The idea of a retelling of the Little Mermaid sounded interesting and I always try to keep an open mind. I tend to avoid looking into the backgrounds of books before I read/review because I like to know as little as possible.

However, after trying to get through the first few chapters, I had to DNF this book due to the language, character development and overall composition that just seemed off to me.

Appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to provide a review of this book.

#AMermaidTaleoftheLostEmpire #NetGalley

This book is very exciting and enjoyable, I like cozy this book feels. However the book is quite slow in the beginning but it does pick up later on.

I received a free ebook of this book on netgally in exchange for an honest review.
I tried to read this, honestly I did.
I do 2 things - read a lot of fantasyand use chatgpt a lot. And I just kept getting the feeling I was reading chatgpt output… edited of course but her character was just so inconsistant and petulant. The overall story too was very much like ‘act as a writer and outline me a story crossing the little mermaid, atlantas and the odessy’. Then the ‘retelling’ is practically just describing different scenes and copying and pasting scenes/ideas from different film/book into the book just slightly changing the letters of the names by 1-2 letters. I felt not like I was reading a book relaxing, but that I was working, reading chatgpt’s instructions and it helps me in my job. I could honestly be wrong here and it might just be the style of the author itself, but it just feels so much like it.

Then the main character - perhaps children could relate to how she acts (like she is 10) but it is just so unrelatable. My theory of course is the book is heavily written by chatgpt which could definitly cause that (eg prompting it to be in the YA genre).

I see other reviewers complained about the religious tones - I have to say I did not get that far that it bothered me, but I did take another look at the summary and it says ‘christian ya’ at the very end. If I am requesting a book, I do not read the full summary as there will be spoilers - if the top part draws me in, I will read it and enjoy it and not get half the book spoiled. ‘Christian ya’ is such a divisive thing, it needs to be front and centre and the book needs to have been tagged with this.

I am really sad the book is like this.. i should have checked others reviews prior to submitting a request for this. I would say i should read the full summary as well, but to be honest - this one is on the author/publisher I think. If it is a 'christian' book, this needs to be in the tags and in the beginning of the synopsis.
If this was not co-written with chatgpt then I am sorry for this review. I just get the very strong feeling from how the wording and phrasing is as well as the content itself that it is heavily AI written.. (which there is honestly nothing wrong with, but it should probably be acknowledged as there will likely be no copyright protection on this either)

"A Mermaid Tale of the Lost Empire" by Lily D. promises readers an enthralling blend of fantasy, romance, and adventure in a world filled with merfolk, warriors, and a mysterious lost empire. The book's description hints at a narrative that is sure to captivate young adult readers with its elements of forbidden exploration, enemies-to-lovers romance, and the allure of an ancient empire.

The story centers around Aria, the crown princess of the merfolk, who yearns for freedom beyond the confines of her underwater palace. Her quest to discover Atlantea, a forgotten human empire, serves as the backdrop for a series of intriguing twists and turns, including her unlikely partnership with a brooding warrior.

The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Aria and her protector adds depth and tension to the narrative, promising a captivating romantic subplot that will keep readers engaged. As Aria's journey unfolds and she encounters a human prince, the story delves into themes of love, self-discovery, and the costs of making choices in the face of destiny.

The book's description also hints at the presence of Christian themes, suggesting that the story will explore deeper moral and spiritual aspects, adding an extra layer of complexity to the plot.

Overall, "A Mermaid Tale of the Lost Empire" appears to be a captivating young adult fantasy that combines elements of adventure, romance, and spirituality. Lily D.'s novel promises to transport readers to a richly imagined world and take them on a journey filled with unexpected twists and emotional depth, making it an enticing choice for fans of the genre.

I'm always up for a retelling, especially one inspired by "The Little Mermaid." So, when I dove into this book, I was excited to see how this classic tale had been reimagined. However, as I delved deeper into the story, I realized that I might not have been the right target audience for this book.

One thing that stood out immediately was the religious aspects scattered throughout the book. The dedication should have been my first sign that this wasn't the book for me, as it hinted at a stronger religious theme than I had anticipated. While I can appreciate the author's intention to infuse spirituality into the narrative, it wasn't something I personally connected with, and it occasionally took me out of the story.

On a positive note, the descriptions of the world-building and the characters were well-crafted and vivid.
The descriptions painted detailed and immersive scenes, making it easy to envision the underwater kingdom and its inhabitants. The characters were interesting and had depth, making it easy to become emotionally invested in their fates.

One aspect of the story that left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied was the love triangle between the characters. While love triangles can add depth and tension to a story, the execution in this book didn't quite hit the mark. It felt somewhat forced and lacked the emotional nuance that could have made it a compelling aspect of the plot.
While I admired the world-building and character development, I ultimately felt that I wasn't the right fit for this particular tale.

It's important to note that personal reading preferences vary, and this book may find a passionate audience who will appreciate its unique blend of fantasy and spirituality.

Thank you, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review!

3 ⭐️ review because this was an engaging retelling and I do love mythology/ fantasy in any capacity and enjoyed the story regardless of certain qualms I had with it.

While I was able to read through the book and did quite enjoy it, that enjoyment was minimized by the continuous injections of religion throughout. I do partially fault myself for not fully registering that this was described as a “Christian fantasy” novel towards the bottom of the blurb description so I do not place blame elsewhere, but maybe this tidbit should be better highlighted in the books description? While I’m not generally opposed to the inclusion of various religious ideologies throughout my books, I do not like feeling blindsided.

One aspect I did really enjoy is that there was a fair balance between fantasy aspects and the romantic aspects of this book. I do think the book could have benefited from greater and deeper descriptions of the oceanic scenery and such, it was definitely adequate and beautiful to envision/ got the job done.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want to be part of this world.....
This story started off strong. The under water world building was top notch. I wanted to explore every nook of this world and the author provided the visuals for it. Then she left the under water kingdom and I felt like the character and the author didn't know where it was going. It was so all over the place I felt like there were a million little stories and not one of them were finished. Our main character was very hard to relate to and like. She made one poor choice after the other. I really did expect the story to end differently and honestly I saw it end differently in my mind. Overall the story started off great and got lost somewhere on the way to the surface.

Hey beautiful book monsters! So excited to tell you about this beautiful tale of a mermaid who leaves home to learn more about the stories and remembrances that her mother left behind when she passed away in a shipwreck. Coming from a sheltered home with her father the mermaid king, Aria finds herself venturing away from home looking for the spirit of her mother in a land called Atlantea. She finds her way to this magical place, despite the muscle her father put on her to protect her. When she arrives there she saves a prince from drowning and in turn begins to wonder what life would be like in this wondrous place. She is dragged back home by her new "bodyguard" but manages a swift escape to return to Atlantea. During her time there she encounters danger, misrepresentations, and a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants from her. Her only savior, the merman who was tasked with keeping her safe, becomes a close ally and so much more. This is an incredible tale that starts out with a "Little Mermaid" vibe but quickly changes into a tale of love, war, seeking of oneself, and harrowing bravery. You will fall in love with the characters and find that even if you think you know what is coming next, you might be wrong!

Sadly this was a DNF for me, I couldn't connect with the story of the characters. I feel like maybe this would work well for a younger audience.

i dnfed this book around 17% in, i couldn't get into the story and i found the writing very cringey. i will not be leaving a rating on goodreads/storygraph as i feel it is unfair to do so since i dnfed the book.

I stopped reading this book when i was like two percent in. I did not feel the pull to continue reading. It made me bored. I did not feel any excitement while reading. And there is so many description paragraphs and little dialogue. I rarely stop reading the books I started unless they are not good in my opinion, I won't force myself to finish it when I'm not enjoying it. I think it's probably because it's my first time reading about mermaids and stuff and they're not my cup of tea, but there are so many other people who enjoy books like this.

It was an ok read for me. I enjoyed the banter between Sebastian and Aria, but I missed some depth to their relationship. I also feel the 'love triangle' could have been better executed. It was clear very fast that we couldnt trust Atlas and that he was bad news.
I did like the writing and flew through it.

First, thank you for the free read in exchange for an honest review.


Ok. So overall, I did enjoy this book but there were a few things I definitely did not like as much.

First, I liked the overall story. It was a fun new take on a classic. The constant shifting from land to see that the merpeople can do is interesting and Atlantea being a place that is real in this world is also interesting.

The characters I also liked for the most part and they were all a fun deviation from the Disney version of the same story. The world that the author created both under the sea and the dictatorship society above it were interesting.

Things I didnt like were
A: You dont really get to see ANY of the underwater world or any character outside of the main two with small bits of the father thrown in. I would have loved to see more of that world before going to the world above as it would have created more of a distinct comparison for us readers.
B: Maybe I missed this somewhere in the description or elsewhere but this book was SO religious. I was not expecting so much religion to be thrown throughout it and at the reader. It was not the type of book I expecting to read at all and honestly, would not have read had I known. This is not against books that are religious as I do read them, but I read them when I am in the mood to do so. This one almost feels like I was tricked into it. That being said, while there is a LOT of it throughout, its easy enough to just read the characters and story bits and work around it.

This was such an amazing read! I flew through this book in one afternoon because I could not stop! The characters were so unique and gripping that I really adored them. The author did a great job with keeping the plot moving and avoiding any stale moments. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know!

I really enjoyed this book. It has it all from enemies to lovers, a love triangle, betrayal, adventure, mermaids, a secret community! While there is a lot of world building at the beginning it isn't overwhelming and the descriptions are vivid.

One thing that was really unexpected was the heavy Christianity throughout the book. Life lessons on morals and avoiding the occult were pretty prominent throughout. It didn't detract from the story but it wasn't something I was expecting or looking for either.

I will admit that I did not read the entire blurb. If I had I most likely would NOT have requested it. I prefer my to keep religion out of my books. I do understand that it is a part of our society but I would rather my fantasy books to be just that… a fantasy.

Maybe be upfront that you’re putting you’re religious views in the book.

That being said I couldn’t get into this book and found it very difficult to read.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity

I was excited when I read this book was similar to The Little Mermaid since that has always been my favorite Disney movie ever since I was a child. However, this book did not do it for me. I found myself losing focus multiple times and although the descriptions and narrative style were great, I didn’t connect with the plot.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. The following opinions are my own.

I really struggled with this one. I'll admit it wasn't my favourite one I've read. I didn't really enjoy the writing style and found myself skimming it just so I could finish.

I didn't really connect with this book and found myself at points forcing myself to finish however I just might not be the target audience for the book. The premise of the story is really interesting as a retelling of the little mermaid in which we follow Aria on her grand adventure to find the lost city of Atlantea. and crosses paths with the (of course) stunningly handsome human prince, Bastian.
The story is beautifully written and the descriptions of the settings and the kingdom were fantastic. The story does touch on some really interesting themes such as coming to terms with your grief which I particularly enjoyed
The book does fall into the 'tell not show' what a strong FMC Aria is but there are lots of points where she makes some truly stupid decisions and is saved by the male characters. The description also bills this as 'enemies to lover dynamics' but the enemies aspect of the dynamics is lacking. Aria and Bastian fall in love fairly quickly.
I was completely drawn in by the cover and the title of the book and quickly skimmed the synopsis, so I missed the 'YA Christian' aspect of the description. The themes were there if you're aware of them but not overtly so. There are some good life lessons learned by the characters throughout the book which would be great for the younger audience.
Overall it was a decent story but I don't think I would read it again.
The book is not on goodreads at the moment but will add the review when it becomes available.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I'll be the first to admit, I must have jumped right over "Christian YA", however the elements were subtle enough for me to ignore and did not impact my reading experience.

This was a bit a ride and I wasn't always sure where we were supposed to be going. From my understanding, we follow Aria, a lonely princess from an underwater kingdom as she chases after the few pieces of her late mother. In an effort to feel connected with her mother and escape the gilded cage her father has set her in, Aria throws herself head first into an adventure across the sea to try and find the legendary kingdom of Atlantea. From there, we watch as she struggles with her feelings of loneliness and belonging.

Now, there were a few things that bothered me about this book. Aria being one of them. She is clearly struggling with her emotions and loss, however I don't think she makes one single good decision in the entire novel. Aria is headstrong, yes, but also equally brash which leaves her character feeling disjointed and more spoiled and overly dramatic. Bastian truly has the patience of a saint for putting up with her antics, because not once did I feel Aria made a decision that justified her reasoning. We don't see any growth in her character, as she continues to be saved again and again by the men in her life from every single bad situation she puts herself in. Not once did I feel like Aria stood up for herself or what she truly believe in, and instead felt quite content to allow others to speak for her.

The blurb marketed this as a slow burn enemies-to-lovers, and while her relationship to Bastian started off a bit rocky (which is to be expected), it's doesn't nearly fulfill any of the requirements to actually be considered enemies-to-lovers. When we met Atlas' darker side, I wrongly assumed that he would fulfill this trope. It felt as if I was missing entire passages of Aria and Bastian's relationship development, the slow burn element of their romance is a mystery to me. It felt almost as if a switch flipped about 30% through the novel and suddenly they were in love with each other.

All this being said, there was a lot of beautiful passages about the settings and the culture of the kingdom. While this novel was not for me, I could see why other readers would find merit in the overarching themes of love and acceptance discussed during the story. Aria is not typically the type of FMC I find myself connecting to, however I did find comfort in the forgiveness she allows herself when she makes mistakes.