A dark, atmospheric tale set in a world where the seas are both a source of power and a deadly force. The story follows the protagonist, a young woman caught between her family's expectations and the alluring pull of the ocean's mysteries. The novel boasts an intriguing premise, blending elements of fantasy and suspense as the characters navigate treacherous waters—both literal and emotional.

The world-building is one of the book’s standout features. Layne’s vivid descriptions of the seafaring world are immersive, making the setting feel alive with danger and beauty. The atmosphere is rich with tension, and the author does a commendable job of creating a sense of foreboding with each wave the characters encounter.

However, despite the compelling setting, the characters lack depth. The protagonist’s internal conflict, while understandable, feels somewhat one-dimensional, and her relationships with other characters often lack the emotional resonance needed to fully invest in their fates. The plot moves at a steady pace but sometimes lingers too long on certain aspects, slowing down the overall momentum.

While "These Wicked Waters" is a solid read, it doesn’t quite reach the heights it promises. The world-building is engaging, but the characters and plot development left me wanting more. It’s a good book, but not a great one, and I’m hopeful that Layne’s future works will delve deeper into the emotional complexity that this story only hints at.

I was so excited about this mermaid book, but unfortunately, this was underwhelming. I didn't connect to the story at all and didn't find any of the characters compelling.

This wasn’t a story for me, I could see other people really enjoying it but it just didn’t mesh with me!
I do however love the mc!

This story was a tad slow, which is to be expected in terms of a mystery, but I think the pacing could have been better. The beginning had serious pacing issues, but this book found its footing later on.

The romance was a tad unnecessary. Not every book needs romance, and I think they were better-suited as friends.

As the book went on, it seriously improved, full with brutal sirens and bloody events. The sirens were the highlight of the book. They were so vicious and vengeful!

I've been meaning to write my review, but SO MUCH has been going on! I love me some killer sirens and mermaids (there is a difference). Emily is an awesome, dear friend of mine. I know she's been working on this baby for a while and its finally in the hands of readers!

Onto the review:

Annie Mayfield is determined, focused, and has a lot of passion, but she can be naïve at times. For example, when a character, Adam, goes missing, she is adamant he wouldn't run away with one of the maids because she says he loves his wife (who I wanted to strangle for a bit because of her attitude), but Annie has a freshness to her. She's very smart and investigative. She wants to reveal the secrets of Viaii Nisi and discover why people are going missing. Her adventures across the island were fun and I could really imagine her climbing the rocks. The author definitely did her research! I'm actually planning on trying rock climbing myself because of this.

Now, the ending... I did not expect that, but it finished the book so well. I won't giver any major spoilers, but the sirens are so unique and original. And its also becoming more popular and such an underrated genre!

Thank you Netgalley for this book in exchange for an honest review.

I love sirens and this book drew me in at first glance. I am usually hesitant to rate books 5/5 on Goodreads and NetGalley but this one earned it. This is something that if I had read it as a teenager I would have been in love.
The mystery and sleuthing give me Hardy Boy vibes. I really liked Annie as a character and found myself invested in her the most.

It was a happy easy read. The twist at the end was a hard one for me to swallow but I get that it was probably to set up for the next book. Still enjoyed this one and look forward to what Emily Layne has to offer.

I was initially intrigued by the mermaid/siren aspect of this story, as there just aren't that many out there. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me. I"m not sure if it was the writing style or the dragging pace, but I just wasn't able to get into the story as much as I'd hoped. Ultimately, it just wasn't for me, but I'm sure there are plenty of others who loved it.

Y'all. All I can say is, I am PRAYING for a sequel of some kind cause Emily Layne turned it OUT with These Wicked Waters. Holy crap. I am KICKING myself for not reading it earlier... If you like Sirens, haunted islands, reincarnation, references to the Odyssey, or cute side romances; THIS IS YOUR BOOK!
I loved the character development, I loved the loss and betrayal (the times I cried during this book. Y'all...), I looooooved the description of the sirens and their hierarchy. There was just so much to tear through, yet I couldn't get enough!
The author leaves us with a sense of continuation with a few loose ends (who is the old lady really, do our heroine and hero end up together, WHERE DID EVERYONE GO?! ⬅️ [me trying to be vague as possible but still show Emily and her publisher what I'm BEGGING FOR lol]) but it also can 100% be read as a standalone. I just REALLY want more!!!! Hahaha.

DNF @ 52%.

I had such high hopes for this novel, but despite struggling through the first half, I just couldn't find myself to finish it when there are so many other books on my list. May revisit it at a later time.

Too much romance for my liking. It is simply not a book for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Loved the island resort setting, especially when Annie discovers the ruins, and the nods to the Odyssey. It took me a second to figure out the time line between the siren's chapters and Annie's but I enjoyed it and was along for the ride even when I wasn't totally sure how the two times/species would intersect.

I enjoyed the 'love interest' as it wasn't insta-love and more of a friendship. The big reveal at the end I had guessed early on and so to me felt redundant (but not in an off-putting way). I think because I was looking for character motivation earlier and figured it out, so it was interesting to read some of the comments on GR where it was a total shock. Funny how every reader gets something different out of a story.

It's not so much a mystery as Annie figuring out how to prove the siren's existence and threat. (Though of course, there is the mystery of what happens to the disappearing guests and staff, but as readers we already assumed what happened since we know from the title that what's in the water is wicked ;).)

Little bit Greek mythology, a bit of Mira Grant's INTO THE DROWNING DEEP, little bit Sarah Glenn Marsh's FEAR THE DROWNING DEEP, this is a mermaid/siren story I'm happy to add to my collection

DNF @ 35%

Although it's written like in the vein of something considered to be a nice and easy read, I think this one just wasn't for me right now. The beginning was just really slow, in my opinion, and this clearly seems like something I would rather miss. The mystery didn't catch my interest, and I couldn't connect with the main character. What drew me in to read this in the first place was vicous sirens, but I can't say that it's reason enough for me to continue reading it. I'm sorry to say it, but I think maybe something else from this author would suit me better in the future.

Super excited to read this book. Mermaids! Seriously love anything having to do with mermaids, ever since I was a child. Definitely enjoyed this!

I really didn’t love this book.
I wasn’t able to get into it and it unfortunately fell flat to me.

DNF

I wish I could've gotten into this one, but I just couldn't. I don't see a lot of mermaid books and I've always liked the idea of them, but this one unfortunately wasn't for me. The pacing was very slow, and I didn't enjoy the romance in the story. Not every book needs a romance, and I'm very particular in the romance I like in YA. I wish I could've enjoyed this more, but sadly it fell short of my expectations.

An intriguing book. Mixing mermaid lore with mythology. Great characters an interesting story. Look forward to reading more of the author.

First et me say I know that this book was not intended to my age group, or ,maybe it was but all I can say about this book was it was just what I needed it was fantasy mystery and adventure with real life thrown in.. I'm not sure what took me so long to read this but I think I just found yet another author I will read more from..

Do you believe in Mermaids/sirens after reading this book you may rethink what you thought you knew

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Unfortunately I could not continue to read this story. Fantasy is one of my favourite genres but the writing style didn't allow me to stay immersed in the story.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to review.

This is a fairly short read that I requested after I’d heard that it was similar to, ‘To Kill a Kingdom’ I have to say I disagree with the assessment.

From the beginning Annie struck me the wrong way. If she was a real person I’d say she was trying too hard. I’d go so far as to say I like everything about the book but her. The siren world was amazing and I honestly kept going for more glimpses of Lorelei.

The romance also didn’t work for me. (Probably because I hated Annie) I found her and the relationship too shallow.

I did however like the writing style so would definitely give the author another try.

This story was a tad slow, which is to be expected in terms of a mystery, but I think the pacing could have been netter. The beginning had serious pacing issues, but this book found its footing later on.

The romance was a tad unnecessary. Not every book needs romance, and I think they were better-suited as friends.

As the book went on, it seriously improved, full with brutal sirens and bloody events. The sirens were the highlight of the book. They were so vicious and vengeful!

I'd recommend this to fans of To Kill a Kingdom.