Reviews

Of Song and Scepter: A Dark Little Mermaid Retelling by Liesl West

thingsalixreads's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

0.5

jennreads303's review against another edition

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4.0

Couldn’t put this book down! I enjoyed reading this Little Mermaid re-imagining - Tension between the two love interests was

gina_elizabeth_writes's review against another edition

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4.0

This is an ARC review.

I really enjoyed this dark little mermaid retelling! Enna and Soren were beautifully built characters. The magic system and worldbuilding were well thought out and I could see it vividly. Overall an amazing debut novel!

misformorebooks's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I really enjoyed the first half of this book as it was engaging, there was a good introduction to the world, bad ass characters and high stakes. But the second Enna and Soren met, I lost all interest because this was an insta love with lust at its core which is not a trope I personally enjoy. 

My main issue is that the characters seemed obsessed with each other the second they met, there was no big talk, no slow burn - pure lust. and I don't mind that but I do prefer when characters have a bond before jumping into a relationship. 

fantasygalaxyguides's review against another edition

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3.0

Enna is a black cat ruthless assassin Siren. Soren is a bored prince who is avoiding marriage. Enna works for Odissa, she makes a deal with a goddess to present as the Prince’s future bride. This is essentially a retelling of the Little Mermaid with more violence. This is the author’s debut novel. I truly enjoyed the world building and Enna’s snarkiness. I felt the romance was a little sudden, there was not much build up. It was close enough to the Hans Christen Anderson Little Mermaid that I was not surprised by the ending.

lavenderstorm's review against another edition

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adventurous dark
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

I struggled a bit with the pacing. I never was able to get fully emotionally invested …the story was enjoyable though!

kbatt's review against another edition

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adventurous dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

wacqueline's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

This book was so fun to read! Yes there is action and romance and all that, but our main characters were written so well that they also added humanity and fun to the storyline. It really felt like they did not take themselves too seriously and because of that it made them relatable. Overall, fantastic story and I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author. 

superemilyy's review against another edition

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3.0

I was really enjoying this book until the scene where Odissa speaks in the presence of the necklace. It felt really rushed after that, and Enna being so in love with Soren didn’t feel believable. Of course, it didn’t feel believable in the Disney story either.

whyevernot55's review against another edition

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adventurous funny tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

This is such a fun spin on the little mermaid. Now I am a sucker for anything mermaid or siren adjacent, to be fair, but this was a unique take and I devoured it. The characters had me invested immediately and the relationships felt real. Even though I knew how things would ultimately go (didn’t we?!) I was on the edge of my seat and feared for their fates! Highly recommend!