment.

Unfortunately I was immersed in it with Harlow and Ellis, two of the most unlikeable characters I've come across in a while. If either of them had grown or matured or developed, like, at all, that would be something, but neither of them does. Manipulative, bull-headed, officious, sneaky, conniving, and severely lacking in empathy, both of them struck me sincerely as needing just as much mental health aid as Ellis' suicidal twin Tommy. Their relationships to others were almost universally strained or unhealthy, and their relationship with each other was catastrophically toxic.
Tommy grew on me over the course of the novel, and was certainly the only one of the teens who grows at all. I wish him luck...He'll need it. And Goose, of course, but who doesn't love a dog? Even Harlow unbends a little bit to Goose's unassuming canine charms. None of the parents, though, seem to have much of a handle on their children in this story.
As realistic as the behavior and dialogue of the teens may have been, I just couldn't get past the wretchedness of Harlow and Ellis. The ambiguous (real life is messy, things are disappointing, get over it-style) ending didn't help either. I found myself staring at the last paragraph in my kindle, surprised and irritated that *that* was all there was, after all that lengthy buildup, all that dragging pacing in the middle, all that unending vitriol and sniping between the characters, all that anxiety about the town's survival? That was it? Apparently it was. I don't require my stories wrapped up in a neat bow with a ribbon on top but this was...
Well, it wasn't really my cup of tea, was what it was.
Your mileage may (and likely will) vary.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for granting my wish to review this book on NetGalley!! Here’s my spoiler-free review...

This seriously captivating and heart-wrenching story is set in a town called West Finch, which, to me, felt exactly like Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls if it were on a coast in Maine. It’s told through the three POVs of a girl who breaks everything she touches, her best friend, and his identical twin brother, the girl’s nemesis. From the start, this book had me in its grasp, wondering what happened in the past of these three people to make their dynamic with each other this way. I could not be more satisfied with the way the secrets were revealed; I almost never wanted to put this thing down! There was always something you were on the edge of finding out.

I truly think one of the cleverest things about the book was the telling through these three POVs. Not only did it allow for many painful and brilliant instances of dramatic irony, but it kept the story going at a great pace. I loved the writing style that was just figurative enough to make it beautiful and moving, but not so much that it confused me and took me out of the story (which is sometimes an issue I find myself with!). It deals with some heavy topics, which it warns about at the start of the book, and to my knowledge it dealt with them well. Also, yay for casual bisexual rep! I ABSOLUTELY recommend this read!!!

The initial thing that struck me was the character studies of The Sea Is Salt and So Am I. I absolutely love stories that don't have a *ton* going on but delves so intricately into the characters, their motivations, and their messiness as human beings.
The story revolves around three central characters: Harlow and the twins, Ellie and Tommy.

1) Harlow is such a great name and so very "Harlow," if that makes any sense. When I want to go and say "Harlow," it just rolls off of the tongue with a bit of pretension and maybe a slight sneer...because it's Harlow we're talking about. This girl confuses me so much, and I can assure you that we would not be friends. Even though she is "unlikeable" (most of the characters honestly are), she is such an incredibly crafted character. I wanted to completely disassociate myself with her while also wanting to see what was going to happen next.

2) Ellis. When I started reading, I thought I would connect most with Ellis (disability rep and bisexual rep by the way!) but that opinion definitely changed as the story continued and Tommy entered the picture with his perspective lol. His brother calls him an asshole a couple of times, and I agree with this character assessment. Still, it was horribly fascinating to see how he interacted with his best friend, Harlow, and his twin that he disconnected with years ago.

3) Ellis and Harlow. Harlow and Ellis. Rolls off the tongue effortlessly. They will always come back to one another. It makes sense, and it’s puzzling but also wow they fit together. They have "best friend" vibes but it's not the usual warm and fuzzy "you are always by my side" feeling rather out of necessity. They somehow end up next to each other again, whether they want to or not.

4) Tommy. Oh Tommy. Who knew there would be so much history and complexity between these characters.

Basically, everyone in this book screws up multiple times and really badly sometimes, but we’re all still here in the end, somehow, aren’t we. I'm a bit confused overall but fascinating book and beautiful writing that sucked me in regardless.

This book follows three main characters: Harlow, Ellis, and Tommy, who live in a small town in Maine called West Finch.

I have some mixed feelings about this book. I thought the writing was very descriptive and I loved how the author portrayed the setting of the town. I also liked how messy and flawed and realistic the three teen main characters were. All three of them had varying complex relationships that changed over the course of the book, and I found it interesting to read about.

I did feel like the book dragged a little bit, and it took me a while to read. It felt like a slower read than most YA contemporary. I also was not a huge fan of the ending, and would have liked a more clear and solidified explanation of what went down in the last couple of chapters. The ending is very much left up to interpretation, but my problem with it is that I very much dislike one of the possible interpretations and if that is actually what ends up happening with the characters, it completely changes my opinion of the book. I also would have liked a little more exploration about the negative/toxic aspects of the relationships that the characters have with each other, and also more growth within those. I think that while the characters' flaws were realistic, especially because they are teenagers, some of their actions were never fully addressed or explained.

I really appreciated that the book had a content warning at the very beginning for suicide/suicidal ideation and depression, especially because of how large of an aspect of the book this was. Including content warnings at the beginning of a book is always a great idea.

rating: 3/5 stars

Thank you so much, Netgalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Roaring Brook Press, for the chance to read and review this book.

TW: attempted suicide, suicide ideation, depression. cancer, death of a loved one

West Finch is a small Maine hometown and it risks to be destroyed. Sixteen years old Harlow Prout is determined to save it, but around her it seems none will help her. Not her best friend Ellis, who wants to run away from his problems, like his complicated relationship with his depressed twin, Tommy. Neither is Tommy, who recently tried to drown himself. His attempted suicide changes everything in these three teenagers' lives, uncovering secrets, romance and so much more.

The Sea is salt and so am I is a beautifully novel, told by three different POVs, with a lyrical and evocative writing style and setting, in a small town on the sea. The story is sometimes hard to read, because the author deals with important and heavy themes, like suicide, depression, changes and relationships. With care and sensitivity the author wrote a story about love and trust, family and friendship, changes and emotions.

Harlow, Ellis and Tommy are teenagers and they and the relationships with one other are strong and intense, messy, sometimes unhealthy and others destructive.
I couldn't fully relate to Harlow's character and, even though I admire her drive and passion for the enviroment. I've found her relationship with the brothers very peculiar, a bit too intense, even if she's driven by love and friendship. Same thing for Ellis, even though his attitude and his way of "solving" problems were incredibly understandable, so his need to help his brother and to protect his relationship with Harlow.

One character I really loved and I really related to, instead, is Tommy. He's such a brilliant and intense character and I was really impressed by how his feelings and emotions were written, his depression, his needs and emotion, his strong relationship with Cliff and the beautiful in how they found "Something good from something bad".

I also loved the way the author wrote about these characters and their growth, their own and in their relationships with one other. In a character driven plot, this story is achingly beautiful and compelling. Plot-wise, not much happens, because the story is focused on Harlow, Ellis and Tommy, on their bonds and mistakes, lies and secrets, on the way they love and hurt, forgive and lose, rebuild and move on.
The way the author wrote about depression and loss, the struggle to move on, the therapy, the help needed is very moving and brilliant.

This book is brilliant, beautiful and very well written, with characters sometimes hard to understand, complex and intricate, but absolutely relatable as humans.

This is a story of 3 messy and lost teenagers, trying not to get sucked out to sea along with the rest of their little Maine town. It's melancholy and soft, full of secrets and pain but also full of hope, particularly the kind that comes from the rubble of something terrible. I really enjoyed it. I loved watching these characters stumble towards some kind of redemption that they each wanted, and I liked how flawed they got to be throughout, wading into melodrama but never getting too annoying about it. It's a special story and I definitely recommend it to those looking for a thoughtful and moody YA story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me early access to this book. This in no way influences my thoughts or opinions.

I truly don't know how to describe my feelings about this book. The cover is absolutely beautiful and I'm sure the writing was an attempt at the poetic expression of depression.

But it missed its mark for me. I say, if you liked Normal People by Sally Rooney then you would enjoy this book. It's people making bad choices as a means of hurting themselves and others unnecessarily. I didn't like the treatment of depression and the feelings of others. I didn't think the revealing of all the secrets at the end was super shocking or even all that interesting.

I did enjoy the atmosphere of the small seaside town. That was brought to life very nicely and I enjoyed the exploration of small-town life. But that's about the only thing I did like.

I hope others do find that they enjoy this book. I never like not liking a book.