Sea Witch (Sea Witch #1)

Sea Witch by Sarah Henning is a Little Mermaid retellingwith a twist. When a mermaid washes ashore looking a lot like Evies deceased friend, Anna, Evie is beside herself with hope. The mermaid, Annamette, and Evie become fast friends, and Evie quickly makes it her mission to help Annamette keep her legs. Little does she know Annamette has secrets up her sleeve.

I was hoping for so much more with this book. This is the third The Little Mermaid retelling Ive read this year, and the other two blew this one out of the water. Now, it wasnt all bad, and I did enjoy it, but I was hoping for so much more! The Surface Breaks and To Kill a Kingdom set the bar too high, so I was left feeling disappointed. On the plus side, the book was well-paced and flowed nicely throughout the story.

The story concept itself, of course, was a win. I love retellings, and I appreciated the changes the author made to The Sea Witch to make her own. It was a unique story, while still capturing the essence of The Little Mermaid.

I also liked that the book included events from the past. This helped shape the timeline and gave me a feel for why events unfolded the way they did. Additional character insight is always a bonus, in my opinion.

Now for the negative. While the concept was cool, the story itself felt flat. Yes, it was entertaining, but it was shallow. There was no depth to the storyline, and at times, parts of it felt downright redundant. There was little world building, and I had a hard time imagining the events as they unfolded.

Additionally, I was engaged in the book, but not in the characters. I couldnt connect with any of the characters in the book. While the book provided insight into the characters pasts, there wasnt enough development to force my investment in the characters themselves. Any of them could have lived or died, and I wouldnt have cared one way or the other.

Despite my wishy-washy feelings towards the book, I did like the ending. It was unexpected, and I like the unexpected. However, the very, very ending of the book with the wayward girl felt unnecessary and somewhat confusing. It wasnt needed, and Im not sure what the purpose of that scene was.

Should you read this book? If youre a sucker for retellings like me, then of course you should! It wasnt my favorite retelling, but Im still glad I read it.

If I could give another half star (3.5) I would.

Mermaids are kind of a family thing. My sister and I used to spend rainy days reading from A Mermaid Summer by Mollie Hunter, so anytime a new mermaid tale crosses my path, I feel compelled to check it out.

I heard good things about this story from a fellow blogger and was captivated by the theme and cover art. I’ve been reading it off and on for a few months now (other stories getting in the way).

Personally, I enjoyed the tale. It surprised me a couple times and was not altogether predictable. I thought this was a unique retelling of The Little Mermaid story we all know and love. It was thoughtful, nicely paced and original. I found it to be a clever re-imagining version of the creatures that live under the sea and their origination.

My only disappointment lies within the world building. I felt so much more could have been done with the mermaid’s home and culture. My hope is that the next installments will reveal more and let us dive further into this creation.

I was pleased with the way the story ended. It felt finished but with the opportunity for more. I don’t feel forced to continue the series. I loathe series (even though I read them), so I appreciate when an author provides the reader with enough closure.

Wow, this book is worth all the hype! It’s unbelievably good. The world is unique, the magic fresh, and the writing strong.

I love that the story takes place in Denmark, the food and culture giving the story extra depth. The ocean plays a huge role in the town, bringing both sustenance and death.

Evie was such a sympathetic character. She just wants to do right–by her friends, her family, and herself–but things keep going wrong. Knowing that this was the origin story of the sea witch from Little Mermaid, it was enthralling to read how she eventually meets her downfall. And, oh, that final moment is so torturous!

The romance was definitely solid, and I couldn’t figure out which prince Evie was really in love with. That being said, I would argue this book is more about the strength of friendship, and it was beautifully done.

Can’t wait to read what Henning writes next!

What sold me on this book was that it was an origin story of the Sea Witch from the Little Mermaid, as well as word of mouth. And I was glad I took the plunge.

It only took a few chapters to get me fully invested in this story, with our protagonist, Evelyn, the daughter of a fisherman with royal favor, as well as a witch in secret. Her character and arc are fleshed out and relatable, riding the emotions along with Evelyn. The other characters are well developed as well and stand out in their own way, along with their interactions with each other.

I love the setting, which is 19th century Demark, specifically a coastal fishing town, a homage to Hans Christian Andersen. Its vivid and almost its own character at points, along with great world building. The prose is clear and easy to read and I didnt get lost once, which almost never happens for me. And yet theres depth and character to it as well, which isnt easy to do. I can hear Evelyns voice while reading.

I finished this in a single day, the story was really hard to put down. Even though I knew what was going on in regards to a couple of the twists, it was gripping to see how things develop, and through the last 100 pages, I kept wondering how things might get worse for Evelyn and her friends every other page. And yes, the story gets dark, and it really adds that extra layer that this story needs.

This is a must read you cannot miss!

Sea Witch is the first in a new fantasy series which reimagines the story of The Little Mermaid but from the perspective of the sea witch. This first instalment is a dark and exciting story, and one that will definitely leave you hungry for more.

Sea Witch follows Evie, the daughter of a Fisherman and her best friend Prince Nik. The two are still reeling from the drowning of their friend Anna several years previously, so when Evie discovers a young woman who looks exactly like Anna, she immediately agrees to help her but who is this mysterious girl and why does she look so much like the friend that drowned all those years ago?

This story was completely different to what I was expecting. Its a clever tale that brings a really fresh perspective to a story that has been reimagined so many times before. Its got plenty of twists and turns and the story is well paced really allowing you to get to know the characters and the world.

I really enjoyed the setting in this story, the seaside Kingdom, beautiful scenery and twisting waves were all really brought to life in the story. I liked the characters too they were well fleshed out and I thought Evie made an excellent protagonist. There were some plot points that I felt were a little predictable but I still enjoyed the overall execution of the story. The story jumps in time with each chapter containing a scene relating to the past and the friendship between Anna, Evie and Nik. I really liked this as it gave the reader the opportunity to get to know the characters and see how Evie and Nik cope with the loss of their friend.

The one negative I have about this book is the romance aspect. There are several romances taking place throughout the course of the story and I did feel that there wasnt all that much to them. I dont want to spoil the story for anyone so I wont name characters but the romances felt a bit forced, meaning I had less of an interest in the characters getting together. Despite this I still enjoyed the overall conclusion, and thought the ending was particularly well done.

Sea Witch is a really dark and fascinating tale, and if youre a fan of retellings, youre definitely going to want to try this one. Theres a second book coming in August, so you wont have too long to wait to find out whats in store next.

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