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The Ocean's Daughter
Fifteen-year-old Carter Ellen Key has lived her entire life on the waves, traveling across oceans on the merchant ship known as the Adventurer, a ship that she calls home. Orphaned at age seven, she held tight to the memories of her father and stories of her mother, turning to them for advice even after their deaths. The Adventurer's crew became Carter's family, and Captain Rosten made it his personal duty to keep her safe. This protection kept Carter from ever exploring the land, or even sinking her feet into the sand that surrounded the ports. The discoveries and mysteries that awaited her there remained in her daydreams. As her position aboard the Adventurer climbed and her relationships with the crew began to strengthen, her dream of discovering life on the land came within her grasp. But this dream comes at a great cost. It may even cost Carter her life, or worse, the lives of the ones she loves. The fantasies in her books were just that, fantasies. The real world beyond her small merchant ship is crueler than anything she could imagine. Carter will need to adapt and learn to provide for her own safety. She must decide if she will trust in her father's words-that is, if dying for a dream is the most courageous act of all. 72
226 pages, Paperback
Published February 7, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 21, 2020
My daughter's review:
The Ocean's Daughter is one of my favorite books! It involves adventure, a love story, friendship, and more. I can't wait to read her next book!
The Ocean's Daughter is one of my favorite books! It involves adventure, a love story, friendship, and more. I can't wait to read her next book!
January 14, 2021
I personally did not like this book. I got halfway though and there was just so much in it that I found I couldn't handle because it was either factually incorrect or was just plain ridiculous. I feel bad about that because the author asked me to review this book for her, but I just can't give it anything more than a one star for my tastes.
First of all, pirates come to attack and her father has her locked away for safe keeping. What if the pirates took the ship, they would still have her. That didn't happen though. The only thing the pirates touched is her father. It is said many times that they stole him, but sometimes it also says that they killed him. I'm not sure which it is because of the inconsistencies.
Years later they first mate is now the captain and Carter is still aboard the ship. She is never allowed to go on land because of something her father said. She was born and sea at that is where she will remain. I think her mother died in childbirth, but that is also unclear. Sometime is says she died and sometimes the wording would have one think differently. Also, when the ship does go to port, it seems to always be the same port that everyone has family living at. They never go to another one. When they go to the land, they lock Carter away again. I have no idea why.
This book takes place during the Civil War (it doesn't say that until the middle of the book), but when they come back from the port, they bring Carter some shorts. Shorts was not a word used during the Civil war. It wasn't used until 100 years later. I personally would have used something like knee britches.
The love interest is a soft-spoken guy who only knows how to smile sympathetically at Carter. She's annoyed with him for most of the first half of the book and then randomly starts to have feelings for him.
Carter sneaks out to go swimming with the dolphins on a regular basis. She just dives through the port hole (I thought port holes were small), and no one hears the splash, her squealing to the dolphins in their language (because she can talk to them), and no one sees her not even the guy in the crow's nest. I find that all hard to believe.
At one point Carter gets knocked into the water by some new recruits and there happens to be a shark there. It ends up biting her leg and she is lucky to still have it. The next day, low and behold, she is walking on said leg and acting like she is not in pain even though she is. If any of those guys were in that situation they would be in bed for weeks, but not Carter. She's "tough."
There is a storm partway thought the book, and what do they do? You guessed it, lock Carter away for safe keeping. What if the boat was damaged and started sinking? She could have drowned because she couldn't get out? What is up with locking her away all of the time. The only person who dies in this storm is the captain because he was seeing to everyone else, the mast broke and fell on him. The go back to that one port, which one doesn't know is where all the family is until this point, and take his body to his family.
Carter finally gets to step on land, but at one point she kind of lags behind and gets lost. She goes wandering around instead of stopping for directions to the ocean or climbing a hill, tree, or building to look for the ocean. I would think she would know to do that because the crow's nest was her favorite position on the ship. The whole point of a crow's nest is to see further from up higher. Wouldn't you do the same on land? No because it was her first time on land.
Because Carter goes wandering around, she gets kidnapped. I think this only happened because she was being conveniently stupid and not looking for the ocean properly. At one point the kidnapper guy comes in to talk to her and she rolls her eyes at him. Then she says that he either didn't notice or was doing a good job of hiding it. Why would he react to her rolling her eyes? I roll my eyes at my husband all of the time and he almost never reacts.
It was at this point that I was done with the book. I tried to pick it up and finish it, but I put myself into a reading slump trying to finish this one book and it isn't even that long. I wish I had been a beta reader for this author because I would have let her know things that didn’t work out before she published this book. I think it is self-published too, so I’m not sure if there was an editor or whatever to help her with the concepts of this novel.
First of all, pirates come to attack and her father has her locked away for safe keeping. What if the pirates took the ship, they would still have her. That didn't happen though. The only thing the pirates touched is her father. It is said many times that they stole him, but sometimes it also says that they killed him. I'm not sure which it is because of the inconsistencies.
Years later they first mate is now the captain and Carter is still aboard the ship. She is never allowed to go on land because of something her father said. She was born and sea at that is where she will remain. I think her mother died in childbirth, but that is also unclear. Sometime is says she died and sometimes the wording would have one think differently. Also, when the ship does go to port, it seems to always be the same port that everyone has family living at. They never go to another one. When they go to the land, they lock Carter away again. I have no idea why.
This book takes place during the Civil War (it doesn't say that until the middle of the book), but when they come back from the port, they bring Carter some shorts. Shorts was not a word used during the Civil war. It wasn't used until 100 years later. I personally would have used something like knee britches.
The love interest is a soft-spoken guy who only knows how to smile sympathetically at Carter. She's annoyed with him for most of the first half of the book and then randomly starts to have feelings for him.
Carter sneaks out to go swimming with the dolphins on a regular basis. She just dives through the port hole (I thought port holes were small), and no one hears the splash, her squealing to the dolphins in their language (because she can talk to them), and no one sees her not even the guy in the crow's nest. I find that all hard to believe.
At one point Carter gets knocked into the water by some new recruits and there happens to be a shark there. It ends up biting her leg and she is lucky to still have it. The next day, low and behold, she is walking on said leg and acting like she is not in pain even though she is. If any of those guys were in that situation they would be in bed for weeks, but not Carter. She's "tough."
There is a storm partway thought the book, and what do they do? You guessed it, lock Carter away for safe keeping. What if the boat was damaged and started sinking? She could have drowned because she couldn't get out? What is up with locking her away all of the time. The only person who dies in this storm is the captain because he was seeing to everyone else, the mast broke and fell on him. The go back to that one port, which one doesn't know is where all the family is until this point, and take his body to his family.
Carter finally gets to step on land, but at one point she kind of lags behind and gets lost. She goes wandering around instead of stopping for directions to the ocean or climbing a hill, tree, or building to look for the ocean. I would think she would know to do that because the crow's nest was her favorite position on the ship. The whole point of a crow's nest is to see further from up higher. Wouldn't you do the same on land? No because it was her first time on land.
Because Carter goes wandering around, she gets kidnapped. I think this only happened because she was being conveniently stupid and not looking for the ocean properly. At one point the kidnapper guy comes in to talk to her and she rolls her eyes at him. Then she says that he either didn't notice or was doing a good job of hiding it. Why would he react to her rolling her eyes? I roll my eyes at my husband all of the time and he almost never reacts.
It was at this point that I was done with the book. I tried to pick it up and finish it, but I put myself into a reading slump trying to finish this one book and it isn't even that long. I wish I had been a beta reader for this author because I would have let her know things that didn’t work out before she published this book. I think it is self-published too, so I’m not sure if there was an editor or whatever to help her with the concepts of this novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2020
This book was an entertaining read!
It was easy to read, even though English isn't my first language. I understood most of it easily without looking things up.
However, I was a little bit confused about the time the story is happening. You can find one date in the middle of the book but I would have liked to know it from the beginning on. It would have been better to get into the story. Maybe writing it into the blurb would be an option.
Also, sometimes I would have liked the scenes to be a bit longer. I think some of the evens were changing and passing too quick. It would have been great if some of the chapters were one of two pages longer.
All in all, it was a fun read and I'm curious what is going to happen next.
The book wasn't life changing but really entertaining. And that's what reading is all about: Having fun.
If you want to support a newcomer author, maybe just check this book out and read it! ☺
"Dying for a dream is the most courageous act of all" - The Oceans Daughter by Madison Wade.
It was easy to read, even though English isn't my first language. I understood most of it easily without looking things up.
However, I was a little bit confused about the time the story is happening. You can find one date in the middle of the book but I would have liked to know it from the beginning on. It would have been better to get into the story. Maybe writing it into the blurb would be an option.
Also, sometimes I would have liked the scenes to be a bit longer. I think some of the evens were changing and passing too quick. It would have been great if some of the chapters were one of two pages longer.
All in all, it was a fun read and I'm curious what is going to happen next.
The book wasn't life changing but really entertaining. And that's what reading is all about: Having fun.
If you want to support a newcomer author, maybe just check this book out and read it! ☺
"Dying for a dream is the most courageous act of all" - The Oceans Daughter by Madison Wade.
March 30, 2020
This book was a lot of fun to read! It was a quick read for me, but I can also chew through some books if I really sit down and put time into them. Carter is such an outgoing and carefree young woman on her ship the Adventurer and I loved all the spunkiness and quips that she tossed around. I was living through her as she shimmed up and down the main mast to the crow's nest and every little thing she did on the ship. I also was surprised by, but still loved, the dolphins! I wish I could understand dolphins!
The only part I would say is I wish a few of the scenes were drawn out a bit more than what was given; however, those parts were still good despite not being long!
There are so many days that I miss the sounds, sights, and smells of the sea. This book was able to bring that part of my ocean world home to me! Thank you for a good read!
The only part I would say is I wish a few of the scenes were drawn out a bit more than what was given; however, those parts were still good despite not being long!
There are so many days that I miss the sounds, sights, and smells of the sea. This book was able to bring that part of my ocean world home to me! Thank you for a good read!
June 29, 2021
When I read the synopsis of this book, it had me wondering if the main character was possibly part-mermaid? Was this the secret reason she didn't venture onto land? How strange to live you entire life at sea? I know my husband would love this life.
This is the debut novel for young author, Madison Wade. I think it is a wonderful story for the young adult reader. The language and writing style is well suited for this age group. The story is filled with so much a young reader will enjoy; adventure, danger, drama, pirates, sword fights and a little romance. School is no where to be found. The main character, Carter, is an avid reader. Her favorite book is Robinson Crusoe.
Carter is not a girly type girl. She is part of the crew of the ship "The Adventurer" and lives a life very different to most girls her age. This book is set in the past, at a time when females have no rights and are totally reliant on men. This is a strong source of motivation for Carter, she is determined to live a free life, making her own decisions and not relying on a man to save her. She is quite capable of saving herself and all her friends.
The story covers about a week in Carter's life. What a week it is! From the safety of her ship, she eventually ends up on land, whee she finds that it is truly a dangerous place. She is sold into slavery and ends up on a pirate ship. She must work out a way to save herself and her friends.
A lovely aspect of this story is her special friendship with a pod of dolphins. This seems a little unlikely to us adults, but adds a special fantasy to the story for younger readers. Why wouldn't dolphins become her friends? I was a little more worried about other, not-so-friendly sea creatures, she might come across while swimming in the middle of the ocean.
Carter seems to always getting herself into trouble. She constantly is dragged into the Captain's cabin and is punished. But this only makes her more determined to help her friends and get back to her ship.
I would recommend this book to a young reader who loves stories of the sea, but it will appeal to any young reader. It has something for everyone. Carter is a great example of a strong female main character and will be an inspiration to young girls especially. This is also a story about young people achieving their dreams and will appeal to all. It is a lovely story and I hope to read more of Carter's adventures.
This is the debut novel for young author, Madison Wade. I think it is a wonderful story for the young adult reader. The language and writing style is well suited for this age group. The story is filled with so much a young reader will enjoy; adventure, danger, drama, pirates, sword fights and a little romance. School is no where to be found. The main character, Carter, is an avid reader. Her favorite book is Robinson Crusoe.
Carter is not a girly type girl. She is part of the crew of the ship "The Adventurer" and lives a life very different to most girls her age. This book is set in the past, at a time when females have no rights and are totally reliant on men. This is a strong source of motivation for Carter, she is determined to live a free life, making her own decisions and not relying on a man to save her. She is quite capable of saving herself and all her friends.
The story covers about a week in Carter's life. What a week it is! From the safety of her ship, she eventually ends up on land, whee she finds that it is truly a dangerous place. She is sold into slavery and ends up on a pirate ship. She must work out a way to save herself and her friends.
A lovely aspect of this story is her special friendship with a pod of dolphins. This seems a little unlikely to us adults, but adds a special fantasy to the story for younger readers. Why wouldn't dolphins become her friends? I was a little more worried about other, not-so-friendly sea creatures, she might come across while swimming in the middle of the ocean.
Carter seems to always getting herself into trouble. She constantly is dragged into the Captain's cabin and is punished. But this only makes her more determined to help her friends and get back to her ship.
I would recommend this book to a young reader who loves stories of the sea, but it will appeal to any young reader. It has something for everyone. Carter is a great example of a strong female main character and will be an inspiration to young girls especially. This is also a story about young people achieving their dreams and will appeal to all. It is a lovely story and I hope to read more of Carter's adventures.
June 1, 2021
Carter Ellen Key is a badass. I absolutely loved reading about Carter's experience from being born on a ship and losing her mother during delivery, to having her Father captured by pirates at a young age, and then the Captain became her "second Father." The heartbreak when she lost the Captain as well, had me in tears. I resonated with Carter, and Madison Wade did a phenomenal job incorporating empathy into her words.
I wish I could talk to dolphins, climb up to a Crow's Nest in seconds, and be able to outperform ship duties that many of the men couldn't do nearly as well. Carter displays a huge part in women equality in this book, she proves that even if she is a fifteen year old female, she can do just as much as men that doubled her age. Carter is able to survive a SHARK attack after being pushed overboard by a couple of crew members who didn't take kindly to having a female crew member, and was saved with the help of her dolphin friends, and after she stabbed and killed the shark. She still willfully performed tasks and her fair share of job duties, while recovering from an injury.
I never expected myself to gravitate and be so hooked in a book, and this one did it for me. I'm excited to read more work from Madison Wade, her writing is amazing!
This book took me ~2.5 hours to read. I started on a Monday afternoon, and woke up at 3AM on Tuesday to be able to finish before work.
I wish I could talk to dolphins, climb up to a Crow's Nest in seconds, and be able to outperform ship duties that many of the men couldn't do nearly as well. Carter displays a huge part in women equality in this book, she proves that even if she is a fifteen year old female, she can do just as much as men that doubled her age. Carter is able to survive a SHARK attack after being pushed overboard by a couple of crew members who didn't take kindly to having a female crew member, and was saved with the help of her dolphin friends, and after she stabbed and killed the shark. She still willfully performed tasks and her fair share of job duties, while recovering from an injury.
I never expected myself to gravitate and be so hooked in a book, and this one did it for me. I'm excited to read more work from Madison Wade, her writing is amazing!
This book took me ~2.5 hours to read. I started on a Monday afternoon, and woke up at 3AM on Tuesday to be able to finish before work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2021
"The Ocean's Daughter" was such a cute story!! It follows a young girl named Carter Ellen Key and her many adventures aboard her ship, the "Adventurer." There were a lot of interesting things that happened, to say the least (I wish I could say, but no one likes a spoiler lol). Carter went through so much throughout the course of this book, and her strength and resilience were absolutely incredible.
If I had to pick one thing that kept me from giving this book a 5-star rating, I'd say that there wasn't really any "suspense," or "excitement," or whatever word you want to put there to "build up" to the plot twists. Instead, the plot kind of seemed "normal" and "calm," then there were these random, exciting moments.
Other than that, I enjoyed reading this book, and would totally recommend it, especially for younger readers (like 10-13ish). :)
If I had to pick one thing that kept me from giving this book a 5-star rating, I'd say that there wasn't really any "suspense," or "excitement," or whatever word you want to put there to "build up" to the plot twists. Instead, the plot kind of seemed "normal" and "calm," then there were these random, exciting moments.
Other than that, I enjoyed reading this book, and would totally recommend it, especially for younger readers (like 10-13ish). :)
September 8, 2020
The Ocean's Daughter by Madison Wade
This is a book about a young girl named Carter and what happens when her life long dream comes true and the harsh reality and consequences of that follows.
📖
One of my favorite tropes is a ragtag group of misfits banning together to kick ass! ✔
It has high sea adventures . ✔
A coming of age female protagonist.✔
A smidgen of romance.✔
Her ability to be brave and strong in the most dangerous situations and still be positive and caring.✔
📖
The book dipped into Carter's mental state through her nightmares. Being brave while awake but being tortured while asleep.
📖
And of course, I have to mention her dolphin friends.💙🐬💙
💙
I gave this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The last sentence ended with a question mark so I'm hoping for a sequel!
💙
This is a book about a young girl named Carter and what happens when her life long dream comes true and the harsh reality and consequences of that follows.
📖
One of my favorite tropes is a ragtag group of misfits banning together to kick ass! ✔
It has high sea adventures . ✔
A coming of age female protagonist.✔
A smidgen of romance.✔
Her ability to be brave and strong in the most dangerous situations and still be positive and caring.✔
📖
The book dipped into Carter's mental state through her nightmares. Being brave while awake but being tortured while asleep.
📖
And of course, I have to mention her dolphin friends.💙🐬💙
💙
I gave this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The last sentence ended with a question mark so I'm hoping for a sequel!
💙
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read filled with a lot of action. The idea of this book is absolutely flawless and I enjoyed following the story of Carter. I would have loved if some scenes and chapters were drawn out a little more so that I could have spent more time getting to know the characters. Overall this is a lovely story but filled with some dark scenes so I would recommend for ages 12-16. I can’t wait to see what Madison writes in the future!
December 1, 2020
Great book! Definitely recommend for all adventure, ocean lovers. So much action!
August 18, 2022
Simply note my favorite type of book to read. I never enjoy books that include slaves, capturing, etc. just a personal preference so if that scares you- don’t read!
May 15, 2021
"But sometimes dying for a dream is the most courageous act of all."
-Madison Wade
☆☆☆.5
I was asked if I wanted to read and write a review from the author and of course I said yes. This is Madison's debut novel and I truly enjoyed reading it. It is not the usual genre I would read, being partial to fantasy, but it was a great read to expand my tastes. I'm giving it 3.5 stars from my present self and 4 stars from my past self (I'll explain more in the review 😉).
Plot
The story followed a basic 'hero's plot' as I like to call it with a first-person POV from Cater Ellen Key. Carter has spent her whole life on the sea living on her father's ship The Adventurer. I found the first 200 pages (on my kobo there were 568 pages) were a lot of world-building, character introduction and setting us up for the conflict. As soon as the conflict came into play I got really invested. The rest follows the 'hero's plot' as I call it, where our hero is able to come past their troubles defeat the antagonist and save the day. Some parts I found a bit unrealistic, with the timing of events and others but they are easily looked past. I liked the plot, it was interesting, with twists and had a satisfying ending.
Characters
Our main character is Carter Ellen Key our head-strong, determined hero. I like Carter's character she's written to be strong and determined but her flaws are real. At times her stubbornness can get her in trouble and she is naive when it comes to life on land. One of my favourite things about her character is her trying to figure her feelings for one of the boys on her crew. It makes her feel like a real teenage girl, refusing to admit she likes him but knowing she's falling for him.
The antagonist Gargan, at times, felt too animated. He would go from zero to one hundred when something upset him. It made him a great villain but made him feel a little less real to me.
Carter's love interests, who will remain nameless to avoid spoilers, I liked them. They were both enough of their own characters to be more than just the 'love interest'. If there is a second book I'd like to see more about their characters and see how the romance develops.
I liked all the characters but at times they felt a bit stiff and the dialogue a bit forced. In the next book, I'd like to see more of the characters' backstories and get to know them more.
4 Stars From My Past-Self
To me, this book definitely felt targeted towards middle schoolers and I can tell you 12-year-old me this would be at the top of my list. Carter is a great role model for young girls. Growing up I always liked reading about the ocean because I live so far away from one. As an adult reading this I still enjoyed it but I feel it is best suited for middle schoolers. As an adult, I noticed some of the more forced dialogue and some of the more unrealistic scenes that I wouldn't as a kid, so that's why I took half a star off. If you are a fan of The Neptune Project (which I loved in middle school) by Polly Holyoke, The Ocean's Daughter is definitely for you.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I think it is a great book for a young teenager getting into reading and looking for something full of adventure, a strong female lead and a touch of romance. Congratulations Madison on your debut novel I look forward to reading and reviewing the sequel!!
Following Madison on Instagram: @booksbymwade
-Madison Wade
☆☆☆.5
I was asked if I wanted to read and write a review from the author and of course I said yes. This is Madison's debut novel and I truly enjoyed reading it. It is not the usual genre I would read, being partial to fantasy, but it was a great read to expand my tastes. I'm giving it 3.5 stars from my present self and 4 stars from my past self (I'll explain more in the review 😉).
Plot
The story followed a basic 'hero's plot' as I like to call it with a first-person POV from Cater Ellen Key. Carter has spent her whole life on the sea living on her father's ship The Adventurer. I found the first 200 pages (on my kobo there were 568 pages) were a lot of world-building, character introduction and setting us up for the conflict. As soon as the conflict came into play I got really invested. The rest follows the 'hero's plot' as I call it, where our hero is able to come past their troubles defeat the antagonist and save the day. Some parts I found a bit unrealistic, with the timing of events and others but they are easily looked past. I liked the plot, it was interesting, with twists and had a satisfying ending.
Characters
Our main character is Carter Ellen Key our head-strong, determined hero. I like Carter's character she's written to be strong and determined but her flaws are real. At times her stubbornness can get her in trouble and she is naive when it comes to life on land. One of my favourite things about her character is her trying to figure her feelings for one of the boys on her crew. It makes her feel like a real teenage girl, refusing to admit she likes him but knowing she's falling for him.
The antagonist Gargan, at times, felt too animated. He would go from zero to one hundred when something upset him. It made him a great villain but made him feel a little less real to me.
Carter's love interests, who will remain nameless to avoid spoilers, I liked them. They were both enough of their own characters to be more than just the 'love interest'. If there is a second book I'd like to see more about their characters and see how the romance develops.
I liked all the characters but at times they felt a bit stiff and the dialogue a bit forced. In the next book, I'd like to see more of the characters' backstories and get to know them more.
4 Stars From My Past-Self
To me, this book definitely felt targeted towards middle schoolers and I can tell you 12-year-old me this would be at the top of my list. Carter is a great role model for young girls. Growing up I always liked reading about the ocean because I live so far away from one. As an adult reading this I still enjoyed it but I feel it is best suited for middle schoolers. As an adult, I noticed some of the more forced dialogue and some of the more unrealistic scenes that I wouldn't as a kid, so that's why I took half a star off. If you are a fan of The Neptune Project (which I loved in middle school) by Polly Holyoke, The Ocean's Daughter is definitely for you.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I think it is a great book for a young teenager getting into reading and looking for something full of adventure, a strong female lead and a touch of romance. Congratulations Madison on your debut novel I look forward to reading and reviewing the sequel!!
Following Madison on Instagram: @booksbymwade
June 9, 2020
I loved this book. It was a quick read for me, but I can also really chew through some books if I really sit down and put time into them. This book had elements of joy and sadness, with a darker side during part 2, that covered slavery and the effect it had. The story changed from a slightly younger audience to an older audience. The change kept me on my feet and the way the chapters were written were in depth and amazingly depicted. The main character Carter is such an outgoing and carefree young woman on her ship the Adventurer and I loved all the spunkiness and quips that she tossed around. I was living through her as she shimmed up and down the main mast to the crow's nest and every little thing she did on the ship. I also was surprised by, but still loved, the dolphins, they provided a comedic relief and happiness. The only part I would say is I wish a few of the scenes were drawn out a bit more than what was given; however, those parts were still good despite not being long. I can’t wait to read more of her work
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews