This was an action-packed adventure full of fascinating African mythology and terrifying creatures galore. It also tackled some darker topics, including the corrupting influence of power, and introduced fearsome new entities bent on wiping out humanity. I should have been riveted by all of it, but I just wasn't. I struggled to stay focused and found myself skimming a lot. The plot was full of conveniences and proceeded at a pace that left no room for the characters. It seemed like the author packed in confrontations with all of her favorite mythological creatures at the expense of the story. I also found it annoying that the events of the last book were swept under the rug and the ending effectively undone within the first quarter of this book. Olokun got shafted big time. It seemed like he was going to be an important character and then his story went pretty much no where. The romance in this story also didn't really work for me. The relationship between Simi and Kola felt tense in a way that wasn't there in the first book. It was missing their chemistry, and they felt disconnected and aloof for most of the story. Overall, this sequel just wasn't for me, and I kind of wish the author had wrapped up the story in the first book instead. It is rare for me to dislike a sequel so much that it sours my opinion of the first book, as well, but this one managed to do it. Therefore, I rate it 2 out of 5 stars.

Ya’ll know me! I love when a book jumps straight into the action and Soul of the Deep did exactly that! We are instantly thrust into Simi’s struggles with the decisions she made in Skin of the Sea and what she does when she realizes that this choice may have been for naught. We are quickly reunited with some of my favorite side characters from the first book and thrust into the struggles they all now face as the try to save the world once again!

The intriguing world, lore about orisas, and tie in to actual history is done SO well by Natasha Bowen. If you’re looking for a mermaid fantasy steeped in West African mythology, this is absolutely the duology for you!

4.5/5 Stars!

Steeped in West African mythology and lore, Bowen continues her mermaid story, delving deeper into the rich and lush world she created in Skin of the Sea. Following the main character Simi into the depths of the ocean, chained to a god who wishes to be free from his cursed domain. But over time Simi comes to realize not all is what it seems.

Even though the pacing was a bit choppy, with certain chapters losing ground, Bowen still captivates her readers with epic battles, an aching romance, and a main character who stands on the precipice of losing everything.

Soul of the Deep is a grand story of vengeful gods, waring kingdoms, found family, and the indelible threads between soulmates.

Happy Reading ~ Cece

I absolutely adored Skin of the Sea, so I knew I wanted to read this if I had a chance. Natasha has blown my mind again. This was such a majestic read, full of fantasy but fluid literacy. I could imagine a sympathy whilst reading this on how wonderful it was written. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

After I finished the first book in this series, I wasn’t sure if another one was coming, and I hoped to learn what happened with these characters. Seeing this second book on NetGalley, I knew the author wouldn’t leave the readers hanging. We’d get the rest of the story.

My favorite things from this book remain the same as the first – incredible world-building, West African mythology and culture, the sisterhood of the Mami Wata (mermaids), and some of the characters. This story picks up several months after the first book. Simi is living with the hard choices she made to save the lives of others, but blame and guilt rest heavily on her shoulders. She’s not happy in her new home, but she takes her responsibilities seriously and is determined to follow through on the bargain she struck with Olokun. After learning of a betrayal, her circumstances change rather quickly, and Simi finds herself teaming up with old friends and fighting fierce opponents.

While I enjoyed this story, I was a little surprised that consequences of the first book were wrapped up/changed within the first fifty or so pages, and this sequel seemed like almost a different series. Honestly, it can be read as a standalone since the author provides backstory.

The ending leaves open the possibility for a sequel, but I could also see the author wrapping up things here and letting the reader predict what happens in the future. If you’re fascinated by creative world-building and enjoy learning about other cultures and mythology, this is a series to add to your TBR.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC that I got to enjoy ahead of time.

3.5 Stars. I went back and forth on this one for awhile, I LOVED the first book and was super excited to read the sequel, but ended up being underwhelmed. I really hope this ends up being a trilogy, rather than a duology, because this had BIG middle book energy and a fairly open end that could lead to exploring more. It's a satisfying enough ending if not, but I think a third novel would really wrap the series up well.

Bowen's writing is lovely as ever - she has such rich prose, creates such a lush atmosphere, and the combat! The monsters! The writing itself is REALLY good and I think that's where the book shines, just as it did in the first one. Some of the plot aspects were interesting - I liked the IDEA of Esu (more on him in a moment), the anti-gods, and so on. I would encourage further reading on the mythos and religion that inspired this novel - they're fascinating, and at least in the first novel, were utilized extremely well.

The problem is that the actual plot drags SO MUCH. Between action we get a lot of talking, planning, and then the action comes and goes so quickly. I thought it needed a better balance. It was also frustrating how the entirety of the first book is erased in the first 20% of this one. What was the point of binding Esu if we were just going to immediately unbind him? Olokun, as well, was an underutilized character. I thought he was going to be a much more important character, but as soon as Simi escapes he's just forgotten about. (Except for one very brief appearance that really does... nothing.) It felt like he and Esu were really just there as props to move the plot along, rather than being actual characters with story arcs, and it was a huge missed opportunity. We could have had so much more!

The waffling on Simi and Kola also was... boring. We get it, you love each other but you can't be together except you can find a way to be together. I thought their budding romance was more convincing in the first book - in this one they mostly avoid each other or have awkward conversation until they end because they're so convinced they can't be together. Just felt like there could be better tension there.

Overall, I think Bowen is a talented writer, and will absolutely be reading her future works, especially if they involve Black mermaids and historical West African settings. This one just didn't live up to the hype I had for it, especially after the phenomenal first book.

First of all, the covers in this series are beautiful. Once again Natasha Bowen weaves a powerful tale and I really enjoyed re-entering this world and being immersed in the folklore and mythology started in Skin of the Sea. This one was fast-paced and hard to put down. A worthy sequel.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Soul of the Deep

Author: Natasha Bowen

Book Series: Skin of the Sea Book 2

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: Nigerian based MC and characters, Black characters

Recommended For...: young adult readers, fantasy, African mythology and lore, mermaids, retellings, romance

Publication Date: September 27, 2022

Genre: YA Fantasy

Age Relevance: 15+ (slavery, death, violence, gore, PTSD, prayer and religion, romance, parental death)

Explanation of Above: There are mentions and some showings of slavery. Death, violence, parental death, and gore involving blood are shown and mentioned in the read. There are scenes that show PTSD. There is some romance. There are some mentions of prayer and religious figures.

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Pages: 304

Synopsis: One life.
One choice.
One sacrifice.

To save those closest to her, Simi traded away everything: her freedom, her family, and the boy she loves. Now she is sworn to serve a new god, watching over the Land of the Dead at the bottom of the ocean.

But when signs of demons begin to appear, it's clear there are deeper consequences of Simi's trade. These demons spell the world's ruin . . . and because of Simi, they now have a way into the human realm.

With the fate of the world at stake, Simi must break her promise and team up with a scheming trickster of a god. And if they succeed, perhaps Simi can also unbreak her heart along the way, and find herself again.

Review: I liked this sequel book to Skin of the Sea. I thought the book was a lot more straight-forward with what was happening, which I appreciated, and it featured more African mythology and lore. The book was beautifully written and I fell in love with Simi more than I did in the first one. The book continued with the well developed characters and continued to develop a beautiful world.

However, I did think that the book could have done with a bit of a reminder as to what happened in the previous book. There are some spots here and there that mention it, but mostly it just immediately jumped into the story and continued post 6-months after the events of last book. I also thought the pacing was a bit off in places. I’m also confused on if there’s a third book in the series or not.

Verdict: It was good!

SOUL OF THE DEEP is the second (and final?) book in the Skin of the Sea series. It follows Simidele, a mermaid charged with gathering and releasing the souls of the dead in the sea called a Mami Wata, as she tries to restore the natural order of her world.

I read both of the books in this series back to back so they’re kind of one big story in my head haha. However, I think I enjoyed this one a little more! The plot of this book in particular was really interesting; I loved how it both rounded out and expanded the world and relationships. I really enjoyed how the mythology is part of every facet of the story. I didn’t connect to the characters as much as I expected, but I really liked the friendships portrayed in this book. Would recommend if you enjoy retellings, mermaids and African mythology!

After the major cliffhanger Skin of the Sea ended with, I was anxious to get my hands on Soul of the Deep, which picks up months later.

If you're not familiar with the premise, the series is a retelling of The Little Mermaid, albeit with African mythology, which I find fascinating. We get more of the same with the sequel but while Skin of the Sea has been my favorite book of 2022, I was left underwhelmed with its sequel. On one hand, the story dragged at times but on the other, there were storylines I would have preferred to have fleshed out more. The pace of the story didn't pick up until the last quarter of the novel but the main plot's resolution did not match the build-up's intensity. The ending was also abrupt and left me wanting more, which I'm hoping means we are getting another sequel 🤞🏽🤞🏽

Overall, if you enjoyed Skin of the Sea, I would recommend reading its sequel. I would also recommend a refresher on the prequel, as there were a few things I had forgotten about.

I loved Skin of the Sea when I got it from NetGalley and have been lucky enough to get the sequel.

I’ve already recommended both to my younger sibling.

Black mermaids, African myth, gods, magic, it’s incredible. And this sequel delivers on writing, character and pacing the same way the first did.

We follow Simi after the events of the first book and honestly, it’s a bit depressing. It hurt to see her give up Kola, the boy she loves, because she is Mami Wata and he’s human, they cannot be together. She’s made her deal to keep the world safe and now serves in the deep waters, away from the sun, the other Mami Wata and her god.

Except, things didn’t turn out how they should. While she kept up her end of the bargain, Olokun has not and he has kept Esu as a pawn. With him trapped, something dangerous is bound to happen. The anti-gods, the ajogun. Esu is the only one who can appease them and keep them contained.

Now that he’s been trapped, they’re close to breaking free, being summoned by someone. And if they are freed, they’ll destroy the world and those who live on it. Pestilence, death, disease, all manner of disgusting, life ending things. The only one who is not bound is death as he comes for all.

This puts Simi and Kola as well as friends from the first book, together again and one of Simi’s Mami Wata sisters comes with her.

It’s a tightly written fast paced story. I loved the water drummers, the way the world was expanded on and the way the characters interacted. Kola and Simi’s interactions made me so sad because you just want them to be together and be happy.

I think the some of the characters from the first book that appear in this one again are a little weaker than they were the first time around. And some of the writing isn’t as good. There’s a moment late in the book where Olokun is trying to tell Simi something important. We never find out what it is. And so much time and detail was spent on the interaction with him and Simi that it definitely seemed like something that would pop up later in the book but it didn’t.

It was odd.

The ending was also a little fast paced, not necessarily bad but it was quick.

All in all, I’m giving it a four (4) out of five (5). It’s a good book and I recommend both to everyone. Please pick them up.

I received this eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them and the publishers.

Simi is now imprisioned, but will she remain there? Will Simi and Kola ever find one another again?


As much as I want to go into extreme details without any spoilers, I find it impossible. However, I will say that this was the perfect sequel to Skin of the Sea as it picks up exactly where it left off.
Nathasha is as detailed and descriptive in Soul of the Deep as she was in Skin of the Sea. Here, we are taken on another action packed jouney with Simi, some old and new friends, and the Orisha that ends with us wondering what's going to happen next. This book was everything that I expected and more as Natasha continues to give us a view of our beautiful Orisha's and their power as well as the strength of Simi as she developes into her own. Again, I'm doing my best not to revel any details because they would spoil the journey that this books takes you on, however, I'm really hoping that there will be a 3rd as I don't see this being the end of Simi just yet. I highly recommend this book after reading Skin of the Sea and if you have an understanding of the Orisha, who they are, and not see them as just fictional mystical beings or African mythology.

Book 1: Skin of the Sea is a reimagining of the Little Mermaid and I enjoyed it and rated it 4 stars.

I enjoyed the sequel even more! There was drama, action, laughter, and heartbreak. I was genuinely surprised at how exciting all of it was. If you enjoyed Skin of the Sea, you'll love how this ends!

Love the cover! This is second installment in Skin of the Sea series.

Simi decides to stay in the Land of the Dead but the various situations unfolding has her working with a trickster with no option but to give one last shot at saving everyone and making difficult choices. Simi has a beautiful nature and her character development was good.

The characters were good and I enjoyed the side characters as well. This had drama, action, betrayal, heartache and power, it was explorers well. I wanted a bit more from the author. I might look for a book 3.

The start was a bit slow but the writing style of the author is gorgeous like I said for the book one. She knows her way with the words. I liked the mythology aspect of this one and how it was woven into the story. The world building is amazing and vividly described, the author gave more depth to the story in this one.

I recommend it to everyone who is interested in mythology reads that is different what you generally come across as this is definitely unique. This one is rich and beautiful in plot.

In this second book Of Mermaids and Orisa, Natasha Bowen continues her exciting, emotional story of the Mami Wata Simidele, partly inspired by The Little Mermaid. I found this sequel just as exciting as the first book, and I recommend reading them in order for maximum enjoyment. I loved learning more about West African history, culture, mythology, and religion, and I appreciated the author’s note and her suggestions for further reading included at the end.

I loved being reunited with so many of the characters from the first book. Simidele can be impulsive and stubborn, but she is a loving, courageous heroine who is easy to root for. Kola has grown into an impressive leader. I enjoyed seeing Simi, Kola, and their companions work together to overcome their many challenges.

The plot was exciting, with plenty of twists. Some of the potential surprises were a bit too predictable to me, but perhaps they will work better for the intended young adult audience. My other issue with the book is that it incorporates dreams and flashbacks that were sometimes jarring or confusing to follow. I would have liked to see a little more editing to smooth out those transitions.

The ending was satisfying while leaving plenty of questions of what will become of these characters. I would love to read more stories set in this world so rich with West African gods, spirits, monsters, and fantastic beasts.

Thanks to Random House Books for Young Readers for providing me with an unproofed ARC through NetGalley, which I volunteered to review.

Soul of the Deep is a very strong sequel that builds on the beautiful foundation laid by the first book. The west African mythology is so beautiful and rich. A highly emotional tale that leaves you breathless.

This book was a bit darker as Simi had ended up somewhere else than we were used to.
The West African mythology weaved in with the mermaid and sea gods.. Just enjoyed it all.
There was an unrequited love since Simi remembered being human and had human feelings towards Kola.
There was so much loss and sacrifice.


Thank you randomhouse and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Random House Books for Young Readers for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars

Following the abrupt cliffhanger ending in Skin of the Sea, I was very excited to dive back into this series and to see what comes next in Simi's story following the vanquishing of the villain and the life-altering deal she made with the orisa who helped her make it happen! The cultural and spiritual elements that Bowen delves further into in the final book of her duology were fantastic and had me completely absorbed from the beginning; however, there were other elements that I wanted more from that sadly felt underdeveloped. Still, there was a lot to enjoy in this fast-paced and action-packed conclusion and I would recommend it if you're looking for a diverse Little Mermaid retelling with a solid cast, a historically rich setting, and an powerful tale about roots, corruption and greed.

The story picks up several months following the events of the first book. Simi has somewhat settled into life in the darkest parts of the ocean, laying to rest the souls lost to the bottom of the sea alongside the orisa Olokun, though she still struggles to let go of the life she left behind and finds herself slightly embittered by the roll of fate's dice. She has undergone so much since the start of the first book and she spends a lot of time reflecting on her decisions and an immense amount of guilt which plagues her for the entirety of the story. For how much strength she displayed in the first book, I have to admit that it felt like she regressed a bit and it was disappointing to see her act so powerless and indecisive thanks to overwhelming guilt. I really wanted to see her exert a bit more agency!

Other than Simi, we are also reunited with other characters we meet in the first book including Kola, Bem, the twins, Yemoja, and Esu. I still loved the depiction of Yemoja and how she has so much heart and soul compared to other orisas. Esu is still his unapologetic "morally grey" self and although his entitlement was irritating, I had to respect how he didn't shield his devious nature in any way, forcing people to acknowledge and accept him as he is. One of the main qualms I had is that none of the characters get much development in this sequel. The one character that undergoes some kind of change is Kola, but the 'reveal' about his character felt like it was only added so that the (somewhat HEA) ending could be possible. This brings me to the romance between Simi and Kola, which I found angstily sweet in the first book but didn't entirely connect with here because something felt missing! I didn't feel the same level of investment in their relationship and since much of the book revolved around Simi's feelings towards Kola, the romance and story kind of dragged on.

In terms of the plot, it took a bit for the story to get going but once the ball gets rolling, the action picks up incredibly fast and the story moves at a steady and unstoppable clip. Soul of the Deep takes a darker turn compared to the first book as we're introduced to the terrifying anti-Gods—the deities of the underworld who would see the orisas vanquished and the world consumed and destroyed by corruption, disease and death. I loved the way Bowen wove West African mythology into the story and it was one of my favourite aspects of the story. We get vampires, the undead, tree spirits that consume human flesh—it was creepy, disgusting and delightfully dark! The use of spiritual magic was also really interesting and I loved how the author tackled the effects of greed and corruption, particularly as a result of the effect of colonisation and the slave trade.

In contrast to the slower build up of the story, the ending felt rushed and wrapped up too quickly and neatly. With how rapidly the pace progressed, it felt like there was no time to process any of the events that just occurred—both for the characters and as the reader! Ultimately though, while the ending might not satisfy everyone, I was actually quite happy with it. There's a glimpse of a hopeful future for Simi and Kola but Simi takes the step to prioritise herself, her happiness and her peace with the difficult decision she makes. This was a great diverse Little Mermaid "retelling" and I'm looking forward to reading future books by Bowen because this was a delight!

Months after she bargained to imprison Esu, Simi finds him still in the watery cage he was supposed to be freed from. Though she doesn't trust him, she knows that letting him free is the right thing to do-- the only thing to do, if she's to have any hope at saving the world.
Simi and Esu reunite with Kola, Bem, and Yinka-- as well as Simi's childhood best friend Aya and Folasade, another one of the Mami Wata-- to put a stop to the anti-gods' attempt to take over the human world.

In this beautiful sequel to Skin of the Sea, the stakes are somehow even higher, and Simidele must once again wrestle with her identity and how she fits into the world(s) she inhabits.

I absolutely loved Skin of the Sea and couldn’t wait to jump back into this story. The sequel is just as gripping. It’s beautiful but heartbreaking, intense and yet lovely, and sometimes seems so bleak but then suddenly the storm breaks. I didn’t want to put it down! In this book, we follow Simi on her journey after she makes a pact to bind Esu and what the consequences are of that agreement. There are several twists and turns but I love how it came together in the end! I really hope that there will be another book because I want to see where Simi goes next. Highly recommend!!