What a solid, sweet middle grade book! I love venturing into a good middle grade read, especially between some heavier reads as a palette cleanser. I enjoyed this one thoroughly and like the world we were swept away into.

I feel like I’ve read a lot of similar stories to this one, or at least the different elements of this story stood out as very familiar. Hmm…twins where one is good and obedient and the other is a little more of a rule bender/breaker. The obedient twin gets taken and it is up to the other twin to go on a quest to save them. And let’s go ahead and toss in a few beings/creatures of legend and myth.

And this story gave very little time to settle into the characters and the world and the story. It literally started with so much action. In the first few chapters, Kishi was taken, Kai decided to take on a quest, went to visit a god and was given a quest, seeks out a magic item that will enable her to fly, and gets captured by bandits. It was just a lot of stuff happening very very quickly.

Yes, all that excitement keeps a reader flipping the pages quickly, but it also doesn’t give time to absorb what is going on. And I did read the whole book in just a couple sittings. Overall it was just too much going on pretty much all the time.

The descriptions were nice, quite lovely actually. There was wonderful imagery and it made it easy to picture things, which was great. And even though there were so many characters, the more important ones had plenty of descriptors to help differentiate them from others.

Kai had some sarcastically quippy lines, and Ren was amusing (I especially love the names of the horses), so it makes sense that they are our main focuses for the most part. And yes, it was nice that Kai’s crush on Ren didn’t go completely into relationship territory, because not every book needs to have that.

Oh, and the ending…there was definitely a lot going on there, and some of it didn’t make complete sense, especially since this is supposedly a stand alone book.

So, I don’t know. I enjoyed this book, even if it went at a breakneck pace, but for the most part it wasn’t anything that really stood out. It’s not a bad book, and if it sounds interesting to you, then I’d definitely recommend it.

Kai and Kishi are twins, and pearl divers. Twins are considered unlucky, but her parents kept them both, just the same. One day Kishi is killed by a ghost whale, and Kai goes to the Dragon King to beg to have her brought back to life. She will give anything to have it happen. She says she is the good twin, and should live.

And thus begins, what appears to be a journey to get a magic pearl from the Fox Queen.

And if that was all this book was going to be, it would have been a drag. I hate journey stories. They bore me to tears. But, Kai, along the way, gets captured by bandits, and they intend to sell her to the local warlord. She has to get to the Sky Mountain by the full moon, to get the pearl, and this is just getting in her way.

From there, the story continues to take turns, and go in directions that you can’t expect.

Through it all, Kai wants nothing more than to save her sister, despite others wanting the magic pearl for their own advancement. They can’t understand why she doesn’t see that this is more than family.

But to Kai it is all family.

I loved that she was so determined, and stayed true to her word. I also love the world building bringing in Japanese folktales.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. The book came out February 7th, 2023. Seek it out. It is a good story.

This work is set in a world inspired by Japanese culture, folklore, and legends. The worldbuilding was engaging and well written – the author incorporated folklore and cultural details throughout the story and characters in a way that brought the setting to life. However, I did feel that the author tried to incorporate a bit too much of this into this book, and that it would have been more powerful to limit the number of fairytales/lore that were included and focus a bit more on some typical worldbuilding (better situating the story in time, a little more info about the empire/factions, etc.). The characters were also well written, with unique motivations, voices, and feelings, which made them all feel like real people. I enjoyed Kai’s growth throughout the story, and while she still didn’t necessarily make the best choices by the end of the work, they were in line with her character and understandable.

There were a few things that felt inconsistent in this story, though. One big one was the fact that most people in the world don’t believe in the gods/goddesses, but near the beginning of the work, the protagonist acts like it’s not surprising that they’re talking to her and offering her aid. The ending was atypical for YA fantasy, and while I enjoyed how bittersweet it was, there was also a part of it that was deeply unsatisfying and left many unnecessary unanswered questions. As far as I’m aware, there is no planned sequel, so it was a shame to get through the whole work and be left with that feeling.

Overall, this was an enjoyable YA fantasy read – I loved the setting and the world but felt a little cheated by the end.

I feel like I’ve read a lot of similar stories to this one, or at least the different elements of this story stood out as very familiar. Hmm…twins where one is good and obedient and the other is a little more of a rule bender/breaker. The obedient twin gets taken and it is up to the other twin to go on a quest to save them. And let’s go ahead and toss in a few beings/creatures of legend and myth.

And this story gave very little time to settle into the characters and the world and the story. It literally started with so much action. In the first few chapters, Kishi was taken, Kai decided to take on a quest, went to visit a god and was given a quest, seeks out a magic item that will enable her to fly, and gets captured by bandits. It was just a lot of stuff happening very very quickly.

Yes, all that excitement keeps a reader flipping the pages quickly, but it also doesn’t give time to absorb what is going on. And I did read the whole book in just a couple sittings. Overall it was just too much going on pretty much all the time.

The descriptions were nice, quite lovely actually. There was wonderful imagery and it made it easy to picture things, which was great. And even though there were so many characters, the more important ones had plenty of descriptors to help differentiate them from others.

Kai had some sarcastically quippy lines, and Ren was amusing (I especially love the names of the horses), so it makes sense that they are our main focuses for the most part. And yes, it was nice that Kai’s crush on Ren didn’t go completely into relationship territory, because not every book needs to have that.

Oh, and the ending…there was definitely a lot going on there, and some of it didn’t make complete sense, especially since this is supposedly a stand alone book.

So, I don’t know. I enjoyed this book, even if it went at a breakneck pace, but for the most part it wasn’t anything that really stood out. It’s not a bad book, and if it sounds interesting to you, then I’d definitely recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC of this title. I enjoyed reading this title. Would recommend for my library.

An absolutely beautifully crafted story. I loved everything starting with the gorgeous cover to the last page. I will absolutely be purchasing this one for my own MG readers and will be thinking about this story for years to come.

Thank you for the digital ARC. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC. These are my honest thoughts:

Heavy Japanese folk-lore, middle grade/YA coming of age fun…until the end. I was so IN LOVE with this book until the last page. The world is so richly described and the lore perfect and blended into the narrative.

Kai is so real and every character is so well fleshed out, it was a pure privilege to experience Beck’s story. What should be a 5 star book is hampered by a weird retcon attempt for possibly a sequel in the very last pages. So frustrating!

Thank you to Balzer + Bray, the author, and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was released on February 7, 2023.

“Mortal, you are a pearl hunter. Trust the pearl to tell you what to do.”

Kai and Kishi may be twins, but they’re also opposites. Both pearl divers living on the coast of the Freshwater Sea of the Heiwadai Empire, Kai is stubborn and prone to rule-breaking, while Kishi is more responsible and obedient. When the girls hold a competition between themselves during a diving trip to see who can carry the most mussels to the surface, Kishi is captured by the ghost whale—and dies. Determined to reverse her sister’s fate, Kai makes deals with deities, treks across the Empire, forms alliances both tenuous and firm, challenges the leader of the fox spirits, and ultimately must choose between saving her sister or continuing along the path she has begun to forge on her own.

I think I’ve read this book about four times now, and each time I’ve read it, I’m struck by how fully realized the characters, setting, and even folklore all are. The Heiwadai Empire is based on pre-Shogun era Japan, and it’s clear that Beck has done a great deal of research in order to make the reader feel immersed in this world, whether that is through descriptions of the colorful clothing and delectable foods Kai eats in the general’s house, the landscape, or the explanation of social norms. On a prose level, the narrative is so beautiful, and there’s a lot of great imagery, particularly when it comes to the scenes set underwater. I just really like it when (it seems like) I can tell that an author enjoys writing a particular thing, and Beck’s passion shines through.

And although the book is full of magic and myth, featuring the goddess Benzaiten, the Dragon King, a magical cloak and other artifacts, and pearl-wielding foxes, I think its greatest strength is something very real—Kai’s love for her sister and the growth she experiences on her journey to rescue Kishi. I’m not sure what more I can say about the depth of Kai and Kishi’s relationship that isn’t evident in the lengths Kai goes to in order bring Kishi back from the dead.

I will also say that while I think the ending may not be for everyone, I loved it. It’s bittersweet while potentially leaving room for further adventures despite this being a standalone, and although I think some readers might end up feeling that it takes away from Kai’s journey and character arc—and I was surprised when I first read it!—I think it was the right choice, and I so appreciate that Beck went there.

A captivating adventure with a beautiful historical and mythical backdrop, The Pearl Hunter is an exciting tale of resourcefulness, inner strength, and the bond between sisters. It’s impossible not to get swept up in Kai’s journey across the empire—from the belly of a ghost whale to a magical fox den—to rescue her sister.

This story is about Kai, a pearl diver in Japan. When her twin sister is taken by a sea monster, Kai sets out on a journey to get her back. She has to face a variety of characters from Japanese folk lore as well as learn her own lessons. It's a fine story.

**I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley and this is my honest review**

After letting the story sit for a bit, I'd have to say my rating is 3-3.5 stars. There's a few elements that left me wanting something more.

This book took me back to the YA fantasy of my youth. It's the story of a young girl finding herself, learning about the world outside her home, and overcoming massive odds. There is a lot of Japanese folklore and mythology woven into a beautiful story.

We meet Kai and Kishi, twin sisters who are finding as they get older their paths start to diverge. When Kishi is killed by the ghost whale, Kai sets out on a quest to retrieve the Kitsune's queens pearl and bring her sister back.

Overall this is a fascinating introduction to some elements of Japanese folklore. It is fairly fast paced and keeps you engaged. I think any middle schooler with an interest in Japan or folklore would enjoy this book.

There is once mention/contemplation of suicide and while I know it was a nod to seppuku, it's not explained anywhere in the text. I did feel that may be slightly inappropriate for the age group not necessarily due to the topic, but the manner in which it is glossed over. If we has some explanation in the glossary or even in the characters own mind of WHY they considered suicide honorable then it would work better for the intended age group.

There were times were the writing style seemed to roughen and pull me out of the story. Since I had an ARC this may have been fixed in the final copy.

The ending left me unsatisfied. This book could have easily been a duet and we could have seen Kai really come into her own knowledge of self completely. But we got an ending that seemed to unravel all the progress and make her whole journey seem worthless while also opening up a huge list of questions at the very end.

<spoiler> So at the end Kai goes home and time has gone back to the day her sister died. So it's like she's only been gone a few hours rather than a week and everything that happened (the potential attack on her town, the bandit boy she met and his whole plotline, the potential YA romance, the Kitsune queen being beat etc...) is just undone... It didn't happen even though she remembers it. So why? This really is why the book crashed and burned for me. Why does her experience matter at that point? Why should the reader care when none of it happened anyway?</spoiler>

Overall, I would read something from this author again. They do really well weaving a new story from many elements and I know middle school me would have devoured this book. But that ending just didn't work for me as a reader.

I really enjoyed this book, stories about characters going on journeys to protect or save their siblings or family are some of my favorite stories to read about. Kai’s fierce devotion to Kishi and the things Kai is willing to do to bring her sister back make up some of my favorite things in a character. I was also pleasantly surprised to read about how a pearl diver learned to ride a horse. And the ending was something I couldn’t have predicted and even though I’m not usually a fan of open ended endings, this one gave me bittersweet feeling and thoughts and emotions I’m going to think about for the rest of the day while I try not to cry.

One of the only things I disliked, even though the story itself was amazing and I really did enjoy it was, that the writing was a bit…lacking in my opinion. It was very to the point in a way that made character decisions feel like there was no emotion or thought from the character behind them. But I’m usually willing to overlook unenjoyable writing as long as the characters are compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this book available in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC of The Pearl Hunter by Miya T. Beck!

While twin sisters Kai and Kishi do everything together, they could not be more different. Kishi is the "golden child" to Kai's "trouble-maker." As the only children in a pearl diving family, the sisters are honored to continue their family's tradition of pearl diving and selling pearls to noble houses in the Heiwadai Empire. When Kishi and Kai enter into a pearl diving contest, Kishi is killed by the legendary Ghost Whale and Kai goes on a quest to bring her sister back from the dead. Kai's amazing journey leads her to the gods who she bargains with to steal a magical pearl in order to win back Kishi's soul.

I really loved this book. The family dynamics between the sisters and their parents, and the complicated love that Kai has for Kishi was what gave this book so much heart. I appreciated the journey of self discovery that Kai goes on as well. Learning that she doesn't have to be perfect and to accept herself as a wonderful, talented, and unique person in her own right.

The interactions with the gods and the journey gave this book a beautiful and mystic feel and I loved the imagery throughout the book. I was often able to picture myself in the scenes. I did have a little trouble deciding the right age audience for this book as the material is quite heavy, but the writing felt accessible to younger readers.

Would highly recommend this book to other readers, especially girls/women!

This book was provided as a galley proof, and I really enjoyed it. It was an excellent mixture of fantasy, historical fiction, Japanese culture, and adventure. Sisters Kai and Kishi are twins, and are becoming pearl divers for her family in old Japan. Kai, the protagonist, is more free-spirited, while Kishi is the "perfect" child. On the dive that will make her a full-fledged pearl diver, Kai races Kishi to bring up more oysters. In doing so, Kai sets in motion a horrifying series of events that sees her sister in great danger, with only Kai to save her. To do so, Kai will have to brave dangers she isn't sure she can overcome--but to save her sister, she is determined to do her best.

This story was wonderful and very hard to put down! I would love to find out more about Kai's adventures, as the book leaves you with a potential cliffhanger. Hopefully there will be a Pearl Hunter book two!

This is such a good story. The writing, the world, the characters, and the story itself draw you in and keep you there. In a world where not everyone is on your side and everything seems to be going wrong, we have a sister fighting to get back the person who meant the most to her.

Kai and Kishi are identical twins and pearl divers in a time and culture where both are despised. Kishi’s sweet nature, compliant demeanor and tendency to flirt with the mayor’s son may allow her to be an exception. Certainly, those qualities add to Kai’s annoyance during a competitive dive that turns tragic. Kai’s guilt and desire to restore her sister, take her deep into the world of Japanese legend. Readers will be delighted by Kai’s bold, impulsive and clever actions as she negotiates bandits, warlords, dragon kings and fox spirits. While the story is full of adventure and magic, a central portion when Kai is trapped at the warlord’s palace, slows the pace. A big twist and surprise ending will leave readers hoping for more.

First of all this cover is gorgeous and that's why drew me to the book initially. I really enjoyed the first half of the book and if I was rating solely on that it would be 5 stars. However it goes downhill for me after that. The pacing seems off and there just feels like too many ideas going on. And the ending... eh.

I was drawn in by the beautiful artwork of the cover. And I'm always a sucker for stories of sisters saving each other, so this was an immediate request.

After the loss of her twin, Kai sets out on a quest to steal a fox goddess's pearl to win back her sister's soul.

I absolutely loved the combination of the fantasy and the historical in the backdrop of this story. The mythology intertwined beautifully with the story and felt natural. The descriptions of the fishing village, and the towns Kai passes through, juxtaposed against the realm of Benzaiten and the court of Dakini, the fox goddess were lush and expansive.

But the pacing of this book felt off to me. We start with a bang, but then the story comes almost to a complete stop in the middle. It lost so much momentum for me, that it actually took me some time to want to pick the story back up. And the ending of the story was without resolution for me. I kind of understand the effect I think the author was going for, the tragedy that can happen even when we get what we want, that nothing comes without a price. But I needed something showing Kai's process of dealing with what happened, especially as this is marketed as a stand alone.

And this was a minor thing, and personal to me, but I disliked how often Kai's character was described in comparison to her twin. Now, this may be a thing that happens with twins, but I wish that we had been able to see Kai define herself without her twin, especially when the majority of the book happens while Kishi is dead. I did love the variety of women characters that Kai gets to meet, expanding her horizons of what life is like outside of her small fishing village.

Overall, this was a charming read, with some fascinating characters, as well as being an interesting exploration of what someone is willing to do to save a loved one.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this ARC.

CW: Chapter 15, animal death

So I really enjoyed the first half of this book! I loved Kai and Kishi relationship and enjoyed seeing the jealously that Kai felt for Kishi. This is such a normal feeling between siblings and it was nice to see. Something I didn't enjoy about this book was too many mythology into the stories. The author seemed like she couldn't decide what stories to talk about and put them all in there. Some of the writing was sloppy and had a hard time following the story. Overall I really did like the concept of the story.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NETGALLEY for the ARC!

I enjoyed this book. The characters were nice and I liked the adventure. The writing was good. There wasn't anything that I could really complain about. Solid story.