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A review by woodsybookworm
These Shallow Waters by Madison Mouser
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-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
4.0
After the tragic loss of her husband, Ellie decides to reconnect to her late husband's roots and visit Scotland. After a minor mishap, Ellie's trip goes from bad to worse when she finds herself stranded in a remote seaside town.
In steps Lawson, the brooding hunky librarian with a mysterious past, as he quite literally whisks poor Ellie away to a hidden kingdom of mythical creatures known as selkies. The selkies are in danger, their kingdom lies in ruin and their only hope is a prophecy involving their last prince and a brave human who will stand against the terrifying sirens.
This story was unique in its setting and material - selkies and sirens are such a rare combo in romantasy! As a debut novel, I think the author did a wonderful job world building and creating fun characters. I loved Ellie's snark and sarcasm, plus her love of food!
I did have to set aside some rational thought when it came to the pacing of the story as Ellie really accepted the whole 'chosen one' persona right away while I would have been kicking and screaming if I was in her shoes. But, I feel like that's something we see a lot in romantasy storytelling.
Overall, it was a fun and unique story and I'll definitely be keeping a lookout for the next book, especially since this one ends on a cliffhanger!
In steps Lawson, the brooding hunky librarian with a mysterious past, as he quite literally whisks poor Ellie away to a hidden kingdom of mythical creatures known as selkies. The selkies are in danger, their kingdom lies in ruin and their only hope is a prophecy involving their last prince and a brave human who will stand against the terrifying sirens.
This story was unique in its setting and material - selkies and sirens are such a rare combo in romantasy! As a debut novel, I think the author did a wonderful job world building and creating fun characters. I loved Ellie's snark and sarcasm, plus her love of food!
I did have to set aside some rational thought when it came to the pacing of the story as Ellie really accepted the whole 'chosen one' persona right away while I would have been kicking and screaming if I was in her shoes. But, I feel like that's something we see a lot in romantasy storytelling.
Overall, it was a fun and unique story and I'll definitely be keeping a lookout for the next book, especially since this one ends on a cliffhanger!
Content Warnings
Minor: War, Blood, Suicide, Death, Grief, and Murder