When Oceans Rise by Robin Alvarez weaves together fate, love, abuse, and family within the backdrop of Filipino culture and mythology. It's a compelling YA novel that offers a window into diverse cultures while providing an engaging storyline.

Listening to When Oceans Rise as my first audiobook introduced me to the world of audio storytelling, and Jennifer Aquino's narration truly brought the characters to life. Her ability to convey Malaya's emotions through varied intonations is commendable, particularly in scenes where raw feelings are laid bare.

The coastal setting described in the book is evocative, offering a refreshing backdrop for the story. The detailed portrayal of Malaya's relationships with her family members and boyfriend allows the reader to truly connect with the characters. Malaya's growth throughout the narrative serves as a poignant reminder of life's continual lessons.

Despite initially expecting a focus on toxic relationships, the book proved to be much more, prompting discussions on cultural beliefs in mythology and superstitions. The parallel timelines skillfully illustrate the importance of familial connections, adding depth to the narrative.

Received as an arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book just wasn't for me for many reasons. However, it feels unfair to rate a book poorly just because it wasn't my cup of tea. I'm not going to read a romance, and then bash it because I hate romance books.

My enjoyment of the book was 2 stars.
The quality of the book itself {in my opinion] was 3 stars.

Who WOULD like this book: People who enjoy a more youthful, modern tone in their fantasy realism.

Why I wasn't feeling it:

1. I really did not like Malaya. To preface this, Malaya is a victim in a toxic relationship, so a lot of her actions are textbook signs of a victim in this scenario. Because of this, I tried to be patient and accepting. I understand her feeling melancholy, and distant from others; But the fact that she was actively horrible to the people in her life that love her, and tried to help her, all so that she protect her f***boy boyfriend *eyeroll* She was co-dependent, had low self esteem, and took all of her anger out on those who love her. Because of this, I had trouble empathizing with her. :/

2. Although I do enjoy fantasy realism occasionally, this was WAY too much realism for me. Lots of talk of social media, slang, and general Gen Z colloquial topics, etc. To me, that just feels icky alongside a magical mermaid story.

3. The tone of the story was also a bit too young for my taste. I am an avid YA reader, however these characters all just seemed way too immature for me. I feel like the target audience for this book is 13-17 year olds.



There are definitely people out there who would enjoy this book I think! One thing that was pretty cool was the taste of Filipino folklore and culture the author gave us. I knew literally nothing about Filipino culture, so it was cool to hear about their different types of monsters and magical beings.

I want to call this Filipino Little Mermaid but it is SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT. The only real similarity between this story and the Little Mermaid is that the FMC goes to see a sea witch and loses her voice in a contract. everything else about the story is different and incredible.

This story fully embodies the Filipino-American perspective and as a Filipino-American myself I really, really appreciate it. I haven't read many books that make me feel seen but this for sure struck a chord with me. Malaya's disconnect with her parents and siblings was something that I could understand, as was her longing for a new life.

This story felt like it would be a contemporary teen drama at first but then quickly flipped after Malaya met the sea witch. Once she was transplanted into her new life, this story turned into a thrilling supernatural story with so many familiar creatures from Filipino stories. Though I knew many of the creatures that were discussed in the novel, I also felt they were explained well enough that anybody would be able to get an idea of what Malaya, Salvador and her family were facing.

Without giving too much away, the revelations in this story, the betrayals, and Malaya's character growth were impeccable. I was damn near bawling by the end of the book as I tried to focus enough to finish it. I was so happy for Malaya that she was able to fight for what was best for her and her family instead of what she thought she wanted. The final chapters felt very bittersweet, considering everything Malaya lost, but she gained so much in the process.

I will eagerly look for more novels from this author.

First of all, I’d like to say thank you to NetGalley, Robin Alvarez and Tides Collide Publishing for access to the Audiobook ARC. WIth that being said, this review is nothing but my honest opinion. Let’s get to it:

When Ocieans Rise follows Malaya, a seventeen-year-old girl, whose family is cursed. In her family, every girl’s first love is someone evil and the relationship is doomed to end in death. Malaya doesn’t think the curse is real or that her first love is evil. What she doesn’t see is that she’s blinded by love and she isn’t noticing that he is hard at work gaslighting her and isolating her from her family. Malaya goes to her Tita Blessica for a reading and her Tita tells her that the boy she thinks if her first love isn’t her true first love at all and in order to meet her true love she must go to the Sea Witch. This leaves Malaya confused until she ends up in the hands of the Sea Witch after getting pulled into a riptide while surfing. The Sea Witch promises to undo Malaya’s poor choices and send her home to a life where she never dated the boy who ruined her, all she has to do is give up her voice…

Despite seeing the cover and reading the initial blurb for When Oceans Rise, I feel like I had no idea what I was truly getting into and although I wasn’t certain at first, I ended up absolutely loving this audiobook. This books is a Young Adult Fantasy, and in many ways it is a retelling of the little mermaid except without mermaids and with the addition of Filipino culture, folklore and mythology.

This books does contain Content Warnings* As someone who has experienced a really bad relationship in which, like Malaya, I was also cheated on and gaslit repeatedly, I appreciated the content warnings at the start of the audiobook. The way it is explained briefly but thoroughly that the main character goes through a relationship with mental and physical abuse that may seem nonsensical or infuriating to an outsider but isn’t something so obvious to the person going through it is spot on.

Overall, this book is well written it contains folklore and fantasy elements, parallel universe/realities, life lessons, and so much more. 5 stars from me! Highly recommend (with consideration to content warnings)

- I didn’t notice the AI cover until I was most of the way through the book, and it’s disappointing that the publisher (or whoever would make that decision) would choose to use AI.
- I loved the Filipino mythology and culture, especially seeing the way the younger generations connected with the older generations through it.
- the way this book portrays an abusive relationship is so well done, especially showing how hard leaving one can be.
- I enjoyed the fights with the mythological creatures! It reminded me a ton of the fights in Percy Jackson!

When Oceans Rise is a powerful story about finding your voice and reclaiming your life after abuse. As is her family curse, Malaya’s first boyfriend quickly turns abusive. As he continues to apologize and charm his way back into her life, Malaya stays quiet about the abuse she is experiencing until, one day, it goes too far and a distraught Malaya seeks escape from her relationship with the help of a cunning sea witch. Malaya’s reality is dissolved and new monsters begin to surface in her new life.

Steeped in Filipino mythology, When Oceans Rise explores not only the power of voice, but also the way our limited perspective shapes the way we form relationships with our family, friends, and partners.

I thought this book was heartwarming, entertaining, and empowering and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

*Huge thanks to NetGalley and Robin Alvarez for the audiobook version of this novel*

Listened to narration at 2x speed with no issues. Narration was pleasing to the ear and added emotion.

Malaya is warned that her first love will be the death of her, but it's hard to make a 17 year old understand that. As predicted, when she falls for Ian, he soon turns physically & emotionally abusive, but Malaya can't escape. Instead, in a twist on The Little Mermaid, she visits a sea witch and trades her voice for a life without Ian. Then, it's a land of multi-verses and Filipino mythology as Malaya traverses her new life while realizing that her old one still exists.

The pacing was a bit wonky on this one. I always struggle when a new love interest dives in 100%, no questions asked, just total commitment to whatever weird occurrences are going on. The double dimension doesn't work for me personally and a few lessons were pretty heavy handed at the end; probably ok for a YA audience that might need a more straightforward take away, but not subtle enough for a seasoned reader.

Overall: 3 stars

I'll tell my students about: physical abuse, emotional abuse, trauma, language, alcohol, drugs,

**Thank you to NetGalley and Tides Collide Publishing for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

17 year old Malaya is cursed: every girl in her family’s first love ends up being someone toxic, ultimately ending in the girl’s (either metaphorical or literal) death. To escape, Malaya turns to a sea witch and trades her voice for a life where she never met her toxic, abusive boyfriend.
When she realizes the sea witch lied to her and switched her with a version of herself that never made the same mistakes, she must figure out how to undo the switch before the sea witch uses her stolen voice to unleash Filipino creatures onto both worlds.

When Oceans Rise was a unique take on the Little Mermaid story with the incorporation of Filipino culture and folklore. The concept of the story was super interesting, and I was excited to read it.
The folklore creatures and Malaya’s relationship with her sister were what I enjoyed most in this book. I really enjoyed hearing about all the different creatures they encountered and how Malaya and Gabrielle work together (and through navigating the two very different lives they’ve lived in their respective timelines) to find a way to sent Malaya home. Those moments between the sisters really seemed to have an impact of each of their individual character arcs.
My main issue with the story was the pacing. The whole book felt very monotone and the stakes never felt high enough. The beginning was pretty rushed and felt more like narration/backstory to explain the insighting incident rather than telling a story that allowed me to connect with Malaya and understand her motives. Overall, it felt very expository. While I was rooting for the characters, I never felt like they were ever in any real danger. Yes, they faced problems, but everything seemed to resolve without much conflict.
I also really disliked how the cover art is AI generated. It looks like Malaya has a three fingered alien-hand and I find it kinda off-putting.
This isn’t a book I’d read again, but I’m not /unhappy/ that I read it.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook.

This is a fantasy that has lots of Filipino mythical creatures. I love reading about other cultures and myths, so this was right up my alley. Easy listen as far as audiobooks go!

Without giving too much away, Malaya is seventeen and somewhat lost so she decides the ocean will determine her fate. She learns her family is cursed. Everyone’s first loves fall for someone else. She tries to break the curse while finding out who she is at her core.

Thanks to Robin Alvarez, Creative James Media, and Net Galley for the ARC! Pub date 5/23/23

A very interesting twist on the classic “the little mermaid” , I more or less enjoyed this, though the abuse that the main character went through was both relatable and triggering.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of When Oceans Rise by Robin Alvarez in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book! I loved learning about Filipino mythology and culture. I sympathized with the main character and her struggles in an abusive relationship, I have been there and felt for her. Her relationship with her family was intricate and full of love, it made me miss my mom. This was a wonderful, fun, emotional story that I highly recommend.

This is a perfect mix of teen YA sci-fi and contemporary fiction if you love a good myth story mixed in with teen angst in a modern day story of dating abuse you would definitely love this book. Malalia is dating abusive Ian and it seems despite the female opinions in her Malaysian family she is doing exactly what the curse said she would do in dating in abusive man… After all she is the oldest daughter but when her and her sister Gabby cut class to go practice surfing at the beach and a hurricane hits it will change Malaya‘s life forever this is a dark sci-fi thriller with some light hearted moments and overall I thought it was a great story I love books with mythology in it and I’m not really familiar with Malaysian mythology but have heard the story before not oceans rise the myth about the sea which I really enjoyed the story and thought the narrator with a little bit more practice could be a great narrator for the most part I enjoyed her performance. I want to thank the publisher and net galley for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I was first attracted to When Oceans Rise by the cover which while beautiful, is dark, and after finishing this, it fully fits. This standalone is a great fusion of contemporary and fantasy elements, going deep into Filipino mythology, working life lessons in almost effortlessly, especially for those in bad situations.

The story’s first quarter is mostly contemporary, taking place in Corpus Christi, Texas, with some Filipino mysticism woven in as Malaya deals with her high school life with her abusive boyfriend, Ian. And yes, you feel much of the weight of that nightmare. But once she drowns and finds herself in a mysterious underwater grotto, the fantastical elements wash ashore (literally) and turns into a ticking clock to make everything right. The pacing was well done as it doesn’t stay in one spot for too long, since there’s plenty of plot advancement and plot twists, which were really well done. I was shocked several times throughout in the reveals. The integration of Filipino mythology was done well, and I learned a lot about the different creatures, as well as other aspects of Filipino culture. I especially love the themes and lessons that I won’t spoil (though some relate to Philippine culture) and how they are woven into the story. There were some small sections that feel like they were skimmed over and I got lost, but I understood what was going on in a general sense, and trust me, there’s a lot going on, but it makes sense for the most part.

Malaya was easy to relate to for me, even though I’ve never been through the nightmare she has to go through in this story. It digs straight into the details of how it’s not as simple as leaving the abusive boyfriend as it might seem like from the outside, especially since the author mentioned being in a years long abusive relationship in her past. And yes, it goes into a lot of detail about abuse and gaslighting by a romantic/sexual partner. I do like how she grows and learns her lessons as she interacts with the others around her and I wanted to hug her several times.

There’s some profanity and graphic violence as well as the detailed abuse, but no explicit sexual content.

The narrator, Jennifer Aquino, was mostly fine and easy on the ears, but there was a bit of a lisp that was a little distracting.

If you can handle the darker content, and you’re interested in Filipino mythology in a contemporary setting, pick this one up. Part of me wants to see a companion story as well. I also look forward to more from Robin Alvarez.

When Oceans Rise is a great story and a retelling based on Filipino folklore. I love reading about these stories whose roots take me back to my childhood. The pacing is great and the author did a great job immersing the reader into the lives of the characters. Absolutely a winner read!

I loved this book. It took me back to my teen years and made me reflect over the decisions I made when I was the MC's age. I loved the pacing as the story was moving and it did not feel stagnant at any moment.

Thank you to netgalley and Tides Collide Publishing, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for allowing me to listen to this book. I really enjoyed listening to When Oceans Rise. It allowed me to dive into a different culture.

I quite enjoyed this audiobook; it was the first time I learned about Filipino folklore.

Obviously, this is a little mermaid retelling, and I liked the new take with still some nods to the original.

This is a Filipino retelling of the tale of the Little Mermaid. A teen is stuck in an abusive and toxic relationship. She finds it nearly impossible to get out of due to a generational curse. She goes to the extreme lengths of giving up her voice for a fresh start.

I enjoyed reading about the culture and folklore in this story. I think this story is a good fit for a teen audience.

When Oceans Rise by Robin Alvarez is a tale of fate, love, abuse and family intertwined with Filipino culture and mythology. It is a great book for people who are interested in learning about diverse cultures while being in the comfort of a YA book.

When Oceans Rise is my first audiobook and Jennifer Aquino has kindled my love for audiobooks. The narration is great and she manages to encompass all the emotions of Malaya through her varied intonations. There are certain scenes that tug your heartstrings where Malaya’s feelings just pour out into you, and kudos to Jennifer for bringing out that original essence.

The book is set in a shore town and the descriptions of the locality were refreshing. Malaya’s relationship with her mom, her sister, her brother, her grandmother and her boyfriend are depicted in detail making the reader feel one with the story. Malaya’s character development over the course of the story is one thing that kept me rooted to the story. It tells to the reader that life is a process of continual learning.

I got into this book thinking it was a book on a toxic relationship but it was more than just a cautionary tale. The book opens up discussion on the belief in mythology and superstitions in cultures. The book also revolves around familial connections which is beautifully depicted with two parallel timelines.

Thankyou Netgalley and the publisher for providing me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook!

This was a fascinating take on what someone might do to escape a terrifying situation with magic, Filipino folklore, and alternate realities. While the plot was a little slow at times, it was full of adventure and the narrator did an excellent job.