Author: Bethany C. Marrow
Age: Young Adult
Genres: Fantasy
Publication Date: June 2, 2020
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: eARC
Purchase: Hardcover | Kindle | Audible | B&N | Book Depository
Synopsis:
Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Never mind she's also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.
But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she's also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either.
My Rating:
Praises for the book:
“A watery and melodic crossroads of the real and the mythic, A Song Below Water lures readers with its seductive and beautifully black siren song. An enthralling tale of black girl magic and searing social commentary ready to rattle the bones.” ―Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles series
“The world is lush and intense, the voice intoxicating, and the message eternal. Morrow will have you under her spell from page one.” ―L.L. McKinney, author of the Nightmare-Verse series
“A Song Below Water is a lush, colorful, and deeply moving masterpiece about mythology, the sometimes masked evils of racism, and all the ways the world hurts black girls. An irresistible and perfectly bewitching read that I couldn't put down!” ―Jay Coles, composer and author of Tyler Johnson Was Here
My Thoughts:
Mermaids that are women of color...YESSS PLEASE! This was definitely an epic YA fantasy for me. I was excited to get a black girl mermaid read so I went in with high expectations and it delivered to the fullest. I couldn't give it a full five star rating because I needed a bit more from it plot wise, but I loved the diversity of this book and what it captured and talked about. From racism to social injustice it is the perfect fantasy read for this troubling times we are in.
The characters were all well-written enough to make me feel every single emotion they felt. I loved them all equally even though some needed to be slapped every now and then. I loved the water and how atmospheric it felt as I was reading. The friendships and bonds in this story are so real that you feel apart of the story.
This is an immersive story that will give you an escape from the real-world while helping you understand the world at the same time. This was an epic read and I highly recommend it to the fullest!
About the Author
Though sociology and forensic psychology will always be among her passions, writing has been a lifelong endeavor. Whether in novels for the YA or adult market, novellas, short stories, stage plays, television pilots or short film scripts, Bethany's speculative literary fiction uses a focus on character and language to engage with, comment on and investigate worlds not unlike our own.
Giveaway
- Giveaway is open to International
- Must be 13+ to Enter
- 5 Winners will receive a Copy of A SONG BELOW WATER by Bethany C. Morrow.
- Ends June 22, 2020
Thank you to JeanBookNerd for having on board this tour!