Beyond the God Sea: Betrothed

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Everything from the synopsis to the book cover, and even the first 1/2 to 3/4 of the book, gives the impression this is fantasy. It isn't. It's dystopian. And the transition is neither smooth enough nor clever enough to make up for that broken promise. I don't think this story would make sense if Zaria wasn't at least a bit naive. I mean, she's been told, along with her entire island, lies all her life. It's literally in the blurb. She acts juvenile because she is quite literally a teenager. It's part of her growth as a character for her to realize how much she's taken for granted. I'm halfway through the second book in this series as I write this, and I can say that she doesn't stay naive. Her growth takes a natural pace, and she has a lot of learning to do, but it's realistic. How many of us would just know everything and be good at everything without first making mistakes? Especially as teenagers?

Just because someone wants what you want, doesn’t make them your ally. Just because they don’t, doesn’t make them your enemy.”Meeting Laz, I hated him. I still do. I could see the author subtly writing attraction into his interactions with Zaria which was honestly UNCOMFORTABLE, given how absolutely horrible he was to her. I love a good villian, enemies to lovers kind of story, but to me, Laz was just too mean and I had a hard time believing she could like someone who said/did such horrible things. Don't get me wrong, Laz's character was interesting but I largely found him unforgivable. It will be interesting to see if we learn more about him in book 3. Jul's was nice...but lets agree that nice is a bit boring. Basically, both brothers paled in comparison to Kirwyn. When Zaria was reunited with Kirwyn it felt like pushing through the first 3/4 of the book was worth it. Elora is so good at making Kirwyn feel like "home" to Zaria, and I love the moments they had together - despite them being few and far between. I was honestly on the verge of tears when Zaria was demanding Kirwyn "couoldn't" save her. All of Zaria's emotion turmoil was really well-captured, and I felt like all of her confusion, anger, longing, and unconditional love came alive in the story. The withholding of information is an annoying recurrence in this book. The conspiracy, Danaire, Tomé, the mother, etc. they all share information then refuse to say more. For it to happen once is fine, but it's constant. Until a curious boy washes up on her palm-fringed paradise, and Zaria defies sacred law to hide the unconscious stranger. Idk. I feel this way because there's this other book I'm reading (not by this author) in which the main character is basically perfect, can't do anything wrong, everyone is constantly in awe of her, and it's just...weird. I can't get into it. So this series is so refreshing. I want to read about characters who have serious faults but grow from them, and this series delivers.

I believe I would have enjoyed this book more had it not been sold as an enemies to lovers tale. It’s not. For me, I didn’t catch onto any mixture of Eros and Thanatos between the cruel brother and our heroine. However… them as just straight enemies—absolutely. The author did a fabulous job writing some tense action scenes and I really enjoyed the side characters introduced. Still very much a YA Fantasy read at its core… love the sprinkling of sci-fi. But it’s more of a suggestion rather than a full grasp of the genre. Well… maybe—I definitely was getting steampunk vibes for the world settings. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The history and world-building that Elora Morgan wrote for The Island and beyond created such an interesting society that I wanted to dive right into and know all the secrets of! I love reading about strong willed female main characters and Zaria was exactly what I needed her to be. She was loyal, stubborn and inquisitive which, put together, gave us someone very interesting to experience this book through. As her wedding came ever closer I could really feel her trepidation and emotions through the writing. This was a book I could not put down. Everyone who's giving a bad review seems to be attributing their poor opinion of the book to the fact that the main character, Zaria, is naive throughout this novel. I especially enjoyed the cat and mouse chase between Zaria and Laz. Their hatred for each other is so intense that there were a few moments where I screamed “JUST KISS ALREADY” at my kindle (because I love a good enemies to lovers plot) but at the same time I loved and admired Zaria’s loyalty to Kirwyn the entire book. She rarely strays, and her internal struggle between staying and fighting and fleeing is so well-written and helps establish and reflect Zaria’s complexities as a truly dynamic protagonist. Her scheming and manipulation and just overall badassery gave me hugeee Jude from the Cruel Prince vibes (I even think at points she does Jude better than Jude) and she’s definitely proving herself to be a FMC queen deserving a seat next to Nesta, Poppy, Jude, Aelin, [insert favorite fantasy ya badass here]. There have been countless meals since your arrival, little queen. Don’t you think I could have gotten my hands on one of them by now?”Work against the Emperor's Magic?" said Aslan, turning to her with something like a frown on his face. And nobody ever made that suggestion to him again." ―Susan and Aslan [src] While Zaria questions Kirwyn’s survival she is introduced to 2 brothers, Young King Juls and Lazlian. Without giving spoiling too much, they certainly have the very different views of Zaria when she is involved. When Zaria’s wedding day finally arrives, she'll become the only islander of her generation permitted to cross into the God Sea. There’s nothing more she could possibly want.

Please be advised: In this dystopian series the protagonist grows in a manner similar to characters such as Sansa Stark. She begins as sheltered/naive and does not become a strategist until Book II when the story darkens and matures. There is no spice/adult content until Book III. That being said I am so glad I waited it out and continued. This book was truly amazing. It took me by surprise and I actually didn't predict the "truth" and twist of the story before it happened. I was literally reading the last couple chapters of this book on the edge of my seat. There are characters I want to hug and ones I want to STAB WITH A RUSTY SPOON, but I won't leave spoilers behind.This was actually pretty fast to read, I was hooked from the beginning. I stayed up to finish this, Emotional Breakdown: YES BECAUSE THAT FREAKING CLIFFHANGER AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO EXPECT IN BOOK TWO!! I AM DYING. UNTIL A CURIOUS BOY WASHES UP ON HER PALM-FRINGED PARADISE AND ZARIA DEFIES SACRED LAW TO HIDE THE UNCONSCIOUS STRANGER. I am looking forward to the third book. I really want to see the conclusion of the MC’s journey and whether or not she gets her HEA. Cause the ending of book two really does leave it open for anything to happen.

The accompanying tug to one side of his mouth, pulling his lips into a crooked line, sent chills down my spine. Despite the protagonists youth, her sense of duty suggested maturity beyond her years. She shows many signs of a young adult who was forced to grow up before she was ready - which builds a devastating effect when it all comes to fruition at the end of the book. There is an over-abundance of sea-related similes and the frequent repetition of "a fish flopped in my gut." If I'd read this book at 13 or 14, I'd have said it's nothing special but it's fine. Being older than that, I struggled getting through it. A couple of small, intriguing mystery elements appear early on, though, and were enough to keep me reading. There are only two possibilities with his strange (and strangely handsome) he’s either a village anomaly or the Sea God himself, in disguise. The alluring boy-creature couldn’t have come from anywhere else, because there is no other land in all the ocean.The Emperor-beyond-the-Sea is the Narnian name for God the Father, and Aslan (the Emperor's son) is the Narnian equivalent of Jesus Christ on Earth. In the same way, the Emperor's Deep Magic (comparable to the Law given to Moses on Earth) is completed and fulfilled by the death of his son Aslan (the Narnian version of Christ's crucifixion). There are only two possibilities with his strange (and strangely handsome) face: he's either a village anomaly or the Sea God himself, in disguise. The alluring boy-creature couldn't have come from anywhere else, because there is no other land in all the ocean.