This book was everything I had hoped it would be and so much more. Historical fantasy with mermaids? Already perfection. Add some mythology and beautiful characters, even better! I am so stoked for the second book (and its just as gorgeous cover!!).

This book sounded so intriguing and I was really excited to read it. Unfortunately, I had a tough time really getting into this story. It’s a book that I’ve picked up and put down multiple times over several months. While I felt the story did pull me in a bit more as I got further into it, I still had a difficult time really immersing myself in this book. The descriptions and world building were really fantastic but with so many descriptions it’s one I just didn’t connect with the characters as much as I hoped that I would.

I was provided a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book was absolutely beautiful, but admittedly I am disappointed that it will be a series and not a stand-alone. The ending was so abrupt that it threw me off. But the story and storytelling was stunning. I will probably pick up book 2 eventually so I can see what happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

I love a good retelling, and this one sounded interesting. It wasn't a bad story, I just found myself having to really make an effort to read it. I won't be picking up any additional stories in the series, it was just not intriguing enough to continue. Fans of retellings and mermaid stories might appreciate it. I can't even put a finger on why it didn't connect with me, it just fell flat.

This book was not for me personally. I'm sure it is perfectly lovely, but I started and stopped more than once as it failed to grab my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Skin of the Sea is a beautifully written young adult story about Simidele, a Mami Wata (mermaid) created by the Orisha Yemoja to help guide the souls of the dead to their final rest. Simi gets into trouble when she decides to save a life, rather than let the drowning Kola die. By doing so, however, Yemoja fears Simi will have upset Olodumare and the balance Yemoja and Olodumare created when Yemoja petitioned to create the Mami Wata. Simi then sets off on an adventure with Kola, eventually joined by several other companions, to ensure Olodumare is not offended and that the Mami Wata can continue their vital work.

I very much enjoyed Natasha Bowen's writing in this story, and it is one I plan to put on my classroom shelves immediately. I was enthralled by the descriptions of the Mami Wata and Orishas in the story, as well as the West African mythology woven throughout. I also enjoyed the ending of the novel, and I think it will encourage readers to want to read the next installment. While the plot moved very quickly, I did wish there had been more occasions for the characters to remain still for a time so the readers could get to know them better. With that being said, I greatly enjoyed this novel, and I hope to introduce it to my students in the fall!

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this book.

While I thought / think there is a lot of positives about this book (a black mermaid for one!), and the beautiful visuals the writing invokes, the world building was difficult to develop in my mind as well as the motivations for the characters.

I did not like the male (possible love interest?) character, and he seemed to do nothing but complain and whine. He was also quite rude to our protagonist and I was getting turned off by his constant drive to sucker her into things she may or may not wanted to do.

This can be read as a predictable YA fantasy, but the inclusion and representation make this a standout. The more Black mermaid stories, the better, as we are getting stories based in traditional West African mythos that have not been published in YA fantasy before.

Simi is a hard character to get to know early on in the story, as she has lost memories of her human life when she became Mami Wata, but that made it hard as a reader to get into the story with her perspective. I enjoyed the mythology woven throughout and the mounting drama between the higher powers and their influence on the human societies. I needed the audiobook to help me through the middle third of the story, but am certainly interested enough in the sequel to pick it up when it releases.

Skin of the Sea is a mermaid fantasy mixed with African mythology. This was a very emotional fantasy because it discussed the injustices of slavery. The world-building is very rich and immersive. The writing is very haunting and lyrical. All the characters were very developed. I recommend this for fans of Namina Forna, Justina Ireland, and Nicole Glover!

I loved SKIN OF THE SEA for its uniqueness and just plain old beauty. A "Little Mermaid" retelling based on African cultures, history and mythologies, I was enchanted by this story from start to finish. I adored Simidele as a main character. I loved that, even with no memories of her life before she was transformed into a Mami Wati, she still is a character who has a true sense of morality and just a really good heart. I couldn't help but love her. I loved all the lush imagery and world-building that Bowen poured into Simi's world. This book reads as a celebration of African mythologies, history and cultures that you can't help but be enthralled with and it was just so refreshingly original. There's resilience, heart, and joy laced through every single page of this story. It was just so lovely and I enjoyed being in this world. The plot of this book was quest-based and was actually pretty well-paced as we see Simi try to rectify her "mistake" of rescuing a boy as opposed to ferrying his soul. Simi goes through a wonderfully crafted arc in this story as she must reconcile her past and her present and help Kola reunite with his siblings. The writing is so rich and poignant and overall this was a great debut novel, the next book of which I really hope to have my hands on soon!

I was so hopeful for this story. I love mermaids and anything to do with the sea. But this one was just overly done with descriptions that it made the story so slow. I held on for as long as I could but this one just didn't work out for me at all. I think if you love over done descriptions then this one might be for you.

Love the concept of dealing with real life issues african americans face in our society but in this fantasy mermaid version. I think it gave a unique voice for the author to express and give a story that we can both enjoy and learn something valuable from as members of this society. I am very interested to see how the story continues!

I really loved some things about this book. The African mythology was fascinating. I am HERE for Black mermaids fighting against the horrors of slavery. The imagery was beautiful. The characters were strong, and well-developed. But the meandering pace drove me absolutely nuts. It was like all the bones were there for an epic adventure but it was so incredibly slow that many times it was hard to keep reading. I didn't want to DNF because the premise and the writing were so good, but it was a struggle to finish.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say that this book was lovely. I love learning so much about the Nigerian culture and their mythology. The main character is well written and her struggle with her new identity and her past memories makes her have so much depth.

I loved learning the lore and I will admit, I looked up a ton of the words and terms while reading so i could better know what the author was referring to and so I could better visualize it.

Furthermore, the deep and dark undertones of slavery and corruption are both horrifying to read but informative in several ways

Absolutely fantastic.

I cannot express how much I love this book! I bought two personal copies and the library will be getting it. This story is beautiful and heartbreaking. A wonderful addition to YA fairy tale remixes! High rec for all YA collections!

This book was fantastic! The world building is amazing. I loved all these characters. This is one of the best fantasies I have ever read.

3/5 stars

I genuinely liked the writing style, Simidele's journey, and the supporting cast, but what keeps it from being a new favorite is a cluttered plot and my inability to really believe Simidele fell in love so completely with Kola. I could definitely see the attraction from Kola's POV, but from Simidele's perspective, she seems more enamored in the world she had left behind, rather than the boy who has brought her back to that world in the first place.

There were specks of greatness throughout, and I did enjoy how the author effortlessly weaved the mythology and mythological figures into the plot and dialogue. Simidele's choice at the end was reminiscent of The Little Mermaid fairy tale while still being clever and original. Still, the ending was a bit underwhelming and the plot/sub-plots didn't necessarily mesh or piggyback off of each other when they needed to, but I hope the sequel will do more to amplify the themes of the first novel and really give Simidele the ending she deserves!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book so much but I was just not drawn into the story. It was way too descriptive for my taste, and I felt like the characters were very flat and uninteresting. I would still buy this book just for that cover though.

Thank you @fiercereads and the author for sending me a copy of Skin of the Sea in exchange for an honest review! This story is inspired by West African mythology. Although the author says that this story started as her interpretation of Black Mermaids, the world of Skin of the Sea also encompasses orisas, Senegalese fairies, shape-shifting bultungin, and monsters such as the Ninki-Nanka and the sasabonsam.

The world in this story is so rich and beautiful. It is not always safe or perfect but it is wonderfully textured and alive, full of delicious food, vibrant textiles, fantastical powerful beings, and strong characters. I struggled a bit with where the story was going after around the 20% mark where the main character starts to spend the majority of her time outside of the water. I think the plot struggled to get its footing until around the halfway point where we gained some stronger direction but a part of me kept not quite knowing where the story was going and not in a great way.

Overall, I think this was a really interesting tale but I struggled to feel connected to the plot. I'd be curious to see what happens with these characters next though if there is a sequel!

Rating: 3.5/5

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen is a fantasy debut, inspired by West African mythology, in which a mermaid takes on the gods themselves. Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home. But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi does the unthinkable—she saves his life, going against an ancient decree. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy it. To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But all is not as it seems. There's the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she doesn't, then she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.

Skin of the Sea is a wonderful book that has adventure, mythology, character growth, and some serious feels. I have read some of the mythology that is referenced in the book, and this read made me want to explore it even further. I was fully engaged in Simi's character right from the start, eager to see where the story would take her and how she came to be on the path that lead to this journey. There are a good number of twists and turns, as there are many powerful players with a stake in the long game. Some of the twists honestly surprised me, as I was waiting on a disaster or betrayal at every moment, and other times I saw it coming a mile away. In all cases going along with Simi as she tries to protect those important to her, and the larger world, to make a positive difference. I thought the heavy moments and subjects were handled extremely well, as were the settings and character building. I look forward to reading more from the author, especially since my only complaint was the ending- since I seriously want some more.

Skin of the Sea is an amazing read with great regard to history and mythology. Characters and story are well balanced and developed- and all I was left wanting was more. For those interested, there is an audiobook version available and it is wonderfully done.