A Sweet Sting of Salt

A slow-burn, feminist retelling, setting by/with the sea, and sapphic love. Rose Sutherland came and answered all my wishes with this beautiful book. The mystery and romance that follows Muirin was deliciously done and their evolving relationship was the best part of the book. Add in magic and selkies and my gosh, this was perhaps my favorite read of 2024 so far. Crazy because it's only spring and I've already read some great books this year. I like where this is going.

Beautiful and atmospheric, this book really pulls you into the world. Jean is a badass, fierce woman who fiercely protects those around her. I appreciated the way her loneliness was explored - it was there, but it didn't make her “broken”. I love the found family in Anneke and Laurie. These two are key players in raising Jean to be the woman she is!
It's a refreshing folklore retelling, in that the author used her unsettled feelings after reading the story as a jumping off point. She used the story as a way to explore love and freedom.