I think I’ve been needing some ocean vibes lately because this month’s book review also deals with an unusual ocean. Instead of an ocean of spores like last month’s Tress of the Emerald Sea, Ocean of Sands is as the title states, an ocean of shifting, dangerous sand.

***Please Note***

Before we dive into the review, here is a reminder of how I rate what I read (these will be on a scale of 1-10; 1 being low, 10 being high):

• Plot Structure: How well the story was put together.
• Character Development: Level of growth a character achieves and how well the author makes them feel “real.”
• Language: Level of swearing, innuendos, verbal abuse, and other triggers.
• Violence: Level of fight scenes and gore.
• Sexual Content: Level of physical intimacy.

Here are the star ratings and what they mean:

MUST READ!

LOVED IT!

WORTH READING

Anything less than three stars will not be posted as I don’t want to waste your time or mine.

If you would like an editorial review or endorsement for your own book with content ratings, you can contact me directly.

Disclaimer: The more I write, the more I critique books harder on plot structure and how the various elements work together. Thus my reviews reflect this. However, if you see a book appear on the blog, it’s because I enjoyed reading and thought you, as a fellow bookie, would enjoy it as well. As always, reading is subjective and what resonates with me may not resonate with you. And that’s OK! We’re in this to discover new books that are family appropriate and worth taking the time to read.

Book Description:

One girl. Her boat. An ocean of sand to cross. 

Norah’s desert world has always been treacherous, with the roiling ocean of sand, giant scorpions, and brutal sandstorms-but now an unnatural famine plagues the desert nations and threatens to destroy all. 

Despite being the only one in her village without a sand gift, Norah is chosen with her best friend, Zadock, to sail across the ocean of sand in search of the legendary moonstone, an artifact that could end the famine. 

As Norah and Zadock set off on their journey, secret romantic feelings each has suppressed for years rise to the surface. Love weakens sand gifts, and if they act on their feelings, Zadock’s sand gift will disappear. 

Caught in a crossfire between forbidden feelings, an unforgiving desert, and starving nations willing to do anything to survive, Norah and Zadock discover the true meaning of sacrifice-and the power that love has to heal the world.

My Review:

Norah and Zadock have been friends since childhood, but friendship, love and attachment are frowned upon in their sand-dwelling society. Because if you do allow yourself to love, it can weaken or even eliminate a person’s sand abilities.

This was a fun world to dive into. Sand is the lifeblood of the people and what gives them their magic. However, all the villages are shriveling up and eroding off their plateaus and no one knows why. I loved the use of sand in every aspect. It heals. It attacks. It saves, and destroys.

Flory does a great job of bringing this world to life, and as is mentioned in her bio, her knowledge of biology heavily influenced this novel.

I did struggle with the characters. They felt stiff and not quite 3-D. You could root for Norah, the underdog with no magic, but I never felt like I could connect with her. The same went for Zaddock and Imwraeth especially. They were predictable and single layered.

While I struggled with the characters, I did still enjoy the book. I think the looming danger of the To’Morat tribe was well done and the end battle brought in several side characters to create a satisfying finale.

Then the teaser at the end was a nice hook to pull you into book 2 of this duology.

Major Tropes:

• Chosen one
• Friends to lovers
• Star-crossed lovers
• Environment is the biggest danger

How I rated this book:

Structure: 7/10; While many plot devices were predictable, it was still a nice story. I enjoyed being in the world of sand and learning how the people survived and even sailed upon it. I would have liked to have seen more dynamic characters, but I can see the potential for them to develop in book 2.

Language: 2/10; In-world curse words were used.

Violence: 3/10; Minimal violence. I would rate it around a PG level.

Sexual Content: 4/10; Light kissing, hand holding, and embraces. Norah changes Zaddock’s clothes after they get soaked by rain while he keeps their little boat moving with his magic. She averts her eyes, but I found myself still blushing.

Conclusion:

If you’re looking for a unique world and a fun story, this would be it. Recommended reading age is 14 and up.