Absolutely stunning. Rising Tides peaked my interest with its premise, but totally blew me away with the execution. Katy Haye has some serious writing chops! Dystopia was getting to be a bogged down genre for me. Too much of the same thing being done over and over, plus a lot of characters that I just couldn't get behind. Haye managed to smash right through that preconception, and I couldn't be happier.

What struck me right away about Rising Tides was how human Liberty was, as a character. She was loving towards her father, skeptical of new people, slightly selfish at times, and yet completely understanding of that fact that she could come off as cold. Liberty was a real person. Someone flawed, who could accept that, and try to make the best decisions for herself at the time. I can't deny that initially her privileged attitude bothered me. That was soon replaced by acceptance and awe though, the further into this journey that she traveled. It's nice to see a character who actually grows and, better yet, uses that knowledge to do something right.

Then there was Cosimo. The reamer boy, the shunned, the initial bane of Liberty's existence. I loved how Haye pushed these two together, but no in an uncomfortable way. There was no insta-love here. No crazy flight into a random relationship. Instead, these two had to learn to get along. They had to understand one another, and make compromises. I loved watching their little relationship grow. Plus, well, Cosimo is pretty dreamy. Reamer boy or not. These two stole my heart with little to no effort.

Oh, and the plot! I could gush for days about the way that the idea of political subterfuge was handled here. People blindly following a leader, simply because he promises to keep them safe. Never questioning whether he has their best interests at heart. Things were so perfectly paced here. Just enough action, interspersed with real human interactions. This book flew by, and I was honestly sad when I'd finished.

Is there more? I hope there's more. I would love to see if Cosimo and Liberty get a happy ever after. They would definitely deserve it. ( )

I couldn’t resist the alluring cover for Rising Tide by Katy Haye. I am a “cover girl” and can be drawn in by the cover alone. BUT when a story includes water…I dive in with a smille on my face, wanting to get the lowdown.

The world building for Rising Tide is so creative and original that I was caught offguard. I love Katy Haye’s ability to bring it to life through words. For example, their meals are mostly algae, with occasional scavenged goods from the ocean floor. What are they doing on the ocean floor, you ask? Well…you will have to read Rising Tide to find out.

Libby is a doctor trainee, raised by her father, and naive to the real world. Her life is planned, but things happen and she will need to grow up fast.

Cosimo wants to be a Nautilus man and when they meet, trouble arises. What is a Nautilus man? Did Cosimo bring the danger? Why is her father being so secretive?

Libby’s world opens up to her and she and Cosimo vow to save the reapers, and by doing so save themselves.

I cannot help but stress Katy Haye’s ability to make the world in Rising Tide come to life. I do not want to elaborate, because it is so unique and creative, I feel anyone that cares about our ocean and seas, the mountains of trash being built and global warming, will love learning about it on their own.

The characters are the privileged and the downtrodden…sound familiar?

Rising Tide by Katy Haye is a wild adventure of survival, sacrifice and young love. Give me more Katy.

I received a copy of Rising Tide by Katy Haye in return for an honest review.

To see more visit http://www.fundinmental.com ( )

***This book was reviewed for Reader's Favourite***

Haye’s Rising Tides tells the story of Liberty 'Libby’ Marchmont, a citizen of City, one of the last bastions of known humanity in a flooded world. City floats atop the sea, cobbled together from remnants of the Time Before. Libby’s da is City’s doctor, and she is training to follow his footsteps.

Things go sidewise for Libby when a stranger from the Wastes, a reamer named Cosimo, shows upon their doorstep requesting a specialised procedure requiring a licence to have performed. This procedure is something Liberty’s da excels at- the making of a nautilus man by placing implants to function like gills when they go underwater.

Following this illicit procedure, Liberty and her father are forced to flee with their patient. This is the first time Libby has been so far from home. She learns much of her da’s past, and gets a lesson in humility and cultural acceptance when she must rely upon Cosimo for help in this vadt new world. For his part, Cosimo is determined to find the land of sun and roses, believed to be a dstant dry land beyond the vast floating garbage dump of the Waste.

Libby’s story hooked me from the start, and kept me reading far into the wee morning hours. I just couldn't put it down! The pacing is swift and engaging. I love the bickering between Libby and Cosimo when they were fleeing City. Each from such different socio-cultural backgrounds, taught to despise the other culture from an early age, and having to let that conditioning go in the face of reality.

Waterworld came to mind often! I love that movie. There’s a bit less of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome than is present in Waterworld. City, at least, maintains a higher quality veneer of civility. I really enjoyed the concept of the nautilus men. They sound fascinating! It would be so neat to breathe safely underwater.

If you enjoy post-apocalyptic/ ELE stories of a grim and distant future, if you enjoyed Waterworld, or Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, I highly recommend reading Rising Tides by Katy Haye. ( )