DNF&Y [45]

DNF&Y is used to explain why I gave up on certain books, and what about them just didn't work for me. What I disliked about a book might be something you love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative!

Strong Like the Sea by Wendy S. Swore

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Featuring a secret ocean code with a hidden message for YOU to decipher!

Even though twelve-year-old Alexis was born in Hawaii, she won’t surf or swim with her friends—not since the ocean and its hidden creatures swept her out to sea. Instead, she grabs her best detective hat and decodes her mom’s latest challenge

Alex’s mom works in counterintelligence and leaves codes, ciphers, and puzzles behind for Alex to solve, always with a “treasure” at the end. It’s a brilliant game between them, and Alex loves figuring out her mom’s puzzles—especially the tricky ones—but when an emergency at sea puts her mom in possible danger, solving the next one suddenly feels far more urgent.

Friends help as Alex races to decipher each clue before time runs out, but when the trail leads to grumpy old Uncle, his enormous dog Sarge, and a sea turtle unlike any other, the challenge changes into something bigger than any before. With storms on the horizon and lives on the line, Alex must face her fears to solve Mom’s challenge and save those she loves. With her ohana to help, she must be strong like the sea.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

It's been almost four years since I started this book and I still haven't picked it back up. Recently, I tried skimming through what I'd read, and while it did jog my memory, I just didn't care enough about the characters or the story to start over or continue. I had previously jotted a few thoughts down on sticky notes, so I'll share what those were at least.

1) Glasses. The main character makes a huge deal - several times if I remember correctly - about needing her glasses; however, they're not portrayed on the cover. This has nothing to do with the story, I know, but it was a small detail that stood out. It honestly felt like they were brought up at least once every few pages, so it just seems like something an artist would want to include in their depiction of the character. 

2) Mom obsession. Unhealthy perspective/comparison. "If mom got a clue like this bottle at her job, she'd probably be done already and on to her second clue by now. 'If I could figure out how to think like her, I'd be faster.'" It would have been nice if the main character had her own way of doing things instead of only wanting to be like her mom. Idolizing a parent, especially as a young child, is expected. This just felt like more than that. 

3) Um...why? "'Pfft. And the wind doesn't blow. Fo' reals!'" Some of the language and dialogue used in this book was super cringey and felt weird when it was attributed to adults. 

I do remember liking the Hawaiian setting and the descriptions of places the main character visited. At the end of the day, it simply wasn't a book I wanted to finish, and it was time for it to come off my "Currently Reading" shelf. (★★☆☆☆)

*I put the date I finished it as December 31, 2024 so it didn't count towards any of my 2025 challenges!