A Rushed Journey with Untapped Potential

When Oceans Rise by Robin Alvarez, narrated by Jennifer Aquino, offers a promising premise and a well-constructed world that captures the essence of YA fantasy. Aquino's narration deserves commendation for breathing life into the characters and making the listening experience enjoyable. She skillfully aids in bringing the story to life.

However, despite its potential, the book falls short of delivering a satisfying narrative experience. Reading it feels like embarking on twelve different stories simultaneously, leaving readers craving deeper connections with the characters. Regrettably, the book's pacing issues hinder the reader's ability to truly engage with the plot and its cast.

The author's decision to introduce numerous plot points without providing adequate resolution leaves the reader with a sense of unfulfilled anticipation. It becomes apparent that the story would have greatly benefited from being a duology or even a trilogy, allowing for the exploration and resolution of these intriguing plot elements.

Moreover, the romance subplot feels forced and lacks the organic development that would have made it more compelling. Had the book been given the space to unfold as a series, readers would have had the opportunity to genuinely care about the plot, the characters, and the intricately built world.

In terms of pacing, the story oscillates between moments of stagnation and instances where events unfold in rapid succession. This lack of balance creates an uneven reading experience, leaving readers yearning for a more cohesive and consistent narrative flow.

Despite its flaws, When Oceans Rise possesses a captivating premise and commendable world-building, making it a potentially engrossing read for fans of YA fantasy. However, the rushed execution, insufficient character development, unresolved plot points, and forced romantic elements prevent the book from reaching its full potential.

Additionally, it is important to address the portrayal of domestic violence in When Oceans Rise. Unfortunately, the incorporation of the main character's experience with domestic violence falls flat. Rather than delving into the complex dynamics and emotional struggles that young people face in abusive relationships, the author clumsily reiterates common talking points, akin to those found in a high school health class pamphlet on domestic violence.

The inclusion of this element feels forced and unnecessary, as the story could have progressed without it. It gives the impression that the author added this tragedy solely for shock value, without fully exploring the profound impact it has on survivors and the challenging process of leaving such relationships. This missed opportunity to authentically depict the experiences of domestic violence survivors is a disappointment within the narrative.

Overall, I believe that if the author had expanded the story into a series, allowing for more time to delve into the plot, romance, and the intricacies of the world, it could have provided a more satisfying and immersive reading experience.

When Oceans Rise is a Little Mermaid retelling, with Filipino elements and alternate universes. It's such a great story, with great writing and interesting characters.

It's a great and impactful story full of fantastical elements, but the ones that had the biggest impact on me were the realistic ones. The bad relationship that Malaya finds herself in, the intricacies of gaslighting, the subtleties of gaslighting, and abuse were portrayed in a very, very realistic way. We all feel like we couldn't find ourselves in that situation, it could never happen to me. And when you find yourself in that kind of situation, there is so much shame that you too, feel speechless, like Malaya did.

Highly recommend it!

was among those lucky to receive an ARC of this book when it first came out in print, and was super excited to hear it come to life. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


To preface, I want to start by saying that this book deals with some heavy topics head on right from the jump, so DON’T skip over those content warnings! At the end of them, the author notes that the journey ahead could be difficult, and she’s right on with that. Wading through those first chapters IS difficult, and it rouses emotions that you might not want to experience or be ready to face, but I think that makes the emotional journey of this story all that more significant.

Malaya’s growth throughout and by the end speaks for itself. She is such a compelling character, and her journey is nothing short of a rollercoaster ride, complete with those stomach in your throat moments when you’re suspended midair and you no longer feel your lungs.

This storyline is spectacular and engaging, with such vivid imagery, raw emotion, magic and sprinklings of humor throughout, and I could NOT put it down. Learning about Filipino folklore and culture was both interesting and fun. The action kept me at the edge of my seat on more than one occasion, and the ending left me with all of the feels and even more questions!

I will be crossing all of my fingers AND all of my toes, eagerly awaiting the answers that I seek, and looking forward to anything else this author puts out in the future.

HIGHLY recommend, the narrator did an incredible job!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, this is a very well done book but there are content warnings for abusive relationships. The author does a very good job addressing this.

This is a very well done retelling of the Little Mermaid with some Filipino mythology twists and turns. To me this is a 4.5 star book but I’m rounding up to 5. In the beginning, I felt like laying the groundwork for the rest of the plot was so slow. I kept listening because I kept thinking “eventually the fantasy aspect will enter” but it took a little too long for me. That is my one and only comment not loving this book.

That being said, I LOVED how the author integrated fantasy with the viewpoint of being an Asian American and the prejudices that sometimes are dealt with. There is also a strong baseline of family importance, loyalty, and forgiveness of one’s mistakes. We see a story to learn from all relationships, and just how dangerous it is being around someone or in a relationship who knows how to gaslight and manipulate. I loved learning about the characters, seeing them develop and most of all their conflict resolution. I don’t get to read many books where there is a positive example of learning how to deal with conflict.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I appreciated the story and Filipino tales as I wasn’t previously exposed to them but loved learning about them through this book.

The first 3rd of the book took me on the usual YA arc but then I quickly got into the story. The audio narrator wasn’t my favorite but overall the story made up for that.

The cover is so obviously AI, yet here we are lol

Unethical use of AI art aside, this was actually a great story! I absolutely loved the Filipino mythology inclusion and the author's twist on the little mermaid story. The only Filipino mythological creature I knew about was the aswang, so it was great to learn about the tikbalang, sirena, etc. The buntot pagi weapon was pretty cool too.

The first 30% read very contemporary teen drama with Malaya dating a fuckboy and being gaslighted to all hell. At first, I was very frustrated with it and thought Malaya was being ridiculous and had no backbone, but then I realized that my reaction was very misogynistic. I've been in her exact position, so I can definitely empathize. Maybe it was making me uncomfortable to the point that I wanted that part over and done with.

Anyway...

After all that was over, the story really escalated and the stakes became much dire when Malaya is sent to the other multiverse and the creatures are unleashed. That was a fun and wild ride! I loved how the side characters were supportive and Malaya's relationships with her family and friends read very realistic. I don't care much about romances, but I really liked the contrast between Malaya's gaslighting boyfriend and her new potential love interest, Salvador, who was polite and respectful and an overall good guy.

I wasn't really a huge fan of the audiobook narrator though. She felt very stilted in her delivery. But it was still listenable.

I'd definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a great BIPOC YA contemporary fantasy.

Thank you to the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks and NetGalley for this arc.

A wonderful retelling of the mermaid with Filipino mythology, and after being in a abusive relationship she goes to her aunt for help who informs her that there is a way to seek help to redo some of her decisions. The next morning she convinces her sister to skip school and to go surfing with her, but while surfing she gets pulled into a riptide, and gets taken under where she comes face to face with the sea witch that gave her what she wanted. A second chance, and that only cost was her voice. After being rescued by the guy of her dreams she slowly discovers that her life didn’t just restart but she was sent to a parallel life, and every time something chances from mine life to the other she gets the corrected memories. After her friend slowly discover that something if off about her she tells them what happened and they all band together to get her back to her correct home. The seek help of the sea witch to find out that both versions of herself have to want to go home, and since one version was always perfect she found that the other life allowed her to make mistakes and have fun. While that other wanted to have friends and love. The also found out thru other deities that the sea witch need her voice to unlock the gate to allow her to take over.

There’s a lot of personal growth and self discover in what the main character wants out of her life and realizing all the things that she was missing due to her controlling abusive boyfriend. I would say that if you have and triggers about abusive relationships that this book is not for you, but other than that the story was well written, and it was easy to just to get sucked right into the story.

This book was a wild ride. I enjoyed the plot and thoroughly loved seeing the development of the characters! I hope this book hits the shelves soon!

This was such a great audiobook, OMGEE

When Oceans Rise is a beautiful mix of contemporary ya and Filipino mythology. The story is incredible and the narration is pure perfection!

Malaya’s family has a curse… she has always known that each girl’s first love will end in death. She is trapped in a devastating toxic relationship in which she doesn’t fully recognize how bad it is, is distant from her mother and siblings, is just existing.

A day of skipping school winds Malaya in the ocean, finding the sea witch who makes a deal with her. The witch grants her a new life… not telling her that she is just switching places with a different Malaya in a different timeline.

Now, Malaya is faced with an unthinkable situation. Even though she loves this version of her life, she can’t reconcile the other Malaya serving the fate of her old life. She must make the switch back, all while the sea witch is releasing horrible trapped monsters into the world.

With help from the chosen champion, Malaya has ti do everything in her power to make sure these monsters don’t get out, least of all the sea witch herself.

I had absolutely zero idea of what I was getting into when I started this, choosing to go I completely blind. And it was incredible!

Robin Alvarez crafted a truly unique take on The Little Mermaid with the addition of Filipino mythology and folklore. The depiction of the fallout of being in an emotionally abusive relationship cuts deep and true. The action scenes were well done, characters were nicely fleshed out, and the mythology really makes this story stand out.

The audiobook narrator, Jennifer Aquino, really brings Malaya to life. Malaya’s character growth is touching to watch, and it’s easy to root for her after reading what she goes through.

I received an ARC of the audiobook via NetGalley - thank you Robin & Creative James Media!

Thank you NetGalley for this ebook audio.

I loved it! Different than what I usually read but it was great. Such a good story and I enjoyed learning new things about the Filipino culture.

I did not want to put this book down from the moment I picked it up.

I first chose to read this book simply because I found the cover to be gorgeous. After reading the summary and discovering it was inspired by The Little Mermaid, I grew even more excited because I absolutely LOVE retellings. The majority of the story is significantly different than The Little Mermaid story we all know, but the similarities are definitely present.

I was absolutely in love with Malaya and the way the author drew me into her story and made me feel so emotionally connected with her. My heart ached for her as she struggled to free herself and faced many difficult choices. Balancing the line of too much detail and not enough is so difficult, especially when writing about topics such as an abusive relationship and I think Robin Alvarez did it very well.

What excited me the most was the Filipino mythology throughout the story. My knowledge of Filipino mythology is very limited, but I have always loved mythology and was giddy from the first moment an Aswang was mentioned.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Robin Alvarez, and the publisher for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. It was a joy listening to this story and I will definitely be purchasing the physical copy to read again.

Audiobook specific: I loved the audiobook’s narrator but had a few minor issues. At first the S sounds were very harsh and took time getting used to and made listening difficult in the first few chapters. I’m also not sure if it was the actual audiobook or simply netgalleys app, but there were multiple instances where the pause between chapters was very lengthy and silent, making the slight white noise that is present during the actual recording very obvious. Besides those two minor issues, I enjoyed the narration and would love to hear this narrator again.

When Oceans rise by Robin Alvarez is one of my favorite reads of 2023 and I am honored to have gotten to listen to this audio book rendition of it.

! Trigger warnings for this book include but are not limited to domestic abuse of various levels and the psychological effects it can cause!

Everything I loved in my physical and digital read through remain true of the audio book from the stories depiction of Filipino mythos being interesting to the plot and writing style being immersive. The audio aspect though added an extra layer of enchantment that I didn't know I was craving..

When Oceans Rise is a great read for fans of contemporary novels looking to give fantasy a chance and for fans of practical magic style vibes looking for more myth and wonder in their magical stories.

I was l lucky enough to receive the audio arc for review via Netgalley. Thank you, Tides Collide Publishing, for giving me the chance to listen to this magical story in return for an honest review. Thank you, Robin Alvarez, for creating this fantastical retelling of The Little Mermaid laced with Filipino Legends and Lore.

3.5💫 I round up. I will try and keep as spoiler free as possible.

*Trigger Warnings* Domestic Abuse (physical, emotional and mental) from a partner, gaslighting, cheating, brainwashing and all the bad things that go along with abusive partners.

Tiktik. A bird that is believed to fly alongside a Manananggal. It makes a sound “tik-tik-tik-tik” or “ik-ik-ik-ik” It is said that the fainter the call of the bird the nearer the Manananggal is to you, the louder the ticking the further away it is. This is meant to confuse victims of this Filipino myth.

Alvarez paints an ordinary life of a teenage Filipino girl, growing up in the United States. The girl is caught between the throws of a more Westernised ways of life and the life and ways of the old customs her Filipino mother tries to push on her. As someone who is tri-racial myself I grew up in a culture very similar to the Filipino one with the way of doing certain things. So I found myself mirroring Malaya thinking back to when I was her age and struggling with being who I wanted and yet still trying to keep the family happy.

I really loved learning about the Filipino culture and the Mythology and Lore. As I am a sucker for Cryptids in any culture; Wendigos, Chupacabras, Skinwalkers and more. So finding out that this was not only a fairytale retelling, which is one of my favourite genres, but also used Cryptids and Mythology from the Filipino culture, I was like yes, sign me up.

The story started off a little slow. Though it begins to pick up and after the speed change I was able to focus a lot more on the story. I loved how the use of magical realism was used and it kept the story interesting. I hated Ian the second he entered the chat. I was a little irked by how fast their relationship went, all because of a fortune. I felt like that was the reason Malaya went so hard for Ian and fell victim to all his rubbish. Blinded by love, I didn't understand how it happened. Then again teenage romance does that. Another thing, that I thought was a little clunky was the time shifts in the storyline. Though was easy to ignore.

After loads of lies, gaslighting, tons of abuse, Malaya finds herself drowning in the ocean. She is snatched up by a mythological creature and taken to a Sea Witch. Where she makes a deal to erase the love and heartache, for the price of her voice. This thrusts her into a different timeline. I guess a parallel universe to the one she came from. Ian is not apart of her life in this time, and she has a second chance at life or so she thinks. All if her personal relationships are different and seem better in this life. I won't go too into it as I don't want to drop any big spoilers. There is A LOT of time shifting and A LOT of fighting Cryptids, with the help of everyone in this time and the parallel in which she came. Even the Filipino Gods come in to help using a Mortal they chose as a Champion. All this is happening while Malaya learns some valuable life lessons, and works on a plot to get her voice back and defeat the Sea Witch.

I finished the audio book in two days, maybe two and a half days, as I listened driving to and from work and in bed or while cleaning. It did tie up nicely with an epilogue, I was just a bit eh on one part, because something happens and a choice is made by a key character that is literally the thing the book spent the half the time trying to right as it was wrong for it to happen. I guess I felt like the message that I thought was perfectly conveyed by Alvarez was then dismantled by her as well. That aside I still enjoyed the book and it left me wishing for more even though it didn't have a cliffhanger ending. That is just me wanting more of the Cryptids and lore. All in all I was very pleased with this retelling even with the minor flaws I would recommend.

*Review can also be found on IG, Storygraph and Goodreads.

This was a unique and engaging retelling. The story is paced well, supporting characters are well written, and the portrayal of a main character getting out of a toxic relationship compelling.

The narration took me a little while to get into but by the end I appreciated the way that Malaya was portrayed. Her tone and voice seems to grow and change with her. I wished there was more time for Malaya's relationship with Salvador to be shown, even with that being a somewhat secondary plot.

This is a story of overcoming trauma told in a way that is at times sad, terrifying, joyful, and reflective. The various family dynamics are so well done throughout. I wish I'd had a chance to read this as a teenager when it would have given me so much perspective about choices and consequences.

Robin Alvarez's debut novel "When Oceans Rise" is a beautifully crafted tale interweaving Filipino folklore into a contemporary story of a young woman overcoming adversity. Seventeen-year-old protagonist Malaya contends with a family curse dooming first loves while trapped in an abusive relationship. In desperation, she makes a dangerous bargain with a mythical sea witch, leading to her voice and fate being stolen.
What follows is a suspenseful quest drawing from beloved Filipino myths like the Aswang vampire and Tikbalang trickster demon. Malaya navigates complex themes of identity, family, and toxic masculinity with nuance beyond her years. Alvarez deftly handles such heavy subject matter with care and sensitivity, giving proper trigger warnings for readers.
The rich infusion of Filipino culture and legendary creatures stands as the book's highlight. Malaya rediscovers her heritage, movingly depicted through vivid descriptions of rituals to combat mythical beasts. Carefully crafted characters like Malaya's mother and aunties further authentically capture the essence of Filipina traditions and bonds.
As Malaya finds her inner courage to "rise" above her circumstances, readers cannot help but empathize and root for her triumph. What begins as a loose retelling of "The Little Mermaid" transforms into a cultural celebration of female empowerment. Alvarez has announced herself as an exciting new artistic voice. She blends hope, heartache, and magic, and "When Oceans Rise" deserves recognition.

I loved this book! It’s was so Interesting to learn about Filipino culture and the folklore involved, the story of maya was truly touching and the way her story was written aloud readers to feel the emotions maya was feeling. There were some touchy subjects throughout the book but I was amazed there was a disclaimer at the beginning, allowing readers to be prepared. I was intrigued throughout the whole book, meaning this book was 5 stars in my opinion

WHEN OCEANS RISE
Thank you to NetGalley and the author Robin Alvarez for access to this audiobook for an honest review.

It”s usually fond memories of a girls first love but seventeen-year-old Malaya’s first relationship is cursed before it ever begins. In her family, every girl’s first love is tragic.

Malaya has her future fortune read to her and it seems like that curse will not happen to her. She meets the perfect guy just as she was told, or did she? He makes her think she is his world but over time ruins the relationship she has with her family. She second guesses herself when he makes her think she is forgetting things he told her when he gets caught in lies. He even tries to make her feel bad when he cheats on her as if it was her fault.

She is told by one of the Aunties that the seawitch can help sort everything out. Desperate thinking she has no alternative to get away from the heartache of the boy she loves abusing her physically and mentally, she believes her only option is to make a deal with the sea witch.

The sea witch tells Malaya if she gives up her voice she can have a new life where she and her abusive boyfriend never met. Malaya washes on shore and meets someone new. Was this the boy she was meant to meet and not the horrible one she wished to escape? This new life without her abusive gaslighting boyfriend is very different. Her relationship with her sister, mother, even her friends is nothing like how it used to be. Everything is opposite.

She figures out that she was tricked into swapping places with an alternate timeline version of herself who didn’t make her mistakes. As she tries to undo the switch, the sea witch uses Malaya’s voice to unleash Filipino mythological creatures into the worlds and to free herself from the depths of the ocean where she was trapped.

Can Malaya undo what she desperately tried to change or is it too late?

Thoughts…

I think the situation of the abuse the protagonist had is unfortunately common enough that if the person reading this story hasn’t encountered it, they probably know someone who has.

I loved hearing about Filipino creatures that I imagine are told in stories passed down from families that are new to me. I feel like this story also gives hope to people who feel it’s too late to mend broken relationships with family. With patience, understanding, and mutual respect, it is worth trying to make amends.

The people who truly love you will make the effort to help guide you to be the best version of yourself even if you do not see it.

The way the complexities of life is shown in this work is beautiful, coupled with the narrator it made for a great listen overall.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

When oceans rise by Robin Alvarez is such a phenomenal debut novel. From the moment I started this book I knew I would like it and I was not disappointed. Malaya as a character was so amazing and I loved seeing her grow and become free. Her journey was so difficult and she had many ups and downs but she slowly found the strength to change her life which is something I truly admire her for. The storyline was so amazing and the author does such an amazing job at connecting things and making the story make sense. They also do such a brilliant job at describing the scenes and help you see the normal moments and battles as scenes from a movie. I seriously couldn’t put it down. The story also helped me learn so many things about the Filipino culture and folklor, which was so interesting to read about. The ending was so beautiful and honestly made me so happy for Malaya, it was truly heartwarming. I absolutely recommend this book and hope that everyone gives it a chance since this is such an amazing read from start to finish. I also heard the audiobook and it is just as amazing, the narration is perfect and I loved getting to revisit this world again. Robin Alvarez was a new author for me but after this book they is now one of my must read authors and I’m so looking forward to see what else they write. I absolutely recommend this book and specially the audiobook because it just makes the experience so much better than it already was.