Siren's Call

by Leah R. Cutter

Kai never met Mama. But based on her own abilities, and those who call her kin, she knows Mama wasn't human.

Kai finds things. In post-Katrina New Orleans, everyone's lost something, though most can't afford to pay.

Kai's latest client, a siren, hires Kai to find her sister. Sirens need both men and water, and can call them.

The kidnapped sister is being held on dry ground...

...while another storm brews off the coast of New Orleans.

Genres: Fantasy

258 pages, Paperback

First published November 8, 2013

About the author

Leah Cutter writes page-turning fiction in exotic locations, such as New Orleans, ancient China, the Oregon coast, rural Kentucky, Seattle, Minneapolis, Budapest, and other places.

Her fiction includes literary, fantasy, mystery, science fiction, and horror, and has been published in magazines, anthologies, and on the web.

Read more stories by Leah Cutter at www.KnottedRoadPress.com.

Follow her blog at www.LeahCutter.com.

Reviews

[Anniken Haga · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was too much and not enough at the same time. There were a lot of male characters - most of them in some kind of sexual relationship with the MC - and I had trouble keeping them apart. There were two female characters - a mother and a cousin - and they mostly just talked about boys/men, so this book did not pass the Bechdel test, to say the least!

Between all the men and some random sex scenes that didn't really do anything for the plot, the main story is kinda lost. The MC even admits to forgetting it at some point.

What I mean with it being too much and not enough at the same time, is that I wouldn't mind reading more books set in this world - I'm curious why there are weredogs but not werewolves, and how they can claim to be purebreed when brothers have different dog breeds - and I would like to know more about the MC's powers.
Because we start the book with her not knowing anything about herself or much about magic at all, then she learns a lot during these 200 pages.
And all the boy drama... there were some scenes that were probably meant to be heartbreaking, but just fell flat for me, because I didn't remember who were who and didn't know them well enough to care.
And then there were all the other side characters there to help the MC along, all somehow being a mild bad guy the MC didn't want to deal with.

There was a lot going on in this book - not counting the plot - and it felt like I was dropped into the last book in a trilogy, or even a 5-book-series!
I kinda wish this was a full series, to be honest.

The writing was ok.

Oh! I forgot there was another woman! The Woman in the Wall. Cool thought, but again, she didn't really do much for anything.

[Samaira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book. It does feel like it should be the first is a series though. Great world building and characters. Well worth a read!

[Myrt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found ‘Siren’s Call’ to be an exciting and entertaining read. The main character Kai is a strong, independent young woman who is just trying to make a living in post-Katrina New Orleans. Raised alone by her father after her mother abruptly abandoned them both after Kai’s birth. In Kai’s world there is a secretive magical race of the ‘xita’ who have their own society hidden from the world. Kai has often suspected her mother was xita but no one in her family has ever wanted to talk about her. Regardless, Kai considers herself fully human with a little something ‘extra’ on the side and she has set up her own business to put that extra skill to use. Kai can find lost things. Not just lost car keys but more important items like missing people by relying on her senses and intuition. Kai is currently eking out a living as business has been down lately. Kai’s skills had been extremely useful in the aftermath of Katrina, an experience she does not want to ever repeat. So when Rilke, her new client, a siren, comes to her to help find her twin sister and explains that sirens cannot be away from water for any length of time and if unable to get to water they will instinctively call water to them no matter where they are - even if it means flooding a city to get to them Kai realizes what this could mean for her 10 year post Katrina city. Kai realizes that to find her missing siren she will have to interact with various ‘xita’ as she searches for who has the siren and where she is being held and answer the big question of why anyone would want to flood the city again.

Kai is an interesting character as she discovers more about herself, her relationships and the mysterious xita. She is independent and knows how to take care of herself but is able to accept help where she finds it. She is also interested in finding out about her Mama and her side of the family and how she fits in. Kai has two men in her life who each assist her in their own way. One is a human techno genius and the other is a xita shapeshifter. But this is not a romance. Kai is perfectly happy with the status quo and is not looking to settle down with either of them although she cares for them both very much.

I really enjoyed the book and felt the mounting pressure Kai was experiencing to prevent another hurricane in New Orleans. I liked the way the lead character problem-solved her way through the twists and turns her search took her. I could see the book being classified as ‘young adult’ but I think there was more going on in this story to limit it so. Kai’s world is vividly drawn out and easily envisioned and the story and its characters keep you involved to the very end. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for an involving adventure incorporating New Orleans of today with supernatural elements. The book holds your attention all the way through Kai’s increasingly desperate quest.

I received this ebook for free in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Danni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siren's CallLeah R. Cutter
Siren's Call was an interested read even though the writing was at turns seemingly meant for young adult consumption and at others fitting for a "Shades of Gray" novel. The historical events tied into the storyline were very well executed and provided a convenient means for readers to identify with the main character. Character development was sometimes painful to follow but in the end all the required details were revealed in order to understand the novel as a whole. I would recommend this book to my friends.

[Releanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book has a really good plot. The characters, though, are lacking in depth and sometimes the narrative is a bit incoherent, jumping around and I missed some explanatory details.
But all in all it was a nice read and it would be good to hear from New Orleans again.