Originally posted on my blog, With Her Head in a Book. 
 I can't remember if I picked up Child of a Hidden Sea by word of mouth or due to some sick deal online. How even I found this gem, I am so glad. Stormwrack is unlike many of the YA fantastical worlds we're transported into. It's got a certain charm that difficult to achieve. 
 So much of Stormwrack is similar to Earth - highly complex politics, vast culture, family drama... but time-travel? Yes, that's right. I'm not entirely sure when exactly Stormwrack exists or even when magic became a reality. Curiosity is an oddity in this other world, which of course our leading heroine, Sophie, is full of. I love that Sophie questions the differences between the worlds, pointing out which things are drastically different: the magic, animal life, each society. There's some top notch world development and characters. I was excited to learn more about each person and didn't hate a single character. 
 And there's just enough romance to keep things exciting without being overbearing. Lais and Sophie have a fun relationship with no slut shaming or guilt, but that fades as a new romance blooms. I wish that they kissed at least once or told each other how they felt, but that's what sequels are for, right? Another thing I love is that there's a strong representation of LGBT relationships. 
 Sophie is one of my favorite characters ever. She's such a strong person, but when things get tough (and it does), she's 100% open enough to crying. Something that bothers me so much about YA and books in general is that no one ever cries when these awful, stressful events happen. Maybe I'm just more of an emotional person than the standard author, but geez. No one ever cries! In a way, this was refreshing. Though, I question whether she is even a 24 year old. She's about as petty and childish as her 17 year old sister in the beginning. 
 Though Dellamonica tells a great story, the writing style isn't my favorite. During some conversations between multiple characters, I wasn't sure who was talking. It got a little confusing, but not terribly. At times, Sophie is too concerned with collecting samples to appreciate the other oddities in Stomwrack. How magic works isn't described in detailed and neither is the where & when of Stormwrack's existance revealed. I also found it weird that everyone ignored modern technology, despite it's rarity and 'oddness' in their world. That's how un-curious their society is! 
 While I would love a pass to visit the strange world, I won't be picking up the second novel based off the synopsis. This first in the series is entertaining and a bit different from other portal books I've read, but not good enough for me to read through a rehash of the first book. 
 Plot: 3/5 
 Characters: 4/5 
 Writing Style: 2/5 
 All Around Idea: 4/5 
 Total: 3.5/5