Monsters Born and Made has some incredible world building, following a desperate maristag Hunter, Koral, who enlists in an elite competition after a hunt goes wrong and puts her family in jeopardy.

I wasn't too keen on a lot of the characters in the book, since they fell a bit flat. However, the action was superbly written and for much of it I felt like I was there. Absolutely loved the writing style!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I received a copy of this book from SOURCEBOOKS Fire and Netgalley.

So this book totally wasn't my vibe. It's interesting because there were some parts that I was totally into but a lot of it felt very flat to me.

I quite enjoyed the world building. Some of it made me think of a watery Hunger Games.

The depictions of classism worked for me, too.

I think the problem was the main character Koral, who seemed to react to things rather than be a character.

A cross between Hunger Games and The Scorpio Races, the mostly stands up due to the successful world building. When Koral and her brother fail to capture a maristag (sea monster) for this upcoming Glory Race, they face complete ruin, with the likely result being they get stripped of their social status. In desperation Koral attempts to enter the Race, something that her family's status normally wont allow , she faces opposition, both vocal and physical, from friends and enemies and even family.
The novel takes a little while to get going, but the second half, once the world has been created, moves at a great pace.

There is so much I want to say about this book! Monsters Born and Made has been on my radar for a while based on the cover and title alone. When I read the blurb for it, I was officially bought in when it gave comparisons to The Hunger Games. This book is a YA Dystopian/Sci-Fi Fantasy debut by Tanvi Berwah, and let me tell you, it is EXCELLENT!

In this book, our main character, Koral, comes from a family of Hunters. For generations, the Hunters have braved the vicious black seas to capture, raise, and train these creatures called maristags.

"...living nightmares that move as fast on land as they do in water. The lithesome creatures are bipedal. Their front limbs are short. Stronger. Clawed. Made to grab prey and to tear their muscles. Enormous antlers crown their heads. Their scales are luminescent and their blood green."

The Hunters sell the maristags to the upper-caste Landers, to compete in a competition called The Glory Race, a deadly chariot tournament. The winner receives glory, fame, and fortune, while the others---if lucky---survive.

"The Glory Race is the island's single biggest event...Ten Landers risk their lives charioteering with ruthless maristags that hold their lives between their jaws. And one of those Landers becomes a Champion with more gold than they'd ever need in one lifetime. That kind of victory can change a family's fortune for generations."

When a hunting trip goes wrong and the last maristag of the season gets away, Koral and her family find themselves in a financially desperate situation. Koral is then faced to do what no Renter has dared to do before: enter the Glory Race.

" I am a Hunter. I have grown up in the sea. I will win this, no matter the odds."

------

This book had me hooked from the beginning. It was fast-paced, full of action and adventure, and there wasn't a moment I could put it down! The setting was so vivid and beautiful in description, yet you could also envision just how dangerous this world is with its deadly seas and monstrous creatures.

The author also provided so much depth to the characters, particularly in the family dynamics. Koral's relationship to her the members of her family was complex and layered and messy, and I loved that. It felt real. (I'll insert a TW here: this book does deal with domestic abuse. I do want readers to be very mindful of that.)

Some of the subtle themes in this book blew me away. In this book, we confront anxiety. We face past hurts that have been passed down by our parents. We defy social constructs. And we are humbled by the vastness and immensity of the sea, and the larger world around us.

There really are a lot of similarities to The Hunger Games, which excited me. I would say this book is like a mix of THG and the Tri-Wizard Tournament from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. So, if you like both of those things, this book is definitely for you!

My only slight disappointment is that we didn't get more of a romance between Dorian and Koral. I love a redeeming/second-chance romance and there was so much build up and not enough pay off (in this book at least, hopefully there will be more to come!) Also, I don't know how to cope with the ending. That's not really a disappointment. I just don't know what to do with my life now. haha

I highlight recommend this book. You're not going to want to miss this one when it releases on September 6th! Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an ARC of Monsters Born and Made in exchange for my honest review!

This book was terrific Yes, it had some Hunger Gamesesque feels to it, but there is enough difference in the 'tournament' part of this story that it doesn't feel like you are reading the same book. The characters feel fresh and interesting to follow their stories through Koral's eyes. I really enjoyed the lovers to exes to rivals romantic plot, though if you are looking for a HEA you will not find it in this book. It will be interesting to see if it pops up again in future books because I found the chemistry between Koral and Dorian to be believable. I honestly found the weakest part of this story to be anything to do with the rebels, though this makes sense when you are looking back at the story because you are seeing this all from the perspective of one character who actually keeps herself away from the rebels.

Overall, I enjoyed Monsters Born and Made so much. The cliffhanger ending caught me hard as I was not ready to let the book just end. So I am definitely going to need more of this series.

“We hunt when the world sleeps. A risk that could kill us. A risk forced on us”
“Choices can mark a turn in fate that we might never get back”
“And no matter where I go, the sea will always be my home”
I finished reading this book … and I need the sequel already !!!!
This story, this plot, this characters … a magical south-Asian inspired fantasy perfect for fans of “We Hunt the Flames”, “The priory of the Orange tree” and “the hunger games” !!!!
A beautiful mix of freedom and slavery, survival, betrayal and fights where you’re on your own to try and save the people you love most!!
Koral is an amazing main character and what she experiences during this book … I love every second of it!!
The struggle, the poverty, the love for her family and friends and the determination and ambition in proving other people that she can do anything !!!
I loved the reference to the Latin and Greek games of the chariots and the way that scenarios is explored here!
And don’t let me even start on the friends to enemies to lovers trope !!!!!
I’m obsessed !!!
This first book is not out yet and I already need book two !!!
“There are so many things I’d like to do to you … One day, I might”
“Not this one, my star”
“I’ve tried to hurt you and failed. I’ve tried to hate you and failed”

🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book was very Hunger Games meets Scorpio Races and it hooked me from the beginning. The world and character building were fantastic and it never really dragged. If I had a complaint at all, it would be that the ending had way too much packed into it and nothing felt resolved. I would definitely love to see more from this world to where else the story can go!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me this ARC in exchange for a honest review! I really REALLY enjoyed this, more so than I was expecting to (personally not a fan of The Hunger Games). The world building was vivid and colorful, and the characters were interesting and made the reader feel even more invested in the story. Will be highly recommending.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC!

I was immediately sucked into this book because the world building is absolutely fantastic. It was an immersive read that had lots and lots of thrilling twists and turns.
You’ll be hooked.
Definitely recommend it if you, like me, spent your teenage years reading every dystopian book under the sun.

Incredible world building. An immersive read. A completely new and fascinating setting for this story sets it apart from others. Engrossing from the start this book will keep you hooked until the last page .

I had such high hopes for this book but it really let me down. It sounded like an Asian inspired Hunger Games but the similarities were a little too similar which made this book so predictable. I wanted so much more from the plot, character development, backstory, etc and was ultimately left disappointed. I feel like this book had such potential but the world building and creatures needed a little more development as well. It was incredibly difficult to imagine what the creature or areas of the world looked like. I also found some of the action scenes to be hard to follow. The logistics didn’t always make sense. There were a few parts that felt uniquely written and were great but there weren’t enough of these moments to mask the problems with this book. Man, I am really sad I didn’t enjoy this as much as I had hoped.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and the author for an advanced copy of this book for my honest review.

The violent urge to pet a maristag.
Would I lose my arm in the process ? It's highly probable. But I don't have a good survival instinct, like a lot of the characters in the book.

4.5 ★

oh my god this was so good just INSANE i loved this so much

thrilling, suspenseful, action-packed, unique- this was the perfect hunger games-inspired fantasy

the world building was for sure one of my favorite parts. somewhat dystopian, somewhat fantasy, set on the haunting seaside, filled with gorgeous mythical monsters- it was just really interesting and unique. it was so easy to get immersed into this world, and there are so many subtle details, like the little starfish lamps, that make it feel much more rich and real. it was so cool and i would be down for more stories set in the same world.

the characters were your pretty average YA leads. koral, the mc, was strong-willed, stubborn, and somewhat prickly, but had the softest heart for her little sister. I do wish she had more depth though, as I sometimes felt a little disconnected with her. I'm a sucker for animal relationships, so I loved watching her bond grow with her maristag. her brother, emrik, was slightly annoying and I didn't really like him all that much. the best friend, crane, was pretty fun- I just again wished we could've seen their friendship a bit more and gotten some more depth. ll the other side characters serve their purpose but overall, aren't very memorable.

the romance started off SO WELL omfg and I just wish there could've been more bc OHH MYY GODDD it was such a good angsty, swoon worthy, slowburn with so much tension and FKJDGNGBLFHJBV. it was lovers-to-enemies-to-somewhat lovers, with the knife-to-throat, jealousy while watching her dance with someone else, quick we have to "pretend" kiss to hide trope and MORE!!!! the tropes were honestly serving and we were getting fed. I really really really hope there's a second book bc I NEED more dorian and koral.

the action scenes and writing were done so well. the different races and challenges literally left my heart pounding and my eyes were glued to the screen. I could just so vividly imagine the arena, with all the wealthy, lavish landers sitting in the stands, cheering on the bloody, thrilling monsters and racers as they fought to the end. so so so good.

I am a little confused on the south asian influences on the story. the landmaster is described as wearing a sari, a few of the people's skin tone is described as being brown, and there was a casual mention of curry at the ball or party or something. but that's it? idk I guess I was just expecting a bit more in terms of how much representation would actually be given.

overall, I cannot recommend this book enough. with dystopian, hunger games inspired vibes, fascinating monsters, and an angsty lovers-to-enemies-to-maybe more romance, this will for sure be a hit. mark your calendars y'all SEPTEMBER 6 !!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive an arc in exchange for my honest review- all thoughts and opinions are my own!



Loved this one! Lots of action, lots of lore/mythological aspects. Great protagonist. I can’t wait to see what’s next from the author:

Thank you Net Galley and the Publisher for giving me a free ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Initially in the beginning of this book I was sucked in due to the world building and liked the direction the book was going in. However I found myself skimming a lot of the book and not enjoying it due to boring characters. I just didn't find myself that excited for this book the longer it went on. There were some really cool elements in this book I just could enjoy this book a lot due to that characters being not enjoyable to read about.

Told in a way that is reminiscent of Hunger Games, this novel takes our main character through challenges and trials meant to break her in the worst way. Support from her family is minimal, but she fights for them the entire time. The fantastical creatures in this story add their own level of suspense, and the plot keeps the reader turning pages as they need to know more. I finished this book in a day, and I will definitely be putting it on my classroom shelves, but I doubt it will stay there for long because I think many students will be waiting to read it!

Thank you to Sourcebookfire for providing me this e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, the cover is beautiful, and with the promise of a dystopian/fantasy setting, rivals-to-lovers subplot, to-the-death competition, overall I was very excited to read this book. Everything was great on paper, but in the facts, I am a little disappointed. Maybe it's because my expectations were too high but I feel like this book was just so underwhelming. It was fast-paced and easy to read, but I had a hard time staying focused or paying attention at all.

I liked the south-asian representation and the caste system, which I hear is still used in some countries. The author did a good job depicting the unfairness of their condition and the discrimination between Landers and Renters. The characterization was a little bland, but not terrible. Koral isn't a bad main character, she's strong and determined, and she would do anything for her family. Dorian wasn't as interesting as he could have been, and Emrik and Crane deserved more character development.

What I liked was the depiction of Koral's family, which is very realistic. The relationship between her parents, and between Koral and her dad and her mom, were all things I could somehow relate to and understand. Koral cares so much about her sister, Liria, and kept trying to save her during the whole book, which was adorable. The way their family was treated by the other Renters was interesting too. I liked Koral and Crane's dynamic and I love to see strong female friendships in books.

The politics, however, really weren't that good. I think it needed way more development. The plotting on Landmaster Minos' side was okay, and I liked the division within Freedom's Ark, but I feel like even that could have been done better. It wasn't elaborate enough, it was very simplistic, which just makes the stakes feel... not that high. We're told that the situation is serious but everything feels so dull that I got bored easily and wasn't even interested in knowing how it would end. It just wasn't intense enough.

The worldbuilding was a little confusing at times and could have been handled better. Honestly, if I try really hard, I can see the picture in my mind - an island, the ocean and the red sun, wild, terrible, great sea creatures emerging out of the water. It is beautiful, but in the book, it just felt bland. I don't think it did a good job describing it. Mainly, the descriptions and the atmosphere just weren't vivid enough.

The ending, with the outcome of the competition and Koral's fate, made sense to me, and it wasn't bad, but I feel like it didn't offer much resolution regarding the caste system and the whole society aspect of the book. It was left open but didn't make me want to know more about Koral's story, so if a second book comes out, I don't think I will read it. This really wasn't a bad book, it was just very dull, thus my 2 ½ rating.

I find the comparisons to The Hunger Games to be fair, inasmuch that both stories center around literal fights to the death, with many teenaged competitors and only one winner (possibly only one survivor, too). There are also similarities between the protagonists, with their strong family ties (doing this for my sister). However, I actually found the tone, pacing and general feel of this book more comparable to Red Queen.
The world building was fair. I particularly enjoyed the very many monsters, and how basically everything in this place is trying to kill them, but still they survive and ultimately thrive, too.
I feel the political intrigue/rebellion could have been expanded on, however I am not sure if this may be a series, in which case this may be explored further in subsequent books.
I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters, apart from Mama (the author could definitely do with exploring her backstory more!)
All in all a solid 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an eARC of Monsters Born an made in return for my honest review. When the description says The Hunger Games meets South-Asian inspired mythologies/history they weren’t joking… This book made me nostalgic for the dystopian fantasy novels I adored as a teenager. The storyline was interesting, unique and the last few chapters had me absolutely glued to the page. This book has everything… a strong female protagonist, complex relationships, fantasy, monsters and a hint of a love story. Overall this story is a great read and the authors descriptive narrative really brings the story to life.

Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Fire for providing the ARC for my honest review.
This book was described as a the Hunger Games meets South-Asian inspired mythologies and history and I think that perfectly fit what this story was. I would also say it reminded me of The Red Queen at times too.
I loved the beautiful descriptions and details to South Asian culture. Like the little details of what how they lived to even the reasoning behind their tattoos. Then the creatures that are so prevalent in this story are like nothing I’ve ever seen or read before. They were so cool.
This book definitely had my heart racing at times or was deep in the feels during any Koral and Dorian scene or feeling every emotion during the last like 10% of the book.
The reason I gave it 4 instead 5 stars are more personal reasons. Like I felt like at times we were missing scenes between Koral and Crane or Koral and her brother that would better explain their relationship and give me more of connection with them. Not that I didn’t, I just think certain scenes would’ve hit harder if I had a couple extra scenes with these characters before. In general, I would have liked if the book was longer and we got a few more scenes in between. This also might sound super random, but I think would have liked it better if it was told in third person limited instead of first person, but random opinion from me. All this did not take away from the story being truly amazing.
I would definitely recommend this book to friend. Meanwhile, I’ll be over here impatiently waiting for book two.