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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Give me a more fun way to start off summer than by reading a dark little mermaid retelling… go ahead, I’ll wait! I really enjoyed this debut book from author Liesl West. It had action, deception, found love - give it a try!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It just felt rushed. I don't feel like I really got to know the characters, and I would have liked more world building.
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a dark retelling of the Little Mermaid.
Enna is the bastard of the Abyssal Siren King. When he died she found herself magically bound to a death dealer, forced to carry out killings in her masters name.
One day, her master hatches a plan to take on a princess’s form and try to win the heart of the Coral Kingdom and in tern, become queen. Enna has to pretend to be her handmaiden in this scheme in order to finally gain freedom from her master.
Sorren is the crown Prince of the Coral Kingdom and is being forced into a marriage with the Abyssal Court. He feels nothing for the princess, but the princess’s handmaiden is feisty and just the pairing he has always searched for. Little does he know that she is there to deceive his kingdom.
This was a very easy book to read. It’s relatively short. I loved the world and loved having a book based in the ocean. It was dark and brooding and a fun read.
Overall, I felt like aspects of the book could have been drawn out more, such as the connection and chemistry between Enna and Sorren. I feel that would have made the book connect more emotionally.
Overall, a fun and simple read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
🌶️🌶️
Enna is the bastard of the Abyssal Siren King. When he died she found herself magically bound to a death dealer, forced to carry out killings in her masters name.
One day, her master hatches a plan to take on a princess’s form and try to win the heart of the Coral Kingdom and in tern, become queen. Enna has to pretend to be her handmaiden in this scheme in order to finally gain freedom from her master.
Sorren is the crown Prince of the Coral Kingdom and is being forced into a marriage with the Abyssal Court. He feels nothing for the princess, but the princess’s handmaiden is feisty and just the pairing he has always searched for. Little does he know that she is there to deceive his kingdom.
This was a very easy book to read. It’s relatively short. I loved the world and loved having a book based in the ocean. It was dark and brooding and a fun read.
Overall, I felt like aspects of the book could have been drawn out more, such as the connection and chemistry between Enna and Sorren. I feel that would have made the book connect more emotionally.
Overall, a fun and simple read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
🌶️🌶️
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Well, this was a lot of fun. If you like feisty, bad ass FMCs that can sprout a tail, this is for you.
It didn't read as a debut novel, so kudos to Liesl! The world has a lot of potential and I have some leftover questions that I wonder if they would be answered in later books. So I look forward to the next one already hahaha
My only negative comment is that the end felt a bit rushed and off when compared to the build up and pace of the book. I was expecting a bit more court drama (don't tell me that Lord Varik isn't fishy
It didn't read as a debut novel, so kudos to Liesl! The world has a lot of potential and I have some leftover questions that I wonder if they would be answered in later books. So I look forward to the next one already hahaha
My only negative comment is that the end felt a bit rushed and off when compared to the build up and pace of the book. I was expecting a bit more court drama (don't tell me that Lord Varik isn't fishy
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really like mer stories and I feel like this had potential but just fell flat. There were multiple points in the story that could've introduced conflict or expanded the world and it just didn't happen.
SPOILERS!!!
The main thing I'm talking about is the Abyssal king just not giving a single F that the princess got murked. What was the point of having that guard get away in the beginning if not to tell the king their mission was compromised, the princess murdered and impersonated and the siren that did it ends up with the price said dead princess was to marry. This is a perfect set up for conflict!! Plot! An antagonist is right there!!! These kingdoms already have beef so this is a match to a flame. I also found it odd to have a big world map, with multiple kingdoms and not introduce anything apart from where the story takes place. It's one thing if there's to be more books, but this to me reads as a standalone.
Like I said, this had potential. Just needed more time to flesh out and tie off loose ends. If you want a book that's an easy read with a straightforward plot (setting aside the plot holes) and you like mermaids/sirens and smut, bon appetite.
SPOILERS!!!
The main thing I'm talking about is the Abyssal king just not giving a single F that the princess got murked. What was the point of having that guard get away in the beginning if not to tell the king their mission was compromised, the princess murdered and impersonated and the siren that did it ends up with the price said dead princess was to marry. This is a perfect set up for conflict!! Plot! An antagonist is right there!!! These kingdoms already have beef so this is a match to a flame. I also found it odd to have a big world map, with multiple kingdoms and not introduce anything apart from where the story takes place. It's one thing if there's to be more books, but this to me reads as a standalone.
Like I said, this had potential. Just needed more time to flesh out and tie off loose ends. If you want a book that's an easy read with a straightforward plot (setting aside the plot holes) and you like mermaids/sirens and smut, bon appetite.
dark
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This dark little mermaid retelling is part of a set of standalone book series!! I cannot wait for what Liesl has in store for her next book!!
I fell in love with Enna and Soren right away! Their chemistry was on point and the spice was
I fell in love with Enna and Soren right away! Their chemistry was on point and the spice was