A Mermaid Tale of the Lost Empire

Beyond excited for this one! With the recent huge box office succesd of The Little Mermaid the interest in mermaid inspired books always stays strong. I am so excited for this new series and the cover is absolutely gorgeous. I cannot wait to share more thoughts and a full review soon! I'm so happy this book is a Read Now option. I know so many readers are going to enjoy this one!

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!

The story is definitely a mix of the Disney movies Little Mermaid and Atlantis but the author did put her own unique flair on it. For someone wanting a good Christian read it is a solid book with many lessons peppered throughout as the main character sets out on a journey of self-discovery and maturity. It wasn't entirely my cup of tea but I highly recommend it for someone wanting a clean fantasy book. I do appreciate the themes of the unwavering love of family, always be yourself, and it's okay to make mistakes because they are something to learn from.

I did miss the Christian aspect to the book synopsis but I am honest in my review and rating for someone who's style of book this is. Four stars because it does have quite a bit of filler that I struggled to get through.

** the book doesn't appear to be in Goodreads. I will put this review there if it becomes available **

I was looking for a light read and something fun, maybe with a hint of romance. This book delivered, straight up what I needed.

Unfortunately I don't live close to the sea, but I do have a river flowing not so far from my home, and since the sea was the home to many characters I could feel all the lovely memories I have resurface.

I loved many many things about this book, I loved the characters, I loved the plot, I loved the angst, the romance, I could not put it down, I have started this book last evening, stayed up until midnight to read and my first thing in the morning was to continue and I finished the book in basically one place.

Just downloaded this. so excited to devour this within the next few days and drop my review. The cover and description are already such pulling forces ☺️

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!

"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.

Book Review 📚
A Mermaid Tale of The Lost Empire by Lily D - 4/5 ⭐

There's nothing I love more then a retelling that is a completely different kind of story to the original. I can promise you Lily D made this entirely different to what we know as The Little Mermaid. The whole feel from the book gives me SJM vibes also!

The writing style physically sucked me in, it's not overbearing and full on but it's now slow and easy either. It's a really great read. Thankfully it's not to full on "the little mermaid" and has nice features of its own story.

I loved the relationships throughout the book and the little love triangle that was happening. I'm not normally a love triangle person but this one actually really sold me and I couldn't decide on who I wanted to win the heart of Aria.

All in all it was a beautiful read and I thoroughly enjoyed the entire thing. Thank you to NetGalley and Books Go Social for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion

I loved this book!! I loved all of the complexities of these characters and their relationships, the bravery they exuded, and the evolution they experienced. And their character’ arc and growth was phenomenal too. It definitely resonated with me and pulled on my emotions, which I love in a story. Can’t wait to read more from the author!!

Aria, princess of the merfolk, always dreaming of worlds beyond her own. As she sneaks away for her adventures, her father has posted her with a personal guard, Bastian. With a map she has found to Atlantea she slips past Bastian to go to this place above the water. Once there she meets Prince Atlas and is determined to make the most out of her newfound freedom. A sheltered princess she strives to build relationships and connections with the people she meets and always thinks the best of everyone but when things go wrong who can she really trust?

“A Mermaid Tale of the Lost Empire” by Lily D. was very fun to read. I really liked her spin on the little mermaid and the characters from it with two love interests. I loved how the city above the sea was modern with its technology. I did not like however that the mermaids believe in the Christian God, which in my opinion takes away from the magical aspect. One of my favorite things about the books was the characters, Bastian and Prince Atlas which were unexpected from what I thought they would be. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars and really want to read more of her books.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

As soon as I heard it was a retelling of The Little Mermaid and Atlantis, I was in. The Christian aspect of the description intrigued me, but I didn't know what to expect. The author does a good job of weaving the fantasy elements in with Christianity and does so without coming off as too preachy. The story itself was enjoyable. I found myself invested in Aria's story and the development of her relationships. The ending of the story had me on the edge of my seat, wanting to know how it would all end.

Thanks for the ARC of this book netgallery. I loved it. It took me a few chapters to get into because I'm not normally one for mermaids but I really enjoyed the character development and the way the story flowed. Bastian what can I say, loved him. Aria a spoilt princess who is at least able to recognise that she is a pain at times! A good story that's morals point to the consequences of being selfish. Good clean story but with great chemistry between the characters. Felt relatable even though we are talking merfolk. Could have seen a different ending, also could see room for another book!

"A Mermaid Tale of the Lost Empire" weaves a captivating blend of "The Little Mermaid" and Atlantis for fantasy fans. Aria's quest for freedom, a mysterious protector, and an enticing romance lead to a transformative journey. While pacing could be improved, the tale beautifully explores love prevailing against the odds. A solid 3.75-star read, enchanting and intriguing.

only started reading this a few days ago and I can already say that this was an amazing read!

I couldn't stop reading it!

I highly recommend this to anyone who loved the little mermaid!

3.5-4

I chose to read this ARC because I had read some wonderful Christian historical romance books and really enjoyed them. So, I wanted to check out a Christian romance fantasy book. I also really enjoy fairytale retellings, and this is a Little Mermaid retelling that also incorporates Atlantis.

I really had mixed emotions with this novel. On the one hand, I really liked the story, characters, and romance, but on the other, it had a lot of technical writing problems.

Overall, the story concept was rather intriguing. I loved the twists of The Little Mermaid in this retelling. I also loved the general messages in this book. It’s pretty based, so if you don’t lean conservative in some of your viewpoints, then you probably won’t like it. But I really appreciated it since it aligns with my personal view on things.

It also is pretty strong on the faith element, which I enjoyed. I don’t consider myself a Christian, but I am spiritual and enjoy the faith undertones here and there because I agree with the messages portrayed. If you don’t align with many Christian viewpoints, you may find this book a bit preachy, but since I do, I liked it and didn’t find it preachy. But I could see how others would. I’m not familiar with the bible, but I feel like there were references to it, but it was lost on me.

The romance is pure and sweet. It is a clean romance - no spice and just a couple of kissing scenes. I prefer clean romance, so I was happy with the love story aspects of it. I really enjoyed the banter and chemistry between Aria and Bastian. There is also very mild language, which I appreciated. If you enjoy these romance tropes, then you’ll like this one: enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, bodyguard romance, and a love triangle.

The world-building was done pretty well with rich descriptions, but I would’ve liked to have gone deeper. I wanted a lot more details and really wanted to be immersed in this world. I wanted to know more about the Merworld as well as Atlantea. I felt like we just skimmed the surface of both, and I wanted more information. We also didn’t get much backstory about the prophesies they spoke about, or the history of Aria’s mother, her father, and just how her parents came together. I would’ve loved more of their backstory.

For the most part, I liked Aria as our main protagonist. She really reminded me of Ariel. She is young, naive, and adventurous. But of course, she’s also strong-willed, stubborn, reckless, and selfish. She is only concerned for her own well-being at the start, and she just wants her freedom. She feels trapped in the underwater palace and in her role as a princess, heir to the throne. She also feels like a prisoner by her father, and she just wants to live her life on her own terms. She wants to make choices for herself and make her own way in life. So she becomes extremely rebellious, sneaking out of the palace all the time, lying, and making poor choices. In the beginning, she doesn’t think about her actions and how they affect others. But we do see a nice redemption arc and character development as we move through the story. By the end, she has seen “the error of her ways.” We see her grow and mature more and think about her choices and how they affect others, especially her loved ones.

I really liked Bastian, one of Aria’s love interests, and her personal bodyguard. He seemed like the ideal man and always gave her a lot of wisdom. He was honorable, intelligent, clever, and kind. He was always there for her and kept forgiving Aria when she would lie and betray him. He reminded me of Michael in Francine River’s Redeeming Love. Bastian was extremely loyal to Aria and her father. We see how he is always there for Aria, even when she’s being a brat and constantly making poor decisions. He’s very patient with her and does everything he can to protect her.

However, there were a lot of plot holes, some scenes didn’t make sense, some time jumps were confusing, some transitions between scenes were poorly written, some dialogue was poorly written, and some reactions to things that were happening didn’t make sense to me. Again, I loved the concept of this story, but it was underdeveloped and needed more polishing and refinement. The beginning was intriguing, but then it really slowed down in the middle, and then in the last quarter of the story, it picked up again. I wish it was more consistent in the storytelling throughout the entire novel.

I also wished there was more action. There were many scenes where not much was happening. I also wanted to see more of the Merworld and Atlantis. I wish more action scenes happened in the cities. I also wanted to see more magic and creatures or monsters. It did feel like a fantasy novel, but it really lacked some typical fantasy elements that I like to see in these types of stories. Also, the ending was decent, but it was still a bit lackluster and anticlimactic for me. I wish it was bigger, more suspenseful, and had more action. But it was a satisfying ending.

With all the faults it had though, I really enjoyed the story, the characters, and the romance and chemistry between the two main protagonists. If this is the start of a series, I would absolutely continue and pick up book two. I’d love to see where the story goes next, and hopefully, with more time and experience, the technical writing problems will improve and be more polished. If you enjoy Christian romance fantasy stories and fairytale retellings, I would recommend this book.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

Dates read: 10/13-10/15

Star rating: 4-4.25

With the premise of the book being a ‘Little Mermaid’ theme with a mixture of SJM in it, I understand where the story stands. While reading, I felt myself being drawn into the world with an open mind and enjoyed where the story took me. I will say however that it did feel a little jumbled starting a new chapter sometimes and it didn’t seem to flow smoothly towards the next.

Did I enjoy the book? Yes I did. Will I get the book? Of course. Would I recommend it? I would based on the background and premise behind the story.

I really enjoyed this book and read it in a few days. Some of the plot mirrors "The Little Mermaid." but with the rest is very different. Aria, our main character yearns to find out about the mysterious city of Atlantea where him died. Her father, hires someone to watch out for her safety named Sebastain. Sebastain is a little harsh and very strict and follows Aria everywhere. Can they fight their attraction to each other?

Aria makes the harrowing swim to Atlantea and is intrigued by prestige and glamour of the city. Aria is thrust into a relationship with a very snobby prince because she is fighting her feelings for Sebastain. She also fights to save someone who has become an unexpected friend in the new, dangerous city. Aria is pulled in all directions. Does she stay in Atlantea or listen to her heart?

I loved that the mermaids in this book are very different. I did not think this was a Christian thriller book at all but more of a women's thriller romance. I was suprised how much I liked this. Aria and Sebastain have major chemistry. This book was well written and full of surprises. I would definitely read more from this author.

Highly recommended and surprising read. Thanks to NetGalley, Lily D and Books Go Social for an ARC in exhcnage for honest review.

Available: 11/1/2023

I love the little mermaid and I love stories of Faith. I did not realize how much I would love a combination. This particular story is not so much a retelling of the little mermaid, it is more a reimagining or a parallel story. The plot line of uninhibited progress and its costs was interesting. Some of the best parts of the story I cannot share because I don’t want to steal the discovery from you.

This is a clean read and would be great for anyone who loves fantasy. I highly recommend!

This cover pulled me in. I am such a fan of mermaids and fairytale retellings. This had some strong Little Mermaid vibes. Aria just wants some freedom and to explore parts unknown, When she meets Prince Atlas in the kingdom of Atlantea she thinks she might have found everything she ever wanted. That is until her body guard shows up and she starts to see him in a different light. Which one is the one for her? The story is so good. There is intrigue and romance. If there is another one, I will definitely be reading it.Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5
I received eARC for my honest opinion.

I liked that this book had a retelling of The Little Mermaid in it. I thought that it was similar but different in its own way and I love reading retellings like giving you the tale that you love but changed. When I came across this book I loved the cover right away, and I liked the synopsis. I loved that you had a young mermaid that just wanted to forge her own path and discover the world out there. If only she could get rid of the new guard that her father trusted to watch over her. However, you never know what fate might have in store for you and what you were looking for that whole time was right in front of you.

This book was fun and never a dull moment. I found myself laughing at the banter and all the missed chances of trying to sneak out. I know a lot of the people in the reviews stated that they didn’t like the Christian fiction in it, but I didn’t mind it at all. I didn’t feel like that was what the book was all about, but it was something that the characters felt strongly about but not like it was thrown into your face. I thought the author did a great job at keeping her readers interested throughout the whole book, she made sure that there was not an info dump on you. The writing style made it easy to read and the pace was perfect for me, I was able to finish this book in one day. The romance was definitely a slow burn, just the way that I like it. I liked that Aria took her time to really see what kind of life she would want, and I liked that Bastian was okay with that and encouraged her to take her time.

I found that all the characters were easy to connect with and I was able to relate to Aria. I liked the fact that she was a strong character, but at the same time she was naive about things. I liked that she was not scared to learn new things, but I also liked that she was embarrassed when she did things that weren’t right. She felt more real to me. My favorite character was Bastian, I liked that he was able to laugh and have fun, I liked that he was willing to let people figure out how they felt about things instead of trying to force what he wanted. He really is a great prince.

I would read another book by this author and I hope that you will give this book a chance like I did. If you like retellings, fantasy, romance, mermaids, princes and princesses, and some Christian fiction you should read this book.

I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Lily D for this arc and allowing me to give an honest review. So, I don´t read many fantasy Christian novel. In fact, I wasn´t aware many existed, (besides Narnia of course). So I was pleasantly surprised! This book was incredibly enjoyable and included mermaids, which I love! The story was entertaining as well as the characters and there was never a moment i was bored. It was a quick read and I finished it in a day. I absolutely loved the romance and I highly recommend it to anyone!

It was fun, adventurous and beautiful read. I am a big Little Mermaid fan and thrown in a Atlantis sign me up. It was really fun to read. Thank you for approval on this.

A retelling of sorts of the Little Mermaid with a few different twists. I appreciate retellings of stories, and A Mermaid Tale of the Lost Empire didn't disappoint. It was fun and interesting, but lacked in a few spots. However but the end I found my footing and enjoyed it.

Love anything mermaid related and this book did not disappoint. What a fun story, entertaining from start to finish. Thank you for my copy in exchange for a review.

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.

What makes me like this book is the author's ability to infuse a sense of wonder and awe into every page. The characters are endearing, and their relationships add depth to the storyline. The pacing keeps the reader hooked, eager to unravel the mysteries and follow the characters on their daring escapades. The themes of unwavering familial love, embracing authenticity, and acknowledging mistakes as learning opportunities are commendable aspects that enhance the overall narrative. I received a complimentary copy of this book from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you so much!

Such a fun, adventure through Atlantia with mermaid and fantastical creatures. It will keep you interested and will be a fun read--be sure to add it to your summer reading list.

*A Mermaid Tale of the Lost Empire* by Lily D. is a spellbinding fantasy that transports readers to the depths of a mysterious underwater civilization. D.'s evocative prose and intricate world-building make for a mesmerizing read, perfect for fans of mermaid lore and epic adventures.

Intriguing story and characters and can definitely see the fairytale remake, which I'm loving right now.

It was a nice easy read!