~My Thoughts~
I feel like retellings have exploded recently, and we are seeing a lot of fairy tales reimagined. What I haven’t seen is one that is so original. This is no a typical retelling and shouldn’t be approached that way. Coral is much much more than a fairy tale.
I’m worried that some people won’t appreciate this book because they are looking for Ariel with some backstory and modern day conveniences. I think that’s missing the point of Sara Ella’s captivating book.
This isn’t a happily ever after, dream come true epic. Coral is a fantastical depiction of real life teenage struggles; the struggles most of us don’t want to admit are happening: self harm and suicide.
Sara Ella used The Little Mermaid as the backdrop of a metaphor about mental health, and I or one was blown away.
Don’t expect a fast paced, plot driven, action packed YA novel. In form and content, Coral is a tapestry of emotion, intricately woven with fairytale magic. It’s the perfect way to confront childhood fantasies with adult realities, which is the definition of being a teenager.
BOOK INFORMATION
Coral by Sara Ella
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: November 12th 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Retellings, Mermaids, Fairy Tales
~Synopsis~
Multiple award-winning young adult author Sara Ella reimagines The Little Mermaid in a powerful and unexpected way.
Sixteen-year-old mermaid Coral has always been different, standing out from her stoic sisters in a society where blending in is key. Worse yet, she fears she has been afflicted with the dreaded Disease. Said to be carried by humans, the Disease imposes emotions on its victims, causing them to commit unspeakable acts. The growing illness inside her, while terrifying, fascinates her very core. Where others see danger, Coral sees life. Could it be the colorless merfolk who are truly ill?
Above the sea, seventeen-year-old Brooke Jordan has nothing left to give. A homeless girl abandoned and forgotten, the only thing Brooke can rely on is the ocean. Her aching feet find refuge within the cool and comforting waves, while her broken heart grows harder with each passing day. When Brooke’s and Coral’s worlds collide, everything alters in an instant. From learning to stand alone, to discovering the strength it takes to rely on another, the girls find that living requires taking that first painful breath. Each must make sacrifices, and when it comes to finding true love? Let’s just say the boys in their lives must learn to swim if they’re ever going to survive the storms.
Battling the odds against them, the girls will do whatever it takes to survive. But what must end for love and life to finally begin?
Taking a new twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved fairy tale, this modern-day story explores mental health from several perspectives, questioning what it means to be human in a world where humanity often seems lost.
BOOK LINKS
Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Bookdepository ~ B&N ~ Kobo ~ Google Books
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Once upon a time, Sara Ella dreamed she would marry a prince and live in a Disney castle. Today, she spends her days throwing living room dance parties for her two princesses, raising her little prince to be a king, and conquering realms of her own imaginings. Oh, and her husband is definitely more swoon-worthy than any Prince Charming.
Sara’s UNBLEMISHED trilogy has received high praise and multiple awards, but none as rewarding as the love and support she receives from her readers every day. Her new story CORAL, a reimagining of THE LITTLE MERMAID, releases in the fall of 2019.
When she’s not on deadline, Sara Ella can most often be found fangirling on Twitter, Instagram, or her YouTube channel. She may or may not be obsessed with #Bookstagram, and she has a serious condition known as “Coffee Snob-itis.” She believes “Happily Ever After is Never Far Away.”
AUTHOR LINKS
Website: https://saraella.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14831545.Sara_Ella
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writinghistruth
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saraellawrites/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/saraellawrites
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz5T9Tp6cXUAHro86jpflww
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.es/joellesa/
Special Thanks to Sara Ella, The Fantastic Flying Book Club, and Thomas Nelson for a copy of Coral in exchange for an honest review.
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