My Thoughts: And the Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness

And the Ocean Was Our Sky
by Patrick Ness
Website | Twitter | Instagram

Publication Date: September 4th 2018
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 160
ISBN: 9780062860729
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy
Source: Edelweiss

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

With harpoons strapped to their backs, the proud whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt, fighting in the ongoing war against the world of men. When they attack a ship bobbing on the surface of the Abyss, they expect to find easy prey. Instead, they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself...

As their relentless Captain leads the chase, they embark on a final, vengeful hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of both whales and men. (Goodreads)

I have had quite a few of Patrick Ness’s books on my to-read list for quite a while now, and have only had the pleasure of reading one so far, A Monster Calls. So when I discovered this new book, And the Ocean Was Our Sky, I was instantly curious, and I couldn’t wait to check the book out!

Let me first start by saying that this book was not at all what I was expecting. I guess I didn’t read the summary for the book well enough, and I probably should have re-read it before starting the book. *blush* It took me a minute to catch on to the fact that the narrator of the story was, in fact, a whale. And not just any whale, but an apprentice whale who, along with the rest of her whale pod, fights an ongoing war against the world of men.

Yep, you totally read that right.

So, what can I say about this book?? The storyline was definitely interesting once I figured out what was going on and really got into the story. It was interesting to read the story from the viewpoint of a whale, especially what happens to them at the hands of men. The story took a bit of a twist near the end, and that’s when things started getting a little bit confusing for me, but I flew through the story anyways just to see what was going to happen next. This book was a really quick read for me, coming in at just 160 pages, and some of those were illustrations. (I read a review copy of this book so I didn’t get to see the final illustrations, but I am definitely curious to check it out.)

Overall; While it took me a while to catch on to the story, And The Ocean Was Our Sky was a definitely a quick, interesting read. Reading the book has made me want to check out more books by Patrick Ness, and since I have so many of his books on my to-read list already, I am excited to finally check some of them out, hopefully soon!

My Thoughts: A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Audiobook)

A Monster Calls
by Patrick Ness
Website | Twitter | Tumblr

Publication Date: September 27th 2011
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 216
ISBN: 9780763655594
Genre: Young Adult | Fantasy | Horror
Source: Library

Add to Goodreads

Available for Purchase:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do.

But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting. He’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming…

This monster is something different, though. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.

It wants the truth. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
A Monster Calls is the very first book I've read by Patrick Ness, although I have quite a few of his books on my TBR at the moment. I decided to include the book in my Halloween Reads week, because the cover for the book looks amazingly creepy, and also because I recently watched the movie trailer, and I was super curious about the story. I am SO glad that I decided to read this book. I loved it, and I just know that it's one of those books that I will remember always.

It was SO easy for me to relate to the main character in the story, Conor. I've been in his shoes more times than I care to remember, although not with a parent, but with other family members that have been more like parents to me. Conor was really a great kid, and I felt bad for him for what he was going through. The Monster in the story is not at all what I expected, but I absolutely loved him as well.

I didn't really read much about the book before I started it, so the storyline was completely different that what I thought it would be. I loved it regardless, and I was completely engrossed in the story.  It's definitely one that so many people will be able to relate to in some form or another, and the story will stick with you long after you've closed the last page. Coming in at just 216 pages, some of which included beautiful illustrations, this book was a really quick read. I flew through it faster than I anticipated, and I was really sad when the book came to an end. But, I loved the story, and I can't wait to see how the movie compares.

I didn't find out until after I had read the book that the audiobook is narrated by Jason Issacs! I wish I had known this sooner, as I really love the sound of his voice, and I'll definitely be checking out that audiobook as soon as possible.

Overall; I don't feel like I've done a very good job of expressing how much I loved A Monster Calls, but I'm hoping you get the point. I really, really enjoyed everything, from the characters to the storyline, and I'm definitely excited to read more by Patrick Ness as soon as possible. If you decide to check out A Monster Calls, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.