#BookReview: The Sea Is Salt and So Am I by Cassandra Hartt

Synopsis: West Finch is one hurricane away from falling into the sea.

Yet sixteen-year-old Harlow Prout is determined to save her small Maine hometown. If only she could stop getting in her own way and find someone, anyone, willing to help. But her best friend Ellis MacQueen “fixes” problems by running away from them―including his broken relationship with his twin brother, Tommy. And Tommy’s depression has hit a new low, so he’s not up for fixing anything.

In the wake of the town’s latest devastating storm, Tommy goes out for a swim that he doesn’t intend to survive. It’s his unexpected return that sets into motion a sea change between these three teens. One that tests old loyalties, sparks new romance, and uncovers painful secrets. And nothing stays secret in West Finch for long.



Goodreads | Amazon

Rating: 3 Stars
My Review:  Maybe I need to rethink this cover thing.  I keep grabbing all these amazing covers and then I kind of just end up not loving the book. This one made me feel like I needed a float chat to keep track of everything that was happening. Sometimes it works but unfortunately this time it did not work at all. I felt so confused most of the time and I just could not keep everything straight.  

There are some trigger warnings of suicide and death.  I think that on the topic of suicide this book did a horrible job with it.  I attempted suicide years ago and I think that if I would have read this book around the time that did what I did. I may not even be here today.  This book in spots is so depressing. I am not sure if this book had sensitive readers but if it did I don't think they were the right ones.  It just lacks in its telling and showing with what people who attempt suicide go though.  

From School Library Journal

Gr 10 Up—Harlow is an environmental activist hopelessly in love with her best friend, Ellis, even though she's hooking up with his twin brother Tommy. Heartbreaker Ellis is bisexual and an athletic runner with a limb difference. Each teen is written with aching authenticity. They often make the wrong decisions and fixate on their mistakes, becoming so self-involved that they can't see how they are affecting one another. This long and often slow-paced narrative alternates among the three points of view. Ellis and Tommy are extremely different, but both experience suicidal ideation, presented in vastly different ways. The novel starts with Tommy's attempt to drown himself, but he is eventually saved. Ellis also attempts suicide early in the story, after driving a car into a tree while under the influence. The work adeptly examines the different ways teens deal with similar issues and pressures. Additionally, there is an overarching environmental theme. The teens live in a small Maine town threatened by erosion, and many businesses and houses are collapsing into the ocean. Many teens will identify with the protagonists and their societal and personal struggles. The characters are presumed white. VERDICT Character-driven and profoundly moving, Hartt's debut will tug at teens' heartstrings and is ideal for fans of Jennifer Niven and Nina LaCour.—Melanie Leivers, Burnsville, MN

Review

Praise for The Sea Is Salt And So Am I:
A July 2021 Kids' Indie Next Pick
A Bustle Best Debut of Spring 2021

“Capturing the turbulence of teenagers and the enormity of their feelings, The Sea Is Salt and So Am I is tailor-made to become a Netflix hit in the very near future.”―E! Online

"A compulsively readable tale of secrets, loyalties, and lies in a small town."―Culturess

"Beautiful and heartbreaking."―The Young Folks

"At once turbulent and tender, this deeply-felt debut will make your heart swell time and time again."―Julia Drake, author of The Last True Poets of the Sea

“The Sea is Salt And So Am I is a breathtaking debut, filled with complicated characters and feelings that permeate the pages with their honesty. Achingly beautiful.”―Rachael Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Five Feet Apart

“Hartt is uninterested in easy answers, unspooling mysteries and emotions that shift what we thought we knew about characters caught in realistically nonlinear growth. . . . A melancholy and thoughtful debut.”―Kirkus Reviews 

"Readers will be swept away by Cassandra Hartt's lyrical writing . . . perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson's I'll Give You the Sun and Jennifer Niven's All the Bright Places."―Alyssa Raymond, Cooper Dog Books

“Raw, honest, and nearly impossible to put down . . . even when you feel like you are drowning, this book reminds you there is always something to pull you back up for air."―Colleen Regan, An Unlikely Story

“An unflinching look at the waves of depression, and how the riptides can carry our loved ones away with us, The Sea Is Salt and So Am I is a must-read."―Abby Rice, The Briar Patch

"An incredible and delicate coming-of-age story.”―Kelsy April, Bank Square Books 

"This book will make your heart clench with anxiety and tender intimacy. For fans of Nina LaCour, Celeste Ng, and Tillie Walden."―Cassie Duncanson, Wellesley Books

“This book gives an unflinchingly raw look at depression . . . adds a layer of story that stings like salt."― Nichole Cousins, Yankee Bookshop

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Posted in: 3 Stars, Edelweiss, Review, Roaring Brook Press, Young Adult