4/5 stars
Recommended if you like: historical fantasy, LGBTQ+ characters, mermaids, carnivals

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 11/17 and will be posted to Instagram 11/20 and to my review blog 11/28.

This book follows Benny as he goes from working at the ironworks to working for Samuel Morgan at his carnival exhibition.

I'll be honest, this book was interesting and nothing was particularly wrong with it, but it just had some trouble holding my interest. For one, I probably could've done with a more interesting first chapter. While Benny cares a great deal about the skill and effort he puts into creating the beautiful cage for Mr. Morgan, I do not. At all. The first chapter being solely about ironworking really did not hold my interest at all and I set the book aside for a week before returning.

Once Benny leaves the ironworks and makes his way to Coney Island and Mr. Morgan things become more interesting. The merman is definitely interesting and sparks a lot of development, plot- and character-wise, throughout the book, but at the same time it felt like there was little forward progression for a lot of the book, which might be what caught me.

Benny, Benigno, immigrated to NYC from Puerto Rico at the behest of his late aunt, who wanted a better life for him. He ends up toiling away at the ironworks until a minor accident puts him out of a job. Luckily (?) he has another offer waiting for him: Mr. Morgan wants assistance with his show on Coney Island. Life does seem to look up for Benny after that, he finally has people who welcome him into their lives and accept him, and the merman offers a perplexing glimpse into a different world. But Benny's comfort rests in part on the imprisonment of the merman, whom he is slowly coming to love. A lot of Benigno's arc has to do with acceptance and doing the right thing even when there's a lot of risk involved.

When he gets to know the merman, Rio, he immediately wants to help. But things become complicated as he also gets to know the other people working for Mr. Morgan and is accepted as one of the family. There are high stakes for the coming carnival season, and saving Rio might mean ruining his newfound family...but helping his friends would mean ruin for Rio.

Rio comes from a culture of merpeople that we really only get glimpses of. It's clear they have a very different way of viewing things than humans do, and sometimes Rio and Benigno clash over this. But despite his circumstances, Rio has always been soft at heart and interested in helping people (which is actually how he ends up in this situation). He's incredulous at the prejudices Benigno faces and encourages Benigno to find people who truly understand him. I did like Rio a good bit, and though I wasn't a huge fan of his narrative style, I do wish we got more insight into him.

I liked the side characters and appreciated that they all had pretty deep backgrounds. Mr. Morgan's show at Coney Island is a side show featuring the 'smallest woman in the world,' Navya; the 'tallest man in the world, Igor; a fat lady, Lulu; the fire-breather, Vera; the 'strongest man in thew world,' Matthias; the flexible acrobat, Sonia; and the 'conjoined twins,' Eli and Emmett. It would've been interesting to have a book about one of them (or all of them), but it seems this is a standalone.

Overall this is a pretty good book, I just don't think it was for me. There's a lot of nuance to the characters and I think the side characters and their relationships helped make the story shine.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this eARC.

4.25 stars
When the Tides Held the Moon is a beautiful story of love and wonder. It is a tale of a Puerto Rican man falling for an enslaved merman. It's a novel where outsiders explore their roots, identity and what community really means.

The story follows Benigno Caldera, a young man that emigrated his homeland for a better future living in New York City, yet finds himself working as a blacksmith around other foreigners in precarious conditions and barely making a living. Benny feels alone. He's surrounded by people who mock him, struggling with the heat and smoke that affect his already delicate lungs. One day, a job designing a tank is tasked to him and his fate is sealed. This tank will house the newest wonder in Coney Island's Luna Park. Along the way, Benny will not only meet the strange yet wonderful people that form the company of "Morgan's Menagerie of Human Oddities", he'll meet a fantastical creature. A wonder of the sea. A merman. And in him, he'll see his own struggles reflected.

The writing is beautiful. It's poetic and so introspective. Though most of the book is written in Benigno's pov, in-between some chapters we get Río's perspective too. How Venessa writes the merman's plight is so distinct. Usually, Río's inner monologues are always directed to his mother. His words are gorgeous and poetic, but they also hurt to read.
Throughout the book there are a few illustrations that make the story even more special. The artwork is stunning, I can't wait to see the final pieces, yet they already capture the love between Benny and Río. The illustrations also paint the beautiful scene of the Menagerie, Coney Island and 1910's New York City.

Though this is a love story, there's so much focus in Benigno's struggle as an immigrant and his own shame about being gay. His otherness is a weight on his shoulders, but the love he feels for his country, and his journey of self-acceptance are beautifully depicted in these pages. There's so much love for Puerto Rico, it is obvious how much affection and care there was while building this story.

As someone who has follow Venessa for a while and is familiar with the beginning of When The Tides Held The Moon, I am so happy I got to read this arc. I can't wait until the physical book is published and I hope they keep writing historical fantasy.

A metal worker from Puerto Rico builds a big ol’ fish tank for a sideshow’s merman in this, a book that made me cry several times. The merman is grumpy (which is understandable, as he’s been fish-napped) and the metal worker is constantly facing ethical conundrums except not really because his moral compass is pretty true. The band of misfits on Coney Island is as accurate a depiction of found family as I’ve ever read, certainly, and they made me cry too so sure, just call it a sob fest I’m a big crying baby for the merman book and you will be too because it’s VERY GOOD. Then the metal worker and the merman fall in love and I was extremely concerned about how they were going to make it work, given the difference in backgrounds and oxygen processing, but have some faith.

I requested this arc, naturally, because the cover is insanely beautiful, and we all know I love a good merman romance. BUT... I didn't expect that I was going to get a story that was even more beautiful than it's stunning cover. This was so unexpectedly heartwarming and heartbreaking and thought provoking. It's about finding your identity, being brave enough to live out loud even when the consequences can be deadly, learning to ask for help and rely on your friends, knowing that friends are the family we choose, and finding love in unexpected places and with unexpected people. I want a love that spans culture and species and language and space like Rio and Benigno.

You make me feel like I'm kissing the tides.
You make me feel like I am holding the moon.

I'm going to say 4.5 stars, because it was a tiny bit of a slow start for me. And if you don't speak Spanish, read on your kindle so you can get translations. I loved the fluidity of English and Spanish. Also I am starting a petition to have more books published with artwork throughout the story. Absolutely stunning.

What a joyous read this was, it was fast-paced and immersive making it easy to read in a few sittings. I really love low-fantasy books, so mix in historical fiction and I am SOLD! I enjoyed the found-family trope, all of the side characters had depth, warmth and humour, and backstories of their own, so they provided a well rounded look at Coney Island’s inhabitants and fleshed out the story beautifully.
Obviously the main storyline was the romance between the merman Rio and Benigno, and it was lovely, they were so pure and soft, and truly a joy to root for.

I loved that whilst being a fun, fantasy book it had deeper political/social themes running through, I especially loved the importance of identity and representation throughout this book, being a queer love story which focused heavily on Benigno’s cultural identity - especially in a city and age that shunned him for these qualities - was powerful and really important representation. It’s also filled with beautiful illustrations by the author which adds another lovely layer to this read..

Loved this a lot. I didn’t what I was expecting but it was a nice surprise. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc.

This was a great and run read. The story was well paced and the characters were unique and different from one another in a way that kept them interesting while also giving them space to work well with one another. I think Kelley created a well rounded story and I had fun reading it. I also think the cover design is gorgeous and helped me to visual the characters in the way the author intended

"When the Tides Held the Moon" was a beautiful book that truly warmed my heart with every page turned. Benigno's involvement in capturing a merman left me intrigued about their journey, and I ended up falling in love with all the characters. This story made me laugh and cry, leaving me completely satisfied. Kelley crafted this tale exceptionally well, making it one of my top reads this year. I'm grateful to NetGalley for the ARC; this book will always hold a special place in my heart 🩵.

When the Tides Held the Moon is a captivating tale filled with the purest kind of love, genuine friendship, and teamwork. It successfully enchants readers with its beautiful, soulful illustrations. This incredible story of love between different worlds is truly worth purchasing in a physical format.

I was very surprised and intrigued by the story, and the cast of characters is fantastic. I also greatly appreciated this take on mermaid lore!

If you like found family, this is for you.

The plot was too slow for me - I feel like some things could have been sped up.

❤️lgbtqia+
❤️mermaids
❤️M/M
❤️romance
❤️historical fantasy
❤️found family

‘The softest hearts wear the thickest armour. I have seen enough of your heart to know it exists.’
‘Your emotions are not madness. Nor are you broken. Everyone else- who taught you that keeping your heart safe meant caging it- they are broken.’

The ending of this was literally insane.

The Characters
I loved the characters in this book, how each of them had such different motivations. I love that the author is able to make me love and understand their actions early on, so I could understand why they chose to do stuff.
The Plot
The plot for this was insane! A mermaid romance? Sign me up! The ending for this was absolutely insane, I was reading on the edge of my seat, unable to stop. I literally loved that ending, and the story overall
The Romance
The romance in this book was incredible, I felt their love for each other and how much they cared. It felt so realistic (or as realistic a fantasy book about mermaids could be) and I literally couldn’t put the book down.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me this amazing opportunity to review this wonderful book, I really enjoyed it! All opinions are my own.

I have been a fan of Venessa's art for years, so I was so excited to read their debut novel.
I was not disappointed!

Benigno "Benny" Is an orphaned Puerto Rican blacksmith trying to make it in 1910s NYC. After designing a mysterious large tank for a man in charge of a Coney Island playground called Luna Park, Benny finds himself now working for this man and a group of eccentric performers all while hiding a secret of his own. The crew soon discovers they are meant to capture a merman for their show.

The author does a wonderful job of setting the scene and the feel of 1910 NY. There is a wonderful, diverse cast of characters. They are fleshed out with their own stories without taking over the main tale.

The true beauty of this story is not only seeing Benny come to terms with his own queerness, but he and "Rio's" slow burn from enemies to two beings who cannot live without each other.

The stakes are high and the who crew soon discovers that mer folk were not meant to be caged. The story was loving, exciting and tender. I couldn't put it down and the ending had me on the edge of my seat!

The bonus artwork was gorgeous. I loved this story, cheers to Venessa for a wonderful debut!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emotional devastation.

Set in 1911, a Puerto Rican refugee blacksmith Benny, is tasked with building a large glass encasement. He unknowingly has helped shady Sam Morgan build a cage for his Coney Island Luna Park. The cage built to capture a merman. Benny befriends the mer, naming him Rio. Their tender conversations about what it is to be human made me tear up. I loved the dual point of view and I honestly wish there was more Rio, because he was such a delight. I loved that he used the term Harmony for family. I absolutely loved how they fell in love. The rush of being absolutely vulnerable was so heartfelt.

The found family aspect with the different characters in Luna Park was a great addition. I loved that Benny didn't have to stick to a culture he grew up with, but felt like he could relate to everyone in the company, as they all had immigrated to New York from various parts of the world.

This is such a beautifully written story about:
🎪 Found family
🗽 Cultural identity
💏 Love in a time where loving the same sex meant severe punishment.

My only gripes were that I wish I spoke Spanish. It starts a bit slow, and I wanted more follow up with Benny at the end. Other than that this was SO good and I hope you pick it up when it comes out so we can cry about it together.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐s

Thank you to Kensington Publishing / Erewhon Books/ Netgalley for this ARC.

#netgalley #WhenTheTideHeldTheMoon

When the Tides Held the Moon was an absolute joy to read. The writing is beautifully crafted, drawing you into a mesmerizing story that’s as enchanting as it is immersive. The illustrations were the perfect complement to the magic of the narrative. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

So very good! In all aspects. The setting ,the characters, the themes, the writing; I have nothing bad to say about this book. I read it all within one sitting and I'm devastated that it's over. I highly recommend.

I found this book incredibly easy to binge-read. The writing style is lyrical and poetic at times in a way that may have come off to me as cheesy in another book, but fit the story and atmosphere well.

The romance was sweet and intimate, though it was primarily rooted in angst/drama. This was reasonable given their circumstances, but I would have loved to see more levity in their relationship to help me buy into it a bit more completely.

The ending is a bit ambiguous, and I would have appreciated some clarification on some physical mechanics of how things play out, but I had a really good time with this! I look forward to reading more from the author.

First things first, the illustrations in this book add SO MUCH to the story and really highlighted the almost fairytale-like aspect of it. Plus, that cover? Immaculate.

Now into the review, despite my rating, I think the writing was very, very lovely. There were definitely more than a few moments where the way the author wrote something just left such a vivid picture in my head that I had to stop and just sit there for a moment. It's very difficult to highlight passages on my phone, but rest assured, I wanted to highlight a lot.

So, why the three stars? That's a bit tricky. I really liked the romance and both main characters. I just think that the story itself felt a little too long in parts and the ending was quite rushed and ambiguous. I wanted a bit more of a clearer ending. No spoilers, but it felt like I'm not quite certain exactly what the author intended. While I appreciate the nod the epilogue made to a recurring moment in the book, it did leave me wanting just a bit more.

Also, there were certain aspects of the story that felt very... familiar. That's not a bad thing, per se, but I really wanted something a little different, I think. It felt like I saw the trajectory of the story basically from the moment we got introduced to the other cast members of the show. There were very few surprises. Which, again, isn't a bad thing--especially when the writing is this evocative--I just wanted a little something more.

This is just a smaller thing, but there was a mention of Filipino people captured and held in a human zoo in the park, which I realize was both to highlight the way non-white people are othered in that time, but also give light to those darker parts of history that don't seem to get talked about as much as they should. Again, it was just a passing line, but I'd honestly hoped for some resolution on that front that I just didn't get, not even in the epilogue. I don't know. Something about it just felt weird and I can't really articulate it fully.

Even though I didn't fully fall in love with this one, I'd still highly recommend picking this up for the illustrations alone. And I'm definitely interested in seeing more of what this author has to offer in the future (especially if it comes with some more of those stunning illustrations!).

This is a novel I’ve been so excited to read, having followed Vanessa Kelley for a while now. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I did I absolutely fell in love with the story and the characters and think it is a phenomenal debut novel

4.0

Thank you NetGalley, Kensington publishing, and Venessa Vida Kelly for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever read a book that you wanted to like, there is everything in it that would make you like it, yet still, you find yourself unable to immerse yourself in the world and characters?

That’s this book for me, and I’m sad to say that I’ve moved this one over to my DNF shelf. I feel such despondence writing this review because I fully believed that I would devour this book. Its synopsis had everything I would normally love, the cover was beautiful, and the prose was well-written. However, I’m two weeks in, and I’m stuck trying to make it past the 30% mark because I do not feel connected to these characters, nor do I carry any desire to finish reading what happens.

This is such an odd feeling because I can’t say that the characters are written badly. They aren’t. They feel like real people, with histories, personalities, wants, and needs. Even our mythical creature Rio, has some personality to him and yet I find myself uninterested in seeing how this plot comes to fruition.

I think what it really comes down to is the pacing. It’s incredibly slow. And I feel because it’s so slow and there is nothing truly pressing happening to keep this in the back of my mind, giving me the itch to pick it up again, that it’s making me not want to continue reading.

This isn’t to say that this book was bad. I feel that there is a lot of promise to it. I do like Kelly’s writing. Her prose it excellent and immersive. You feel like you’re in this historical age with Benny and this odd cast of characters. I simply don’t think that this book is right for me, but I have full confidence that others who like a slower paced read will wholeheartedly enjoy it.

I did love the illustrations! I think they added a wonderful touch to this overall magical tale. I hope that anyone who reads this review gives the book a chance. This is a very talented author, and I fully plan to look for more works by her. Hopefully those will be more to my taste.

Again, thank you NetGalley, Kensington publishing, and Venessa Vida Kelly for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When the Tides Held the Moon was a pure delight to read. The gorgeous prose sweeps you into a captivating story. And the illustrations were *chef's kiss.* I adored Rio. Protect that merman at all costs. I can't wait to read more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and review this amazing book!