I was surprised by how much I liked this book. It took me a little longer to read because I was so caught up in the African mythology and found myself going through a rabbit hole of awesome info when I researched more about Orishas, etc. The author did a good job of pulling you into the story and paying homage to African Gods. The mermaid, Simi is instantly likable as well. I actually bought the hardback because I liked it so much.

Skin of the Sea is a gorgeous debut and I cannot wait for the next book. If I see the word "mermaid" in a blurb, I am guaranteed to pick up the book and this West African re-working of The Little Mermaid was fantastic. I loved that Natasha Bowen didn't shy away from the horrors of the slave trade but also kept the focus on so much more - the folklore, mythology, and beauty of West Africa. This is a story that doesn't ignore suffering but doesn't wallow in it either. Simi was a wonderful lead and I'm looking forward to reading more of her adventures.

I will be honest, I originally wanted to read this book based on the cover. I briefly (VERY briefly) glanced at the description and thought yeah, I'll probably enjoy this. But when I started reading I was like...wait this is not what I expected. Basically, the beginning threw me through a loop, but the rest of the book was more of what I was expecting.

I think the "Skin of the Sea" needs to sit with you for a minute to digest it. After I finished reading the book yesterday, I was like I enjoyed it was good, I was slightly confused in the beginning. But overall I enjoyed it. HOWEVER, what is really sticking with me is the Author's note. I think it just shone a whole new light on the story and I'm importance and the meanings behind characters' names. I think if I had read that first, the story would have been even more powerful. If you have read it, I would suggest doing that first.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

This is an exquisite YA fantasy, with rich character development and West African-inspired belief systems that are deeply fleshed out and made real. The writing is lush and expansive as well, and it made the book hard to put down.

I am tagging this book as an ARC, because at the time I received it from NetGalley, it had not yet been published. I started it some months ago, and then put it down in favor of other titles. Needless to say, the storyline and characters did not immediately draw me in. I did eventually pick it back up and finish it, and although I started enjoying it more toward the end, it didn’t knock my socks off. The premise behind this retelling of The Little Mermaid is undeniably beautiful. I loved how elements of the original story are interwoven with mythology and history. The story itself, however, was not particularly interesting to me. For readers who enjoy quests fraught with peril and mythical creatures, this story may have a lot of appeal. Alas, I am not that reader. I don’t generally enjoy odysseys because they tend to be more plot driven than character driven. Aside from the main character, Simidele, there is not a lot of character or relationship development. I’m glad that I finished it, but it is unlikely I will read the next book in this series. This book could easily be a standalone, though it looks like the author is working on at least one more title (possibly more).

This was such a great Little Mermaid retelling with all the diversity and how unique everything was. I loved Simi and how she made a different choice when she came upon Kola in the water, saving his life rather than taking his soul. I love how the two of them worked together and the adventure they went on, how Simi wanted to bring change to their world. This was such a grand story, and I can't wait to see where it takes us in the next book!

A truly beautiful book deserving of all the hype and praise it's received. Skin of the Sea combines Yoruba culture with pieces of history from the trans-Atlantic slavery and Han's Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid into a gorgeous historical fantasy.

We follow Simi who is a Mami Wata, on an adventure after she saves a boy named Kola who has been tossed off a slave-ship into the sea to die. Though it is forbidden, she rescues him anyway and is told her actions will have detrimental consequences for her kind. So she sets out to help Kola return to his village and find his siblings who have special abilities and get these very powerful rings they possess.

Some authors would've allowed the slave trade to dominate the narrative and instead taken this story in a different direction and I liked that while it was mentioned and greatly affected the lives of some of the characters that the white colonizers were not the main focus. This wasn't just a story about the suffering and loss West Africans felt at their hands. Instead we are thrown into a battle involving a power hungry god.

Natasha Bowen's writing style is so lyrical it's easy to get sucked in. I never found myself bored while reading. And I love that there was a works cited page at the end including all the sources she used during her research. I felt the time and love she poured into this story.

Are you looking for a new and favorite author? Well, you have found. This is one is a great debut by a new author in this world. I truly recommend this.

3.5 stars, rounded up.
The ideas behind this novel are stunning and after seeing the cover, I knew I had to read it. The Little Mermaid mixed with African folklore and mythology makes for a rich, well-told fantasy. Set during the time of the slave trade, Simidele is one of the Mami Wata, mermaids whose sole purpose is to bless the souls of those who pass in the sea. But when Simidele saves Kola, one of the humans, she must seek forgiveness. What follows is quite the journey, as Simi must face wicked gods, the danger of humans, and more.
The beginning felt slow and the ending was not what I had hoped for, but I really did love the adventure!

Thank you to NetGalley for my e-arc of this book. All opinions here are my own.

Simi has been a mermaid, a Mami Wata, for only a short time but she’s starting to lose her human memories. When she goes on land and transforms into a human, she grasps at memories of her family and holds onto them tightly so she won’t forget once she’s a mermaid again. Her duty is to help souls move on after death and she thinks she’s helping a young man who has just been thrown overboard from a slave trader ship. She assumes he’s dead and she’s ready to perform her task when his eyes open. He is chained and manacled and injured. He loses consciousness and she carries him over her shoulder as she swims to an island. His name is Kola and together they call on the creator of mermaids for help in getting him home. Kola and Simi go through a roller coaster of experiences together to get him home, save his siblings and help the mermaid creator. Simi isn’t supposed to develop feelings or attachments to any human but she grows to care for Kola. They meet the messenger to the gods, Esu, and discover the horrible trickster that he is. Tidbits similar to The Little Mermaid story but with the added African mythology, culture and history! 4 stars!

If I’m being honest, the cover is what sold this book for me because, well, just look at it! Not only does it immediately draw the eye in with those soft blues and rich golds, but I loved seeing a Black mermaid take center-stage, staring directly into camera.

As a character, Simi was easy for me to relate to—she wants to follow the rules and do her duty as a Mami Wata, and yet she can’t help but question her purpose. It’s especially difficult because as much as she knows she should forget about her past as a human, she finds herself hanging onto those memories.

But the part that really struck me was the way West African mythology has been interwoven into every page. As someone with little to no knowledge of these deities and tales, but with a fascination for mythology in general, I found myself excited to learn more.

The way Natasha Bowen weaves the magic throughout this story makes it feel real. The orisas appear larger than life, and you’re both terrified and in awe of their presence. Even to a magical creature like Simi, they’re a wonder to behold. But it’s also how the every day people worship them that truly completes the picture.

This novel comes with a content warning—it blends fantasy with fifteenth century history, which includes depictions of enslavement and violence, and will certainly be triggering for some people. These scenes are powerful, and the way Bowen juxtaposes this dark reality with a bright fantasy is truly the mark of a fantastic writer and a terrific story that will speak to countless readers.

Let me start by saying I did enjoy this book and I would recommend it even if there are things that I particularly didn’t love about it.

I absolutely love the representation of a black mermaid, the beautiful description of the characters had me wanting to meet them in real life. I also really enjoyed how the author handled such hard hitting topics, I never felt overwhelmed but it still got me thinking on a deeper level. The mythology aspect was one of the most interesting parts of the book to me, I wanted to keep learning about it and keep exploring more about it.

Now even though the story was beautifully written, the characters were beautifully described, I felt like there were many times when I felt myself really distracted because of the large amount of traveling they did, it felt like sometimes it was a never ending journey and it took me away from enjoying the story. Also, the romance aspect happening between our main characters felt like it came out of the blue, but I appreciated that it didn’t take as big a piece of the story and it was more on the sidelines. And finally, that ending left me hurt, all this hurt, pain, journey, and then it’s suddenly over like that? Wasn’t my favorite ending but hey we can’t have everything our way.

Overall it is a very entertaining, culturally rich, adventure filled journey that I would still recommend to anyone that would seem interested in any of the above mentioned.

Xoxo, Moon 🌙

This was enjoyable. I loved the characters and the inclusion of the mermaids. However, as it went on, the characters became very difficult to tell apart and made it much more confusing.

Rating: 3.5*

Really enjoyed this fantasy mermaid novel by Natasha Bowen.

Simi is a brave and tenacious heroine, and I enjoyed her journey to discover the truth about herself.

I enjoyed the mermaid lore that the author created, and felt like it was fleshed out well. The pacing was a bit slow in the middle, but overall I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to netgalley for provind a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really excellent, and very fresh and unique compared to many YA fantasy novels. I was drawn into the story and fascinated by the magic of it. Descriptions were well written and I understood the characters choices and motivations. I did feel some parts were a bit rushed, and some of the surprises weren't entirely shocking, but overall it was a really good read!

TW: death, slavery

The Little Mermaid meets African folklore? Yes, I am here for it! I love these types of books with cultural lore is weaves into the story. This did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

I wasn't sure what to expect with the tag line "Children of Blood and Bone meets the Little Mermaid," but I was pleasantly surprised. The Little Mermaid has always been a favorite of mine, both the Disney and the original version, so I try anything based off of the story. I loved the cleverly incorporated West African side of this book! It was a great idea well executed.

Little Mermaid via African Folklore retelling. I am here for this!

Simidele is a daughter of the sea and collecting and blessing the souls lost at sea.

Set during the time of slavery, she stops collecting souls and save a boy.

I enjoyed the African folklore, and it reminded me of Isabel Ibanez and Roseanne Brown- if you like those, you will enjoy this one too!

CWs: violence, kidnapping, this book is set during historical times and shows depictions of slave ships and people being taken away as well as people being thrown into the sea off of these ships.

Thank you to Penguin Teen Canada for sending me an eARC for an honest review.
4/5 stars
I liked this one! I thought the premise was interesting, and it had good characters. I did find it a little slow in the beginning, but once I got to the halfway point it really picked up for me.
Simi was an interesting character. I liked the fractured memories of her old life, and I thought the author did a good job of incorporating them whenever something reminded Simi of something from her previous life. I also liked the concept of Mami Wata and I thought her connection to the sea and Yemoja was written really well.
Kola was also an interesting character. At first he felt really entitled, but as we got to know him he became better.
The romance was pretty light, and it felt more like it was just a crush. It made sense with the story, but I didn’t fully buy into the actual romance as much.
The plot was good and it was pretty easy to follow. I liked the way it played out, but it was a bit predictable at times. Overall I’d recommend it!

Blown away! This book captivated me from the very first page! I found myself consumed with everything in this book! One of my favorite reads this year!