I'm awarding a whole star for that cover alone. When I think about mermaid stories, THAT is the cover I want to see on my shelf. Sadly, the story just didn't grab me - and I think it's fair to say that if I wasn't such a stubborn reader I would have DNF'd this about half way through.

Whilst sold as a retelling of The Little Mermaid, Sarah Henning tells the tale of Evie, a young girl who lost her friend Anna to the sea as a child. So when a girl who looks exactly like Anna shows up, Evie quickly finds herself drawn to her. And Annemette finds herself equally drawn to Evie's princely friend Nik. Whilst Evie is determined to discover how Annemette can possible NOT be her friend Anna, in mermaid form, Annemette must try to find her true love or be lost forever.

I did everything I could to enjoy this story. And the first and last quarters were really great, I really thought this would be amazing based on the first few chapters - the writing, characters and story really pulled me in. But the entire middle section was so slow, nothing at all happens and the progression is at such a turtles pace that I about stopped caring by the time I got to the ending so no amount of fantastic finale would have brought me back to liking it.

My other big gripe is this: if there's to be any element of mystery or intrigue, why not at least have a completely different name for the lookalike character? It was just lacking in creativity for me and felt too obvious.

The thing is though, the ending is really good, it just depends if you have the patience to get there! If you want a gripping, fun and beautiful mermaid tale then try To Kill A Kingdom instead, but if you're happy with a slow burn then maybe Sea Witch will be a good fit for you.

ORIGIN STORY OF THIS CHILDHOOD VILLAIN?! so let's go back back baaaaaack to where it all began.

The synopsis is really self explanatory so I won't get into it again. This book was really not what I was expecting. I went into it comparing it to Marissa Meyer's 'Heartless' which is a darker tale of a rise of a villainess and I expected this book to be a similar dark retelling. But instead I got a quick, pretty easy going historical tale about love and friendship. I can't say much without spoiling.

I think my main issue with this book was the protagonist, Evie. There's nothing I hated about her but I didn't get attached to her either. And if the central plot line of your story is how your character became a certain way (how Evie became Ursula) then the focus and character development should be prioritised. The events that lead to the change are important too don't get me wrong but seeing the change in the protagonist is more important. So it's not that Evie was a bad character she was just underdeveloped and not central to the plot which is what she should have been. But I did change my opinion of her in the last two chapters-that was phenomenal.

Though two things stood out with Evie, one I hated and one I loved. I hated, absolutely hated, her relationship with Iker. I hated Iker from the beginning and the romance was just slapped on at the beginning out of nowhere then pulled around in a different directions just as fast and senselessly. There was no development to their relationship. And Evie was disgustingly drooling after him like a love sick puppy.

I can say that I loved that she's a good friend to Nik and wants to help Annette. And that's one of the best things in this book-the friendship. I loved, loved it especially between Nik and Evie. It was just so easy and fun and perfect and you could tell how much they cared about each other.

As for the other characters I wasn't particularly attached to any of them except for Nik. God he was just such a cutie and I liked his vulnerability. He was so protective of Evie and it just warmed my heart!!

The background was really well written and the author did a great job at accurately writing a historical setting, especially when it came to the people's reaction to Evie's friendship with Nik because she was poor. But it was really lacking in tales and legends, that part only appears at the ending of the book but it was not enough. That part of the story, especially Evie's magic background needed much more weight. In the end I found myself a bit confused about the magic in the book because it didn't seem to link smoothly to the mermaid parts.

The book only started gripping me at about 60% through and I remember checking my kindle to see what percentage in I was and how much time it took to really get to me. There was a good twist that pumped up the whole story and made you want to keep reading. So overall I think it was a great story, but I don't think it managed to really meet expectations when it was marketed as a retelling of Ursula.

Things get a bit nonsensical in the end even though the last two chapters were amazing in terms of action but the tiny things like the romance just became an illogical whirlwind (even though I was happy about it). I LOVED the last two chapters, it was really well written and cool interpretation of the little Mermaid.

There is a pretty good buildup of tension and suspense from the 3rd person chapters. The writing was honestly excellent and was the best thing about this book. The author is clearly really talented because those chapters especially were nothing short of beautiful! They really felt like I was reading a fairytale!

Overall it was an okay book but I felt like there was a huge chunk of it missing like legends, more character for Evie and much much much MORE development on the romance towards the end of the book, because there is a twist and it's an amazing one that I wanted to happen all along but then it's just left there. It's not provoked or pursued it just IS. And for a book about a character that turns evil I think characterisation should have been central. Because it was a good solid plot, with a cool twist BUT the main part of the story which is the protagonist was flat.

There are quite a bit of mixed review so you never know, this book might end up being one of your favourites!! Especially if you liked Aquamarine!

I do have to mention, that is honestly one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen!!!

I had to leave writing my review for this book for a couple of days, because by the end of it I didn't quite know how I felt about the book overall... I liked it, but it wasn't quite what I was expecting at the same time.
I'll start with the positives first. This is a unique fairytale retelling which shows the origins of Ursula from The Little Mermaid. It really helps you to understand a character which hasn't really been explored that much before. The build-up leading to the end of the book was just the right pace for me, it had some twists at just the right time, with the majority of the story being first person POV of Evie but we also had some chapters which were from the past and in others' perspectives. 

The past chapters helped to explain things but I found myself sometimes confused at whose perspective we were seeing. I could work it out but I didn't like that it took me away from the flow of the story for this. The love triangle. If you're a fan of them then of course it won't affect your enjoyment levels but for me personally I just found it a little... unbelievable? 

The build-up was enjoyable if you're interested in reading about the characters' histories but the majority of the action really happened in the final parts of the book. I guess before this the story was more focused on friendships and a little romance but if you're expecting a story with lots of magic and action then this probably wouldn't be the right book for you. 

In terms of the characters... I liked them, sure, and I loved Nik who is absolutely adorable but sadly I just couldn't feel that much for Evie or Annemette (the Anna Doppelgänger). With the villain of this story, their actions were outlined and reasons to an extent but it just made no sense the extent to which they went. I guess this adds to the shock at the end (and as their motives are uncovered) but as with the love triangle I suppose I just didn't understand why they went as far as they did.

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

This story follows Evie after her best friend Anna died from drowning. The book switches between the current story to four years ago when Anna died.

It took a little while for me to get into the story but once I did, I loved it and read the majority of this book in one sitting!

While I'm not the biggest Little Mermaid fan, I was more intrigued by this book because of its villain point of view. At the beginning of the book I thought the plot was interesting, but I actually really enjoyed the end.

This book definitely sets the scene of a Scandinavian whaling culture, and you really get the feel for their regard of the sea. I enjoyed the world the story was set in and I quite liked the characters. They weren't brilliant or anything particularly special but you could still feel for them and their situations.

It was the last 25% of this book that was really great. I can't say why without spoiling it, but the last part of this book was well worth the pay off and the climax was very satisfying. That section bumped this book up a star for me. It was sad, satisfying and overall, I liked it.

The Sea Witch follows the story of Evie, a twelve year old girl drawn to the dark powers of the sea after the tragic drowning of her best friend Anna. We follow Evie on her journey from girl to young woman, wrapped up in the exploits of her two love interests, as she meets a mysterious young woman by the shore who looks just like her former best friend, and becomes determined to make amends for the past.

There’s no denying this is a clever book for the right audience. Unfortunately this wasn’t for me, and I’m torn between a two and three star rating because it’s rather difficult to pinpoint what exactly I didn’t really enjoy. I think it was mainly that my expectations going in weren't really met. I wanted a magical fantasy retelling, filled with mermaids, but instead I got a lot of maritime history, dotted with historical atttudes towards witches in a Dutch setting and instalove. It’s a very slow paced plot and I really struggled to get past the more mundane descriptions with little to no plot development. If I went in knowing this, I might have enjoyed it more as generally I do like historical novels.

I also didn’t enjoy the love interests at all. Aside from the opening chapter which briefly explores their initial relationship, we’re given no real insight into why Nik in particular is so obsessed with Evie. He sometimes borders on overly simpering, and I did find it a little irritating - especially as it clashed with Evie and Anna’s more assertive personalities. In fact, for most of the novel, both male characters feel more like filler than actively adding anything to the plot.

I also found the writing style a little convoluted at times, with too many descriptions that made the story hard to follow easily. It was hard to keep my attention at times. I really do feel that if I’d gone into this knowing what I was expecting, I would have liked this more. I think it would have been better marketed as more of a historical novel with some magical elements later on as opposed to a YA fantasy. I hope it finds the right readers who can really appreciate the historical details that have obvious been added with great care and research.

The Sea Witch is a very clever and somewhat intriguing tale. With familiar element of The Little Mermaid this tale also surprised me. The characters could have used some more development though.

Sarah Henning transforms Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” into a richly layered exploration of culture and relationships to create the origin story of the Sea Witch.

This book's world is an alternate 19th-century Denmark, in a tiny kingdom composed of a single fishing village. The book is extremely detailed about the Danish seaside traditions that lend seriousness to a novel engrained in the sea and its unpredictable nature. Throughout the book, there is a foreshadowing of the dangers of crossing class boundaries and the burning of witches that suggest dark and unexpected twists. The book cleverly explores magic and its uses with richly woven threads of fairy tale allusions and a surprising ending.

The character and world building were good but if I’m honest all the backstabbing made me read faster and made the story that more real so to speak (I’m sorry I love a bit of fiction drama) and I would have liked a little more conflict to progress the story. The story focus is a Sixteen-year-old girl called Evie a fisherman’s daughter and a secret witch. Evie is a black-haired, half-Italian girl among the mostly blond Danes, a poor girl with two best friends above her class. Anna and Nik. Nik is a prince and really shouldn’t be playing with Evie, but his father made an exception. After the death of their mutual best friend, Anna, Evie and the crown prince, Nik, forge a friendship, which is tested daily by the public judgment as well as their private pain from the loss of their friend.

This story did have the mermaid and magic, but it really focused on friendship, love, and revenge. Throughout the entire book, I knew things wouldn’t have a happy ending, but it didn’t stop me from hoping while the story unfolded. I did find I couldn’t help myself from second guessing what was going to happen. With origin stories, my heart always sticks with the villain throughout. We see the beauty of their heart and what tears it into a million pieces. I just didn’t want to believe that sweet, little innocent Evie turned into something so dark.

A grown-up tail of mermaid magic, which shows the so-called villains in a refreshingly sympathetic light. I enjoyed this and would highly recommend it!

A great look into the life of the Sea Witch before she became who we know her to be. Enlightening and exciting to read, a great way to expand on the Fairy Tale we all know and love.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins and Sarah Henning for my ARC of The Sea Witch in exchange for an honest review.
It's a funny thing that a friend and I were discussing at the beginning of the year that there weren't very many mermaid themed fantasy novels out there, since then there seems to have been an influx. I read To Kill a Kingdom earlier this year and really enjoyed it, so when I saw this was a retelling of Ursula's story I couldn't resist.

The first thing I loved about this book was that it is set in Norway, there's not a lot of Norwegian fantasy/folklore books out there and I always love reading about new places. Evelyn is a fisherman's daughter who happens to be best friends with the daughter of a lord; Anna and also the crown prince Niklas. But everything changes when Anna is drowned in a terrible accident. Evie's friendship with Nik remains but the villagers view her with suspicion, how did she, a poor nobody survive when the lord's daughter did not? What wicked spell has she put the prince under to make him want to remain friends with her when she is so below his station?

Things change again when a mysterious girl Annemette arrives in town with her eyes on the prince and true love. Evie truly believes Anna has come back to her and she'll do anything to save her friend even when the cost is so high.

A lot of people have reviewed this and said they found the story slow to begin with. For me I didn't think so at all. It's not a long book, just over 250 pages, although not light hearted in terms of the storyline I found it to be a light and enjoyable read, the story was interesting, certainly in the second half it sped up but I don't expect a story to fast paced all the way, the scene setting, interwoven with local folklore was really interesting and kept me engaged with the story. The ending made me feel quite sad and slightly enraged at the injustice. I think this was really well done and an excellent retelling!

This was A-MA-ZING!! I've always been into The Little Mermaid and reading this as if it's from the other side of the equation is fantastic. The plot was easy to follow and I instantly loved Evie. Such an amazing character.

I was so sad to see the anger within her friend, and so wanted them to be happy again.

I have recommended this book to friends and family and urged them to buy it!!

Fantastic book Sarah, keep up the great work!!

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-book copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those books that you hear a lot of hype about for a while and then it all goes a bit quiet. I requested it from Netgalley on the back of that hype, and was pretty keen to see what it was all about.

The world in Sea Witch is pretty cool. There's a lot of festivals and rituals and things going on, and I liked seeing all the island life being brought out. I liked how it had a Nordic inspiration to it, and how all the culture was well-written and interwoven in the plot.

That's unfortunately all I really have to say. The characterisation just wasn't there for me, and I didn't really know enough about Evie or Anna or Nik or Ikar to care about what happened to them all. They're just kind of there in silhouette form without really being fleshed out. I had the same issue with the magic system of the world and it just didn't really make sense to me around 90 percent of the time.

My other issue is the plot twists. One of them is really good, and I didn't see it coming which was nice. It didn't make a whole lot of sense, but it was a surprise and I enjoyed having my expectations altered by it. The other one though, the whole thing with the romance was just... I don't even know what was going on. I could see the twist coming a mile off, but it was executed in a really odd way that didn't make any sense and was very rushed, so it just seemed as though it shouldn't have been in there at all? It made Evie come across as fickle and didn't make me like her character any more than I already did. Also, I don't want to use the word instalove because it isn't quite, but it's a very close cousin of it. 

The writing style also let me down a lot. I was expecting some gorgeous descriptions of the sea and the world Evie lives in, but all I got was very simplified told not shown language that got a bit blah after a while. Maybe it was aimed more for a younger teenage audience and I wasn't meant to be the target, but I've just read a lot of stuff which does the infodumps and lots of backstory to practically highlight current events in bright bright neon and I'm a bit over it. 

Overall, I'm giving The Sea Witch a  4/10 stars. There were some good elements to it, but a lot of the magic system and characterisation didn't make any sense to me and I found myself struggling to get into this book because of that.

This was not the book I expected.

Admittedly, "Sea Witch" is the second Little Mermaid retelling I've read this year, and after "To Kill a Kingdom", I was expecting far more magic and threat of danger to be present in the story. Yet for most of it, "Sea Witch" is the story of four teenagers celebrating the annual festival of the sea and struggling with the various romantic tensions within the group. Only in the last 20% of the book do things get more supernatural, and wow, do things get dark fast. I really liked the world-building and it was hard not to fall in love with most of the main quartet of characters (I never really warmed to Annemette). I almost wish I'd come into this story without knowing it was a Little Mermaid retelling or that it was Ursula's origin story, as it made certain plot elements seem inevitable instead of coming as a surprise. That being said, I really did like the unusual perspective it gave on the story, very in-keeping with the original tragic fairytale. The ending especially was the right level of melancholic bleakness.

What I liked about this version of this story is that it felt very different from the original. Sometimes it can feel like a retelling is just a kind of mad-libs version of a story, where certain words have been swapped out for others but other than that the story continues as normal. In this case, the sense is more of a story rooted in the ideas in The Little Mermaid but with a more of a human perspective. I feel like I’ve read alternative Mermaid stories from the perspectives of princes, and mermaids but I’ve not read one that brought in a whole new character as this one does. I say new character, it’s a little more complex than that, but to reveal it would be spoilers.

It’s an interesting angle to take. So often in Little Mermaid retellings, once the mermaid is out of the water not only has she lost her voice but she also has no allies, there are no characters who truly relate to her – beyond the odd kindly servant. I thought the idea of creating almost a friendship between Evie and the Little Mermaid was a powerful tool through which to tell the story. I am always here for connections forged between women, but it feels particularly poignant in a story where the original has a voiceless woman in it.

I cannot speak to the accuracy or research done into the magic system in this book, but it feels fairly generic ‘villagers and long lines of witches’ without too many specific details. I didn’t mind that too much in this instance as part of the point is that Evie hasn’t studied her magic, that raw and uncontrollable aspect is a key part of her character.

I thought that the various relationships (other than that between the witch and the little mermaid) were interesting. I appreciated that Evie and the Prince were set up to be just friends, I am always a supporter of platonic love in books and I don’t read enough of it. There is also a romance in this story, wouldn’t be a retelling without a bit of romance, but I thought it was well handled and didn’t overtake the plot.

And what a plot. As I say this is a Little Mermaid retelling and then some. I think the easiest comparison I can draw is to The Wicked Deep. I had that same feeling of something being a little off but still being shocked when the reveal came. Obviously, I won’t spoil that here but I do think it’s an exceptional way of making changes to the original story while still retaining the melancholy nature of Hans Christian Anderson’s original story.

I read this book in one day, essentially, I thought it was paced well, it’s not a difficult read but it also doesn’t feel patronising or overly simplified. I enjoyed it hugely and will be adding it to my list of ‘mermaid books that don’t suck’.

My rating: 4/5 stars

I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

This blurb hooked me and I'm so glad it did, I was so could hardly to put down. Very unique take on the classic story of The Little Mermaid. I think people are going to enjoy this one so I would really recommend it.

Sea Witch was a book that I could NOT put down, it drew me in and I ended up reading it start to finish in a couple of days. I loved the way this story was told and the various flashbacks interposed throughout the main storyline, it helped move the story along and they were an integral part of the book. Which is important because sometimes, they can feel as though they’re filler content, which I hate. I loved the characters and the way they all end up entwining together, plus the ending of the book has to be one of the most heartbreaking moments I’ve read.

I think the shining point of Sea witch is that it takes such a well-known story, The Little Mermaid, and turns it into something completely new and exciting. I thought the characters throughout this story were well written and developed. Each had their own flaws and needs within the plot, it was very well put together and I thought the romance element was well done and completely believable. Which is something that I sometimes find in YA especially, nobody loves a couple that just shouldn’t have been together. I didn’t seem to have that problem here.

I also think that the setting is well worth a mention, for someone who has never been anywhere near Denmark or Norway and has no idea about the landscape or culture. The way that Sea Witch builds the world around these two countries and culture is so well done, I could almost feel the sea and wind hit me in the face. I was really impressed with how well the setting was not only described beautifully but also played a huge part in the story. I just couldn’t believe how well the surrounding area was described and how big of an impact it made on the story!

I would totally recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a fairytale retelling with a twist. This book does it all. I was so impressed with how unique the storyline was, in fact, and I completely forgot it was a Little Mermaid book halfway through. The story is subtle but well done and I don’t think anyone would be disappointed in the way this book develops or ends!

Evie's life is far from easy. She lives in a town that despises witches, and despises her for being a common brat that claims the friendship of the heir to the throne. When a mermaid comes into her life, wearing the face of a dead friend, there is no turning back.

I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.
I'm not much of a Little Mermaid fan, but I love stories of magic and witches.

This story is set in Denmark, and follows the descendent of the Witch-Hunter King Christian. Prince Nik is ready to uphold the traditions, and shuns magic and witchcraft, without knowing that his best friend Evie is a witch.

Evie was a great main character. She is both afraid of magic, and the costs it seems to take; but is also mesmerised by it.
She is a complete outsider, and the town has no idea how much she helps them, with her enchantments to bring more fish for their boats to catch, after years of meagerness.

Then there's Annemette, a mysterious girl who looks exactly like their long-deceased friend, Anna. She's so sweet and innocent, and so genuine in her love of Nik, that Evie can't do enough to make sure he loves her back.

For a book that is aimed at YA readers, and has its fair share of dresses, balls and romance; this is actually a very dark and unforgiving story.
There is a constant theme that the sea runs the lives of every character. It gives, and provides life and food; but it is just as ready to take. And what it takes can't be bartered or bribed.

I liked the way the ending echoed Hans Christian Anderson's Little Mermaid. As much as I want to say more, I won't spoil it for anyone.

I definitely recommend this one.

I had somewhat high hopes for this because The Little Mermaid was my favourite Disney film growing up, but it didn't live up to the hype for me.

Despite it being well written, it was just very... slow. I had to push myself to pick this up and read it. Nothing much happened for the first three quarters, and then the ending happened so quickly that I couldn't get my head around what was happening.

I didn't particularly care for any of the characters, they all seemed like wet blankets. And one characters' reasons for their actions just didn't have enough weight behind them to be justified. I'm being vague because I don't want to spoil anything, but it just felt too forced.

Maybe I'm getting too old for YA fantasy now, however I can see why other people would enjoy this. Sadly, it just didn't do it for me.

I love fairytale retellings that make you feel like you’re reading something completely fresh and new, and SEA WITCH does just that – it’s a gorgeous re-imagining of The Little Mermaid, from the point of view of the sea witch that cursed her.

If you’ve read my other reviews you’ll have noticed that I also read (and loved) Alexandra Christo’s TO KILL A KINGDOM, which is another YA retelling of this fairytale. My initial worry with SEA WITCH was that it would be too similar, but it’s not at all – however, if you loved TO KILL A KINGDOM, I would definitely recommend this too. MERMAIDS! DEATH! DANGEROUS GIRLS!

SEA WITCH is set in 1800s Denmark (the home of Hans Christian Andersen, who wrote the tale we’re all familiar with), and as this is the olden days and people were a tad more superstitious than they are now, Evie (our future Sea Witch) is forced to hide her own witch powers. She is the daughter of the Royal Fisherman and a close friend of Prince Niklas, and she’s also having a sort-of fling with Niklas’ charmingly roguish cousin, Prince Iker.

Sounds like a nice cosy set-up, right? However, Evie is holding on to a lot of pain – years before the story’s events, her best friend Anna drowned while she, Evie and Niklas were at the beach. Anna’s body was never recovered, and Evie still mourns the loss of her friend, believing her to be gone forever – until one day she sees a familiar face through a porthole…

I loved the twisting mystery of this book – is Annemette really Anna, returned from the dead? Is she all that she appears to be? How does Evie turn from a quiet, witchy girl who dearly loves her friends into the powerful sea sorceress who steals the voice of a mermaid? All these questions are answered, but not quite in the way you might expect. SEA WITCH keeps the reader on their toes – several times I felt like I could predict what was going to happen next, only to be proved wrong. I was glad to see that I was proved wrong in some cases – I was initially worried that Evie and Annemette would be pitted against each other for Niklas’ attention, but was relieved to see that the drama came from elsewhere, and that the girls’ friendship was given just as much attention (if not more) than the romantic threads. It’s their story that is the focus, which I loved.

Did I mention there are mermaids? MERMAIDS ARE GREAT. Reading this book was like sinking into a warm bath of childhood nostalgia – I loved the Disney franchise and Saban’s Adventures of the Little Mermaid. I need more deadly mermaids. Sassy mermaids. Kick-ass mermaids. They don’t have to be romantic and cutesy and drippy. Books like this prove that, and take me back to watching Ariel and Marina go on adventures and get into trouble.

Magic is carefully woven into the historical setting, and I loved the idea that witches and mermaids exist in SEA WITCH’s Denmark, but are hidden away – even Evie, who knows magic exists, isn’t sure if mermaids are real. I also liked that the romance was a bit messy (even more so than the original story!) with a bit of a love square going on between Annemette, Niklas, Evie and Iker – this may be a fairytale retelling, but this isn’t a fairytale romance…

If you love mermaid stories with a bit of darkness, or historical fantasy with witches, or doomed romances with death and danger, then SEA WITCH is for you. If this and TO KILL A KINGDOM are anything to go by, then mermaid YA is very much in, and I can’t wait for my next mermaid read!