This was an okay book it felt too much like other books- Scorpio Races and the Hunger Games. The final 30% just reminded me way too much of the Hunger Games. It was decent enough and well-paced but I didn't love any of the characters and honestly didn't overly care about what was happening.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

This book is 70% The Scorpio Races, 20% Hunger Games and maybe 10% original story. It was entertaining for the most part and the last 20% is really good, but it was distracting how much like the Scorpio Races this book was. Like how did they get away with stealing almost the entire storyline? I’d be a little upset if I was Maggie Stiefvater (author of the Scorpio Races).

Monsters Born and Made is a story about a girl who entered an ‘impossible and deadly’ competition to save her family from debt and to help with her sister’s medication needs. I had high expectations for this book because of its intriguing premise and I’m a huge fan of female protagonists in fantasy novels, unfortunately this one’s an exception.

I enjoyed reading the first part of the book even though the world building was descriptively vague. I liked Koral’s feisty personality towards the antagonists and her reserved softness for her family. I have to admit, however, that her personality wasn’t consistent throughout the book. Her reactions and internal dialogues were all over the place.

The story is a bit slow. But it’s mainly because of the world building, descriptions of monsters/maristags, and back stories. There’s also a hint of lovers-to-enemies trope in the book which I find interesting. What I’m not entirely sure about the book is the time setting, I’m not sure if it’s a mix of contemporary and historical.

Nonetheless, I still enjoyed reading this book. The effort of creating a world combined with cultural references is truly commendable! This may not be for everyone but it is worth a try.

TW: Classism, blood, gore, domestic abuse, parental abuse

This book started really rough for me, there was a ton of information that thrown at me right off the bat that was really hard to digest. A lot of the monstrous animals were hard to picture with the descriptions given and the world building was kind of just thrown in your face and assumed you knew what was going on. (I didn't until much later.) There's Landers...the rich elite people of the island and there are Renters, the poor working class. And in between is the Hunter family. The Hunters, literally hunt these beasts called Meristags (I think they are some type of horned horse/fish type creature), train them and then sell them to the Landers

Koral Hunter is very much the typical hero, doing anything and everything to save her family, including risking her own life. She ends up sneaking her way into being a charioteer in the 150th Glory Race, a trial of several dangerous chariot races (with Meristags) that will declare one person the Champion and they will receive gold and glory. Koral's family is indebted up to their eyeballs and her sister is in need of medical care so she figures the only way to save her sister and her entire family is to enter the Glory Race.

The similarities to the Hunger Games were abound. There's the challenge that's supposed to fix everything in the hero's life, the untrustworthy Landmaster (authority figure), and the rebellion faction interfering in everything. So you might like this if you were a Hunger Games fan. I thought the characters were okay, the little romance gave a bit of Cruel Prince vibes but we are left in limbo on that front with the huge cliffhanger at the end.

Overall this book did not flow well for me, that combined with the hard to imagine creatures and world I slugged through it so I could at least write this review. It never seemed Koral would pull through all of the depressing events that just kept happening to her. My hope was non existent and the way it ended was just as disappointing.

I did receive an audiobook ARC as well and while I appreciated the narrator's emotion while reading this, her tone matched the stagnant and clunky feel of the book and I ended up reading only at about halfway through.

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Fire and RB Media for providing me with an eARC and audiobook ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

An intriguing YA dystopia, Monsters Born and Made has been compared to The Hunger Games, and I can see why. I'm not complaining. I love The Hunger Games, and I enjoyed this story! Both books have comparable dystopian elements – the oppressive society, the extreme disparities between castes, the corruption of power, the lack of control among most citizens, the struggle to survive, and so much more. The protagonist, Koral, is a lot like Katniss. She is brave, loyal, sensitive, and determined, and she will risk everything to protect the ones she loves. But as much as the stories seem similar, they are very different.

This story takes place on an island surrounded by an ocean where monstrous creatures lurk. It is an island ravaged by the sun, and the upper elite, or the Landers, live underground. Koral, a hunter of the sea-monsters, is one of the Renters, who live above ground, subjected to the harsh environment, poverty, disease, and vicious predators in the water, air, and on land. It’s a dangerous and brutal backdrop to the story, which takes place during the equally dangerous and deadly Glory Race.

The Glory Race reminds me of a cross between a chariot race, a Star Wars pod race, and the Hunger Games. It is so fast-paced and action-packed, and though it reminded me of a mix of so many other things, it felt unique, and I became really immersed in the story. The buildup is a bit slow, and it took me a bit to become immersed in the story. However, once the games began, I couldn’t put the book down. It was so intense and suspenseful!

Throughout the story, it felt like every time Koral took two steps forward, she was forced to take three steps back, and she could never fully trust anyone. Between the games, the corrupt government, family and relationship conflicts, the underhanded competitors and their allies, and the rebel group threatening to destroy it all, Koral has her hands full! While competing in the games, Koral also has to face a competitor with whom she has a past, conflicts with her brother and best friend, an abusive father, a sick sister, antagonistic nemeses, monster attacks, a corrupt system, and so much more.

There are several relationships in the book that I liked. Koral’s relationships with her brother and sister are fantastic. There is so much love there, and you can tell how deeply they care for each other in all that they do. Koral’s relationship with Dorian is also really interesting. They have this whole exes-to-enemies-to-lovers thing going on, and it was complicated and messy and intriguing. Koral and Dorian have so much in common despite their economic differences, and it was interesting to see their relationship evolve.

Another thing I really liked about the story is that it makes you question who the real monsters are. Are they the people who oppress, abuse, and humiliate others? The animals captured and forced to submit to humans even though it’s against their nature? Is it the desperate girl who will do anything it takes to save her sister? Koral has some thought-provoking revelations about what makes a monster.

Overall, I thought this was a good read. It took me a while to get fully immersed in the story, but the compelling characters, the unique world, and the competition make up for the slow start. And after that ending, I definitely want to read the next book. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I am clearly in a reading slump, because while I'm really enjoying this book and the world in it, it could not seem to keep my attention. I kept picking up this book and enjoying it in little chunks, and each time I read a new section, I found another reason to like this book. And yet, it still took me so long to finish it. One thing I really like about this book is the discussion of class hierarchy/caste systems, and the benefits and privileges that come with being a part of the higher class, as well as the struggles and disadvantages that come with being a part of the lower class. Koral is a part of the Renters, those subservient to the Landers. And her life as a Renter is down right awful.

One thing I don't like about this book, or in any book, is the unrealistic strength Koral has. The fact that she can and will push through anything to do what she needs to do is admirable, but I want to see some weakness from her. It just felt like every challenge was one that she could push through and I wanted to see her contemplate giving up sometimes. Or to feel defeated a little. Just for her to then pick her head up and move forward.

Besides that, I really enjoyed this book! I love the world and getting to see the differences between the Renters and the Landers. The stress on Koral from Landers as she competes in their competition, as well as from the Renters rebellion that wants to use her defiance as a means for anarchy. Include some monstrous creatures that could kill you in a second, and this book has everything I could want and more!

I sadly DNF'ed this book about 55% into it. I gave it the best chance but I wasn't interested in the story and I felt that it was kind of slow. Based on what I did read, I gave it 2.5 star.s I didn't really find the main character to be much of anything and she was just not for me. Maybe I'll give this author another chance in the future but I'm not sure.

A revival of the YA dystopian fantasy novels we all loved in the 2000’s. Perfect for readers who are looking for a new YA story with the vibes of The Hunger Games and Red Queen. Monsters Born and Made is a splashing debut about a word threatened by monstrous water-dwelling creatures and ravaged by over exposure to the sun. Berwah discusses class disparity, marginalization and scarcity against the backdrop of a terrifying and deadly competition.

I really enjoyed the world building of this story although there are a few points that I wasn’t quite clear on. This didn’t necessarily detract from my reading experience, as I think the gaps in explanation fit the overall design of the story, but did leave me pondering a bit. I loved the way the creatures were introduced and described throughout the book. The exposition felt very natural and authentic to the first-person narration style, there were just some moments where I was wishing for an omniscient narrator to give me a bit more context as to the origins of this world as well as the format of the Glory Race itself.

Berwah throws readers right into the action with an intense opening chapter that grabbed my attention immediately. I love when YA novels are fast paced and plot driven and this one definitely delivered on those points. I also enjoyed how there were multiple layers to this story. I went in expecting a pretty straight forward, basic competition plot and got so much more! The elements were woven together fairly well although I do feel that there were some holes where I would have liked to have more detail or clarification about what was going on. The books also takes place over a surprisingly short amount of time which lent to some situations occurring that felt a bit too convenient for our main characters. I would have liked to see the timeline drawn out a bit more and our characters have to struggle and strategize more to reach the next phase of the story.

The characters fell a little flat for me, with the exception of a few very lovable side characters. I really wanted to see more development of the relationships between the characters to get me more invested. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing if that improves in book two as Berwah matures as a writer and we get to spend more time with these characters.

Overall this was an enjoyable read and a fun step back into a very beloved genre. I will certainly be continuing with the series and recommending this book to anyone who is feeling nostalgic for the dystopian era of YA books.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a great story! I loved the concept and the execution by Berwah was great. I felt like I knew exactly what Koral was going through. Her pain was palpable and it allowed me to connect with her on a deeper level. I loved this! It did take me a little bit to get into, but once I did, I enjoyed it!

I LOVE THIS BOOK. For fans of The Hunger Games and The Scorpio Races, this book grabs you by the neck and never lets up. Follow Koral as she fights her way through a caste system designed to keep her out of the most dangerous - and most prestigious - race in her world. A race full of danger - not only from terrifying sea creatures, but also from the people around her. Will she beat her ex-boyfriend and the other deadly competitors and save her family? You'll have to read to find out.

Perry good, I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to others. I enjoyed the characters and the plot was well done.

Part The Scorpio Races, part The Hunger Games, and part something entirely new and brilliant.

Koral and her brother Emrik risk growing into adulthood every day as they capture the monsters residing in the seas and train them into submission for the elite ruling their world. They are paid little and the sickness growing inside their younger sister has them all increasingly desperate for funds. The monsters, as if sensing this growing unease inside of them, prove increasingly difficult to capture and, as the stakes are heightened, Koral must take calculated risks to save her sister's life and her family from destitution. One such risk sees her competing in the Glory Race. Wealth is the reward, if she can win against the elite vying for gold and fame alongside her and the monsters they ride, vying for her blood and destruction.

I loved the ingenious creation of this world but do wish the reader was garnered more of an understanding of its geography, its cultures, and the mechanics underpinning it. The political focus dominated and was highly intriguing, as was every other facet introduced, but I yearned for a more comprehensive knowledge to also be gained for these other areas, which I believe could have been done from a few extra chapters included. Regardless, I loved everything this did contain.

I believed this to be a standalone but the open-ended conclusion and the multitude of questions now haunting me have me seriously hoping for a sequel. I loved Koral, this world and the monsters - both human and otherwise - who haunt it, and long to be reunited with them all in the future.

Perhaps I'm disappointed because I had been so excited to read this book. Everything from the description to the title to the cover made this book sound like something that would be perfect for me. Unfortunately I'm left just feeling meh about it.

Hopefully this is only an issue with the ARC and not the finished copy, but the way scenes were written to introduce characters or places was so confusing. I spent half the time going back and rereading to see what I missed. Some of this probably had to do with the formatting of the ebook I received, with typos, weird paragraph breaks, paragraphs that started in the middle of sentences, etc. I want to revisit this one with the final published copy There was also a fair amount of telling rather than showing with characters.

This being pitched as similar to The Hunger Games is spot on. I can definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for similar books.

“Monsters Born and Made” by Tanvi Berwah. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: YA/Teen Fantasy. Location: Sollonia Island in the Panthalassan Ocean. Time: 1000 years after the Empyrean Sanctuary ship, carrying the Voyagers, crashed on Sollonia.

A 16 year old girl and her older brother support an abusive father, a beaten down mother, and their sick little sister. But wait, this takes place somewhere else, and while you might recognize some challenges, others are vastly different.

MARISTAG: Predator. Fast, bipedal, clawed front limbs. Luminescent scales, green blood, enormous antlers, venomous barbs, rear-curving fangs.

Koral, 16, and her brother Emrik are Maristag Hunters. A wild storm causes them to lose the last maristag of the year. Without this income, they face starvation and cannot buy medicine for their chronically ill little sister. It’s a strict, caste-system life with the Landers living in luxury and the Renters (everyone else) suffering. Koral sneaks into the Landers’ Glory Race, trying to win the gold prize with her maristag Stormgold. Meanwhile, her best friend Crane joins the Freedom Ark rebels as simmering hostility between entitled Landers and downtrodden Renters comes to a head.

Berwah’s characters are complex and her world building creative. It would be helpful to have a map of the island, and of the Drome race track. She blends South Asian culture into the story with clothes (saris), food (flatbreads, curries), holiday traditions(colored powder bombs), and an entrenched caste system. Sometimes there are time and location changes without notice, and it can be hard to follow the races.

Berwah’s storyline is well developed, except…If this is to be a standalone, the plot leaves many unresolved questions. If this is the beginning of a series, then her plot is well developed and leaves one wanting more. I definitely want more of Koral and Stormgold, and it’s 4 monstrous stars from me.🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire, an imprint of Sourcebooks, for this early copy. Publishes 9/6/2022.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this ARC.

While the synopsis was gripping, I just couldn't get through this book. It felt like it was a mix of stories already done and thrown into one book. I didn't find it at all an original.

From what I was able to get through (30%), the writing wasn't too bad. It was easy to read but found that the story was a little all over the place. I'm sad to say that I was underwhelmed and had higher hopes.

Right off the bat this book reminded me of Scorpio Races. I had a hard time staying engaged. This book just feels all over the place. I think there is just a lot going on and if there wasn't so much going on maybe more attention to detail could have been made. It just felt like a mishmash of a few popular books.

Tanvi Berwah's Monsters Born and Made is like if The Hunger Games took place on a space-racetrack on another planet, with a cast of cool characters and even more interesting monsters to keep your attention. Koral and her brother (and her family in the past) catch a specific species of these monsters, called marestags, for use in the all-important race that the culture she lives in reveres. When an accident and desperate circumstances force Koral to smash taboos and enter the race as a member of the clearly delineated underclass, everything becomes fraught with danger.

I liked much of this book and thought that there was some very nice character-work being done, but in the end I kept being put off by the sheer proximity of some elements to the Hunger Games and other similar properties, and the ending very much leaves room for a sequel that I hope asserts its own identity more once freed from that structure. There is a lot to enjoy here otherwise, an interesting world and unsolved mysteries, fun cultural elements and truly horrific wildlife, all of which were definitely highlights of my read.

Fans of the Hunger Games and similar books should like this book, so I'd easily recommend it to them.

The Scorpio Races meets the Hunger Games.
The world of Monsters Born and Made is a fully realized place, almost a character in its own right. There were some things that I wish had better descriptions but overall there was a very clear picture of the place this story took place in. Which was good, because there was a lot going on.
Right from the beginning I got Scorpio Races vibes from this books, the whole concept of catching deadly animals that live in the sea and racing them was a direct parallel, but not in a bad way. This book took the same basic idea but made it darker and deadlier and crueler. More like the hunger games, the Glory Race is a spectacle of death used for entertainment. And the clashes between the privileged upper class and the struggling lower class also gave hunger games vibe but with less separation.
The overall affect of this is that you have a world where everything in it can easily kill you and the lower class people struggle to survive each and every day while the upper class people live safely underground flaunting the wealth and vilifying the lower class people.
And in the midst of this very volatile situation we have a race traditionally only run by the upper class people in which the lower class protagonist has managed to illicitly insert herself. Needless to say no one is happy about this but Koral needs the winners purse in order to save her dying sister and she is willing to fight anyone, including her own friends and family, who tries to stop her.
I thought Koral was a great character and despite the very detailed world and political situation we are being thrown into the book moves quickly and is easy to follow. Its a wild read but a good one. The ending took me by surprise but it was not disappointing.

A new YA Fantasy from a new voice, with a beautiful south asian influences. With elements of the hunger games, scorpio races, and the tri-wizard tournament,

Koral is a hunter, a hunter of the sea-monsters the upper class use for the spectacle that is the Glory Races that only come around every 4 years. When this years hunt does not go according to plan, and her family is left with no income and a sick child to take care of Koral decides to go against the unwritten rules and enter the years Glory Race.

This book had a lot of promise, and although many elements were all over the place, I saw the potential this book had and had a great time.

An excellent debut!
I was hooked from the start, loved the world building and the characters. If you enjoy dystopian or fantasy this book is for you.


The story starts with a girl named koral who's family are known as hunters. They capture sea creatures known as maristags, that are used for racing known as the glory race. Something happens that has koral entering this dangerous race and the story goes from there.