Hello readers and welcome to the end of the week. If you are in the Northern half of the globe, you are feeling the wrath of summer. We hope everyone is managing to find a safe haven in this heat. Today, on the blog, we have a curated reading list to shine a spotlight on Fantastical Indie sea side reads to help you beat the heat.
Seaside Reads to Beat the Heat
The Teeth in the Tide by Rebecca F. Kenney
Definitely recommend the Extended edition of this glorious fantasy for the full experience.
Trapped on a walled island with her people, Kestra aches for vengeance against the swarms of ravenous mermaids that ate her father fifteen years ago. The swarms threaten her town’s last supply ship--and the life of the brave young captain who smiles so charmingly at her whenever he makes port. With the help of her scientist cousin and the handsome captain, Kestra takes her future and her people's fate into her hands, determined to find a way to destroy all the mermaids for good.
Abused and miserable, Rake serves in the harem of the three mermaid Queens. When he is given one of his spawn to raise, Rake resolves that his little son will have a better life. With the help of a monstrous creature that deals in memories, he discovers an ancient secret—one that could lead to freedom.
Pitched as Attack on Titan with mermaids, this adult fantasy is perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Alexandra Christo, and Holly Black. The novel blends a dark, brutal setting with romance and humor.
The Heart of the Sea by Chesney Infalt
"What price is too high when it comes to saving the one you love?"
Childhood friends, mer prince Caspian and human princess Sabine have been in love for years, but when tragedy strikes, the Kingdoms of Above and Below are separated, and not even their connection can heal the breach between their worlds.
Years later, something is stirring in the deep, and when Sabine's life is threatened, Caspian makes a dangerous deal with a sea witch in an attempt to protect her.
But nothing is simple—Caspian and Sabine find themselves in the middle of an ancient curse, and will have to risk far more than their lives for the chance of being together...
Beneath the Starlit Sea by Nicole Bea
Sorceress Illyse prefers to isolate herself from the age-old conflict between her coven and the humans of Sjökanten, but not at the expense of her own life. Captured by the king's men, she is threatened with the ultimate demise for sorceresses—being forever imprisoned in ore—unless she manages to put an end to the gruesome murders of human citizens at the hands of a mysterious sea creature.
Bound by an iron band that limits her power, Illyse, and her fox familiar, join with Garit Darling, a medical practitioner and an enigma unto himself. Together, they delve deep into forgotten lore and forbidden romantic entanglements, despite a ban on relationships between sorceresses and humans. However, when it is discovered that Garit's past is more closely tied to their investigation than either initially realizes, soon their passion and distraction from the crimes may just be at the cost of Illyse's potential freedom... and Garit's life.
Perfect for fans of The Witcher and A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins, this new adult romantic fantasy will sweep you away with lush worldbuilding, delicate details, and deep emotions to dig into.
Leviathan's Song by Elsie Winters
With the magical mafia knocking down the front door, the last thing Elara needs is to follow the seductive song calling her outside her shop…
Elara is well versed in creating beautiful things with the potential for great destruction, and the moment she meets Levi she knows that’s exactly what he is. Charmed and irritated by the seductive siren, Elara is drawn to him, but though his siren song pulls her in, his words push her away.
As a landlocked half-merman, rejected by his people, Levi is used to wanting things he can never have, and the soft-hearted and strong-willed Elara just hit the top of that list. She’s tempting, and that’s dangerous for him.
He should stay away.
But when an underwater city’s distant war comes to Elara’s doorstep, she’s suddenly in over her head, and Levi can no longer bear to keep his distance. Can she trust the mercurial siren that calls to her with more than his voice?
Voiceless by Anna Finch
Freedom is a choice. Is she brave enough to take it or will she remain voiceless?
Moriah is a beautiful mermaid princess that lives in Zoara-Bela under her grandfather, King Abaddon’s cruel reign. On her 16th birthday, she must undergo her rite of passage in which a young mermaid must transform into a human, and live among them for a day without drawing suspicion from the world above.
It’s not until she meets Michael, a young, handsome man, that she witnesses the stark contrast between the openness and kindness of the human world and the bitter reality of her draconian society.
She returns to the city beneath the waves with a longing for the freedom of the shore in her heart. But getting her freedom isn’t as simple as using magic to get a pair of legs.
Moriah must risk her life to free her kingdom and uncover the secrets of her past and family. If she wants her freedom and the chance to love freely, she must stand up to the wicked king who will stop at nothing to crush any voice of dissent.
Time is running out and the fate of an entire kingdom rests on her shoulders.
The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea by Katherine Quinn
One woman chosen by the God of the Sea. A king hellbent on saving his mysterious island home. And a forbidden romance that could destroy them all.
Forced to marry the wealthy Count Casbian by her power-hungry father, Margrete turns to the gods, praying for a life free from the men who wish to rule her. Across the sea, a ruthless immortal answers…
Planning to use Margrete to reclaim a powerful relic stolen from his people, Bash, a devilishly handsome king, kidnaps Margrete on the day of her nuptials. Bringing her to his home, the mystical island of Azantian, it isn't long before a devastating secret is revealed—one that ties Margrete to the gods themselves.
Drawn to the spirited woman he's sworn to hate, Bash cannot stay away from Margrete and the passion she ignites within him. When the lines begin to blur, Margrete must make a choice between a fiery love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul.