A review by cakt1991
Song of Lorelei by Desirée M. Niccoli

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

Song of Lorelei is a solid follow up to Called to the Deep, building both on Killian and Lorelei’s love story and the world Desirée Niccoli has created, blending a seaside town setting with mermaid lore. The book takes a somewhat different approach, and while I still enjoyed it, whether you like this one or the previous one (or both) is really down to personal preference.

There’s a greater sense of reality, even amid all the intense otherworldly things going on, and while I admit to preferring the more magical aspects of book one, I like what that means for the characters. Lorelei in particular goes through a lot, dealing with some very human issues, a perfect contrast of her arc in the prior book of coming to terms with the more inhuman side of herself. 

And while I wasn’t sure about following her and Killian again, as they were left in a good place in the last book, they still have issues to work through together, which made this book feel necessary and their love feel earned. 

And there still is more fantastical stuff, particularly through the introduction of new characters like Nireed. The world expanded and the external stakes were raised in a way that also made this book feel worth reading. 

This is a solid conclusion to a wonderful, original duology, and I’d recommend it if you enjoy urban fantasy or mermaid romance.