Tress of the Emerald Sea | 
pickI loved this cozy, found family, sea-faring fantasy adventure. I especially liked the narrator, which felt like having a good friend tell you about something that happened (similar narrator vibes to T. Kingfisher‘s What Moves the Dead, though WMtD is obvi more creepy/filled with dread while Tress is whimsical but thoughtful). No need to have read any other Cosmere books previously - I haven‘t and really enjoyed this.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Tress of the Emerald Sea” was a joy to read. It definitely lives up to the hype of having “Princess Bride” and “Stardust” vibes, while also having interesting world-building and a cozy story. The characters were lovable, and the character arcs themselves were wonderful.
pickLoved this adult fairy tale. If you love Princess Bride then this is for you. A talking rat, oceans of spores in different hues. A pirate ship lined with silver. Brandon Sanderson is THE storyteller.
bailedThis was potentially a bad entrance into Sanderson's work, but I absolutely could not work with the humour in it. It was just a constant unfunny wink wink nudge nudge from the narrator that boiled down to either 'keep up dear' or 'well that just happened'. This is the kind of book I'd read to a kid if I had one, not one I'd read by myself. Evidently, as I gave up about 100 pages in.
My sweet little reading buddy tonight 🐾
pickRealized I never posted my review of Tress! Such a great book!
I‘m reading this book for the #whimsicalreadsbookclub but I‘m not done yet. I‘m making progress but it‘s been slow progress. I was enjoying the book in the beginning but now, I‘m up to Part 5 and I haven‘t been listening to this book as much. I don‘t know if I‘m enjoying this book anymore. I keep getting distracted and looking for other things to do besides read this book and it‘s taking me so long to read it and that‘s not a good sign.
pick3.75/4⭐️(between very good and excellent)
Characters are great. Atmosphere and world building is really amazing and I love the magic system (spores). Plot is really fun and sweet. However, my engagement was only at a level three. It‘s really good but wasn‘t quite a page turner. The pacing wasn‘t consistent.
#litsyatoz #letterT @Texreader
#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
1. Reading the tagged book with @BooksNBowls and others for #whimsicalreads.
2. Cuddly cats.
3. Wearing a warm sweater that I made for myself.
4. A long weekend.
5. Litsy friends.
I decided to start this book because it‘s the book club pick for the #whimsicalreadsbookclub and it‘s good so far. I haven‘t read The Cosmere. This is my first book by Brandon Sanderson but I don‘t feel like I‘m missing anything important. It‘s a fairy tale and I like fairy tales. I‘ve heard that this book is inspired by The Princess Bride but I haven‘t read The Princess Bride. All I know about The Princess Bride is that it‘s also a fairy tale.
This book is our pick this month for the #whimsicalreadsbookclub but I‘m not sure if I‘m going to understand the references in it or enjoy the book because I haven‘t read The Cosmere and it has references to The Cosmere. According to reviews on Goodreads, this isn‘t a good book to start with if it‘s your first time reading Brandon Sanderson because you won‘t understand it if you haven‘t read The Cosmere.
pickThis was my first Sanderson. The takeaway? WHAT A NERD. 😅 Fortunately, I don‘t think that‘s necessarily a bad thing…
Sometimes, he takes too many doofy risks for humor‘s sake, like when he writes, “The more she learned, the less afraid she had become. It is that way with most topics…👇🏻
I haven‘t started the book yet for the #whimsicalreadsbookclub but I looked at the reading schedule and it looks like I still have enough time to read the book. I‘m glad because I have a lot going on this month with reading. I‘m doing #noplacelikeholmes, #roll100, #bookspinbingo, #readyourkindle and this book club but I still have plenty of time in the month. There‘s no need to rush. I can go at my own reading pace. Reading is not a race.
Repost for @BooksNBowls
If anyone is looking for a bookclub to join for 2025, look no further! We will be reading and discussing Brandon Sanderson‘s Tress of the Emerald Sea for January on Fable! Join us every month for a chance to win bookish giveaways! Let me know if you join in the comments so I can add you to the tag list! 😁
Original post - https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2825078
If anyone is looking for a bookclub to join for 2025, look no further! We will be reading and discussing Brandon Sanderson‘s Tress of the Emerald Sea for January on Fable! Join us every month for a chance to win bookish giveaways! Let me know if you join in the comments so I can add you to the tag list! 😁 https://fable.co/club/no-shelf-control-with-rachel-reads-316182788247
Announcement for all my #WhimsicalReads bookclub peeps!
@KateReadsYA has taken a break from the app. I‘m not sure if/when she is coming back, but I was wondering if anyone would be interested in keeping our book club going?! I started a club on Fable, I think it‘ll be easier to keep up with everyone on there, but what do you all think & is this even something you‘d be interested in?
pickTotally delightful and such a fascinating world!
This is correctly billed as ‘what if Buttercup went after Westley‘ with Tress as our MC joining a pirate ship of wonderful & weird characters to sail the bonkers seas made of deadly spores in order to save the boy she loves. Extremely likable characters and amazing world. Thumbs UP.
pickImagine if Buttercup refused to believe Westley was dead. So she sneaks onboard a pirate ship and sails the twelve seas, that are not wet, because they are made from spores, to save her true love. That‘s the inspiration for this one. I have been avoiding Sanderson for a long time now. Because I knew I would love him. I just didn‘t want to make the commitment. I might be trapped forever now because I loved this so much.
#20in4 @Andrew65
A blended latte and an egg and cheese on a cheddar chive biscuit with some reading before running errands and getting a haircut 💇 📖
Had an errand to run, but now that that‘s done, it‘s time for a treat at Panera and some more reading 📖
“‘This isn‘t over yet,‘ Ann said. ‘Merciful moons, I hope that patch holds. Come on.‘”
“Well, at least-
That was when Tress‘s face exploded.”
pickThis was a hug in book form an absolute delight to read! And the fact that it‘s pretty much fan fiction for the Princess Bride makes it even better imho. Basic premise: what if Buttercup had not believed the rumors of Westley‘s death and had gone off to save him? Adventure, pirates, self discovery, true love, and dragons to boot!
pickI loved this story. I loved the idea of this story. The characters, Tress included, can be normal, mundane even, and yet be heroic through acts of bravery, self-discovery, and kindness. It‘s just a fresh and welcome premise. 😊
pickI absolutely loved everything about this. It was my first Brandon Sanderson book and the storytelling was chef's kiss. Clearly, I will need to read more of this author! I finished it 2 days ago and have been thinking about what to say in my review. All I really have is 5 stars, no notes. This is going in my top 5 of all time.
#Green 💚 #CoverLove 🎆🇺🇸🎇🌭🍔🍉🕶️🩱☀️
#BookNerd 🤓📚💙
I'm really enjoying the story and writing style. I've been wanting to read Sanderson for a while!
"It might seem that the person who can feel for others is doomed in life. Isn't one person's pain enough? Why must a person like Tress feel for two, or more? Yet I've found that the people who are the happiest are the ones who learn best how to feel. It takes practice, you know. Effort. And those who (late in life) have been feeling for two, three, or a thousand different people ...well, turns out they've had a leg up on everyone else all along."
Even though I have the tagged in audio and kindle (Kickstarter campaign), I had to have it in paperback too 🤦🏽♀️
Also discovered this beaut at Barnes today — anyone read it?
so-soSeveral people have recommend Sanderson to me. I decided to give this one a go because (1) it's not over 500 pages & (2) it's a stand alone.
Honestly, I almost DNF'd it because I got bored & kept putting it down. I finally started skimming it just to see how it resolved. I realize I'm not the target demographic for this book, & maybe that's the issue. Overall, it was just okay, but it doesn't make me want to pick up any of his other books.
pickThis was an absolute delight of a read! I would even go as far as to say it was right silly at times😆 Tress sets out on a dangerous voyage on the spore seas to find her love, Charlie. From pirate ships, to dangerous water activated spores to a wish granting dragon the book is not short on adventure!
It‘s been a long time since I‘ve read Sanderson, so I‘m giving this stand alone one a try.
pickWhat a delight! It‘s a Princess Bride story where Buttercup searches for Westley & instead of believing he‘s dead. What follows is a wild pirate adventure where Tress discovers her own strength & ingenuity as she travels on the seas of spores.
“Enjoy memories, yes, but don't be a slave to who you wish you once had been.”
“Even small actions have consequences. And while we can often choose our actions, we rarely get to choose our consequences.”
pick“Nothing was wrong with Tress. Her mind was functioning properly. She hadn‘t lost her creativity. She hadn‘t run out of ideas. She was simply tired.”
Second favorite quote:
“Tell me… what is your opinion of tiny pirate hats?”
pickI did it guys! I finally read Tress of the Emerald Sea and I really enjoyed it. I loved the charm that Tress brought to the story and I love that Hoid was the narrator. The humor in this one was unmatched and the Cosmere Easter eggs made it even better. I hope all of the Secret Projects are this good!
https://wildwoodreads.com/2024/02/09/7991/
pickThis cozy, clever, quirky fantasy lives up to its inspiration—what if in The Princess Bride, Buttercup was the one who went after Westley? In the course of attempting to save her noble true love from the evil Sorceress, a window washer runs away from home, dares life and death at sea, joins a dangerous crew, & unlearns a whole lot about people pleasing, taking charge, and accepting help. A delightful, surprising, heartwarming adventure of a book!
“…Empathy is an emotional loss leader. It pays for itself eventually.”
December 2023 Wrap Up
- Tress of the Emerald Sea ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- To Be Taught, If Fortunate ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Not much reading was done this month 😂
so-soI like Sanderson but I can‘t say I loved this one. It got boring and a bit tedious at times. I felt like the plot didn‘t really move forward for 200 pages.
I love the funny omniscient narrative voice in this stand alone fantasy book about a girl who joins a pirate crew to rescue her kidnapped friend.
Merry Christmas fellow Littens🎄🥰🩷 book pictured is a grift from my brother 🥰
I haven't read any of Brandon Sanderson's secret project books. It's pass time, so I'm starting with this one. These books are so pretty!
