Happy end of February, everyone!
Today I am so very, very excited to share that Cold Snap, my Snow White retelling with mermaids and ice magic, is available today! (If you’re interested in a paperback… it’s coming soon! I’m just waiting for my proof copy to arrive.) You can grab your ebook copy today, or if you want to have that physical copy (this cover is so, so worth it!), join the newsletter for the announcement!
(PS, joining the newsletter will also provide you with the link to the free prequel This Cursed Light and my currently-free short story, Freeze Thaw, the book before Cold Snap in the Seasons of Magic series.)
You can grab your copy by clicking on the image above or following this link.
Now let’s talk mermaid books!
When I was younger, I actually thought mermaid myths were stupid. I don’t even know where that feeling came from, and these days, I love a good mermaid story! Do you? If not, share your favorite fantasy creature in the comments. 🙂
Since I got into mermaids, I started creating a list of my favorite mermaid stories. I’m a bit picky, so I’m only including the ones I’ve read and loved!
1. The Siren by Kiera Cass (standalone)
I absolutely loved this book! (And if you’ve been here a while, you might have heard me talk about it before) It’s a captivating tale of the relationship of the Ocean with a trio of sirens – the Ocean provides, but demands annual murders to appease it. Such a dynamic, complex story that I can NOT get over!
2. Lost Voices by Sarah Porter (trilogy)
This is probably my favorite mermaid series of all time. It’s three books long and settles on the mythology that mermaids are created when the world abandons a girl – and she gives up on the world, too. It’s so sad, but also draws them into a place where they belong, which is heartwarming. So complex, so good. I will never get over these books either!
3. Born of Water by A.L. Knorr (multiple series)
This is part of an entire world by A.L. Knorr involving elementals, a secret society, and really cool powers. The mermaid mythology here is particularly prevalent, with a deep story between a mother and daughter that goes deep into history. Very cool world, and the mermaid stories in particular are so delicately crafted.
4. Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (currently standalone, maybe more later)
This one is not for the faint of heart – mermaid horror. The mermaids here are real monsters, and the book itself is intense and suspenseful! I also enjoyed the characters here, as there was a huge, involved cast, all trapped together on a ship in the middle of the ocean.
5. The Mermaid’s Sister by Carrie Anne Noble (standalone)
And finally, if you’re looking for something a little more whimsical and fairy tale-like, this book is for you! It definitely gives me serious Stardust vibes (I love that movie!) and is centered around a powerful found family.
And don’t forget to grab Cold Snap while you’re stocking up on mermaid stories!
Sometimes the frozen heart doesn’t melt…
Mermaid princess Iclyn finally inherited her magic and hopes it will bring a closer relationship with her distant stepmother. But those hopes melt away when the king departs on a diplomatic mission, leaving her alone with Queen Hali—and under the queen’s influence. Hali takes the opportunity to enchant Iclyn with illegal dark sorcery, sending her to her death. But instead of killing her, the would-be assassin delivers her safely away from the city and out into the ocean, alone.
With only a map to a potential safe haven, thought to be nothing more than a myth, Iclyn must find her way without the comfort and protection she had always known and learn how to use her newly born magic. But the queen’s plans are bigger than Iclyn, and if Iclyn can’t stop her, not only her life will be forfeit.
The life of the king—and perhaps all of Iclyn’s people—will fall under the queen’s cold rule.
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Do you have any other mermaid stories you’re particularly fond of? Any unique fantasy creatures you love? Tell me in the comments!
Selina J. Eckert 