Song of the Sea

by Sabrina Voerman

The land of Kæ’vale has not seen a siren in over twenty years since they last surfaced to aid mankind. Until Æsa is discovered by siren hunters. Soon, everyone is after her—some for show and some for feasting—and others have intentions far more sinister. Jealousy, betrayal, hatred, and murder entrench Nikolai’s family, and he flees a violent past. But before his brothers discover his whereabouts, he must do one final thing—and Æsa is the only one to help him do it. Æsa despises man and will never trust them..but Nikolai is not a man. Tragic, powerful, and darkly beautiful, Song of the Sea is the third book in the Blood Bound series.

231 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 5, 2024

About the author

Sabrina Voerman is a West Coaster who spends her time hiking and exploring all the richness of the island she lives on. With a profound love of fairy tales and all things witchy, she draws her inspiration from the nature around her, allowing it to bleed into her storytelling. She is always seeking new adventures and places to explore, either in life or in her writing. When she isn’t traversing all Vancouver Island has to offer, she can be found with a cup of coffee either reading a book or writing one.

She lives alone with her three plants she never asked for but somehow inherited. Thankfully, they thrive on neglect.

Reviews

[Alyson Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ for the third book in this series, which blew me away.
Æsa is a siren, considered the last of her kind, hunted for human exploitation who is rescued by Nikolai, to return her to the sea.

Whilst never pretending to be anything other than what he is, Nikolai is a vampire weighed down by the depth of guilt for his crimes.

Æsa also carries her guilt, feeling she is to blame for the death of her sisters in a great war that took place whilst she was a child.

What follows is a haunting tale, with some very graphic scenes of torture that had me gripped for word one. SV writing style is so very haunting, providing such acutely vivid impressions of the world's that they write. I really look forward to more from this author.

I received an advance review copy for free from booksirens.com, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Stephanie Kemler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sabrina Voerman’s Song of the Sea  is an engaging and spellbinding retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen mermaid tale that surprised and compelled me at every turn. Though it is a fairy-tale retelling, that didn’t enter my mind until well after I finished and reflected on story elements that connected in many ways to that beloved dark tale. This is a strength indeed. It’s that inventiveness that I see as the story’s chief strength. I have not read a story quite like it before. Dark and inspiring, violent and tender, lurid and subtle. I was compelled start to finish, and I think it’s a testament to Voerman’s many talents with plot, dialogue, and story-telling. Suspense and dread follow siren Æsa throughout the story and her terrors, fears, and motivations were captivating. I found the dynamic between Nikolai, Æsa , and his closest companion, a dog named Kashmir organic, sincere, and the beating heart of the entire book. Voerman’s lore and world-building are entirely original, and its freshness makes it instantly memorable.

[Kate Anjou · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series. It is standalone so if you’ve not read the others, don’t let that put you off because you’d be thoroughly missing out.

Thos book is an astounding look at survival, love in all forms, and strength. The characters we follow are honest, flawed and captivating - as is their relationship as it develops. This is not a love story as you’d expect, it’s so much more real than that and all the more enjoyable because we root for them as individuals, not just because we want them to fall in love in the typical fairy tale way.

The stakes are perilous, with some scenes falling nothing short of Horror. I am an avid horror fan (in both books and film) and certain scenes in this book made me wince with their raw and brutal descriptions. However, like everything that occurs in Voerman’s writing, nothing is without purpose so you’ll never find darker scenes to be exploitive or incongruous. Just honest.

The setting is gorgeous - loosely based on Iceland but set within its own mystical world - and the harsh, bitter environment will seep into your bones as you read; a perfect winter tale for getting warm under a blanket as it storms outside.

On that note, Voerman has clearly put in research with culture, entomology, and environment, utilising it all to create this encompassing world and draw you in like oxygen sucked into lungs on blisteringly cold days. The world building here expands on the universe curated throughout the previous two novels but it’s a completely different setting - unrelenting and unforgiving like the antagonists we meet.

As usual, I am blown away by Voerman’s writing skills. Her abilities just continue to impress me and the way she expands upon fairy tales we know so well to elevate them beyond anything we would dream of, creating her own mythology and lore, is nothing short of genius. She takes them to a darkness that rivals the original lore but fleshes them out with depth, history and complex story telling. She takes characters and twists their once familiar traits into something new and exciting, orchestrating them across a chess board in moves even the greatest strategist couldn’t fathom.

And while she’s tearing your heart to pieces, she makes it look easy.

Sabrina Voerman is an author to follow and endorse. Her creativity, her writing, her passion are a force unto their own.

I am reviewing this book after receiving a ARC
copy. This review is giving freely.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've read and enjoyed the first two books in the Blood Bound series, then you will enjoy this one. A Song of the Sea is just as dark and gritty as its sisters. Actually, I'll argue that it is the tamer of the three, but I still encourage readers to take the trigger warnings seriously. Sabrina Voerman is not kind to her characters, and her descriptions leave nothing to the imagination while evoking raw emotions.

In book 3, we follow a siren Æsa and a vampire named Nikolai, whom we met in book 2, Ashen Heart. The author does an incredible job of creating new settings in each book that expand on her world of Kæ'vale, and I'm always excited to find the little hints and references she uses to tie them all together. Even though this series can be read in any order, I did find my enjoyment of SOTS to be more dependent on my knowledge of the events in AH. I feel like you could easily do a tandem read with the last 30% of book 2, and have a pretty enjoyable experience. This is just something I wanted to point out to new readers about my reading experience.

I mentioned earlier that this is not as dark as the rest of the series, but do not misunderstand because it is still dark. The last 100 pages is very brutal and full of intense and horrific scenes, but the first half does feel slower paced, with less action and more character-driven scenes. It's a haunting (dare I also say borderline sweet) account of two traumatized characters stuck in survival mode, learning about trust and forgiveness. The ending is the most tragic of the series. The author definitely writes what is best for her characters and not her audience. She's not afraid to push boundaries, but fans of the series should expect nothing less.

I think this could be a good entry point into the series for new readers interested in this author's writing who want to dip their toes into horror without getting too bloody.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shauna Low · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75/5 stars

Omg my heart hurts after this one!! I picked this one up as she's a local author in my area and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series!
Pros:
-the dark atmosphere was beautiful, a post apocalyptic fantasy setting with all types of fantasy creatures. This is such a unique world that I was immediately interested.
-the characters I adored, all their interactions were meaningful, and beautiful
-Kash, my baby boy ♥️💔
-the themes of survivors guilt and the idea that you are worth something, even when it feels like you'd rather be dead. God this book was very beautiful
Cons:
-i wish it was longer. Please!!
-there were characters mentioned that I assume showed up in earlier books, cause we got nothing about them (so that's on me reading book 3 first)

Absolutely stunning book, I will be picking up the rest of the series soon!!

[Jolie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4.5 stars

I read this first even though it's third in a series, as I didn't need to read the first two to understand the story.

It's very, very loosely based off of The Little Mermaid, but way darker. Set in a world where mermaids/Sirens were hunted to near extinction for their meat, Aesa is the last Siren and gets captured. Nikolai is a vampire trying to atone for sins of the past and sets out to free her.

The book was fast paced and definitely does not shy away from the horrors of man. There are quite a few scenes alluding to and describing torture. It was very well written and the romance was fleeting, but not rushed. The ending made me feel all sorts of things, bittersweet, but satisfying. I look forward to reading the others in the series.

[Nova]

I really don't think my life will be the same if Sabrina Voerman stops writing.

These fantasy semi retellings are just everything. I've thoroughly enjoyed every single one.
The plot of each one is totally unique to the author while still being noticeable as a fairytale retelling.
The writing is beautifully gothic and enthralling and you just can't help but be swept into the story.

This one while it did take me about 30% to get into (I was still enjoying it) (I'm not a huge mermaid book fan) I ended up IN tears by the end of it. Everything I thought I knew what was going to happen something else happened and it kept me as a reader on the edge of my seat reading till the early hours of the morning. Another fantastic thing about this book was that it didn't end in the typical HEA where everyone lives their best lives. This was dark, and honestly felt very raw and real.

While this series is so far has been standalones I can not wait to see how book four ties all of the stories together.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ashley Bresee]

Song of the Sea was a beautifully written and perfectly tragic dark fantasy read! I found myself invested quickly, had moments where I was outraged in the best ways, and even shed a couple of tears along the way. This way my introduction into Sabrina's work, as well as the Blood Bound Series and I can't wait to read to other books now!

Please note, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kayla]

This is the first book from the series that I’ve read, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, even though there was note that it was a standalone book. However, I was surprised. The world building was strong but not overwhelming, the characters, even supporting characters had unique personalities and moved the plot along. The story was medium paced with enough action sprinkled in. I loved the uniqueness of the concept of sirens and how society treated them. I would have enjoyed more backstory on the Queen and some supporting characters to give more connection to them as some were important to the story.

There are some content warnings that readers should be mindful of, and they are listed in the book, so please be mindful.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kae Peach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voerman has done it again. My favourite book so far, this dark and twisted little mermaid retelling was absolutely amazing. Nikolai is shockingly everything I needed from a night walker in this story, and the sirens a perfect blend is ariel and more traditional folklore siren, I couldn’t get enough of either of them.

The story gives you enough sentimentality to feel at home, but then rips it away with dark and twisted turns. There’s a subtle, achingly sweet love story underneath the bloody exterior and I honestly couldn’t have loved this more. One million stars.

[Melisa Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was a great continuation of the series and tied in well.

Some of the subject matter is a little hard to think of about (blessing/curse- I have a vivid imagination, so when reading certain passages I didn’t sleep well that night).

The main characters were well written and interesting. The story flowed well. I was excited to read Æsa and Nikolai’s story. This didn’t disappoint.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gritty, edge of your seat yet unique take on sirens (it gave me little mermaid vibes at certain points of the story) with a horror twist.

The story was gripping from start to finish and the horror aspects blended well with the intense action and medium level violence. I look forward to reading other works by this author in the future.

[Sophia Wasylinko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sabrina has knocked it out of the park with her upcoming title “Song of the Sea.” The highly anticipated third instalment of the Blood Bound Series, it reintroduces the Sokolov brothers from “Ashen Heart,” this time focusing on Nikolai, and his quest to find and protect the last Siren, Aesa. This unlikely pairing of Vampire and Siren are chased by physical threats – both Vampires and Men – and their own personal demons.

From the opening chapters, SotS is another hauntingly beautiful novel and also a gut-wrenching one. (There’s some body horror involving mermaids, in case anyone’s squeamish.) Aesa goes through so much – capture, exhibition, torture – in her attempts to return to the Sea while suffering from survivor’s guilt. And Nikolai is plagued by feelings of guilt for inadvertently causing his mother’s death (see “Ashen Heart”) and failing to protect previous Sirens. Together, they learn to trust and comfort each other, and their companionship becomes something else. And considering how the second book ended, it makes their love story more tragic.

What sets SotS apart from “Blood Coven” and “Ashen Heart” is the emotional rollercoaster it put me through, as the reader. The last 100 or so pages had me on the edge of my seat, cheering Aesa on, stunned, scared for Aesa and Nikolai, holding back tears, and finally leaving me with a heartache. It’s a happier ending than what could have been, but also bittersweet. (If you read “Ashen Heart,” then you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, then perhaps read it after SotS.)

Thank you, Sabrina, for “Song of the Sea.” Looking forward to “Blood Queen” and the conclusion of the series!

(Note: I received a free ARC of this title, and this is a voluntary review.)

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in one sitting. This book was fantastic. Entertaining storyline with likeable characters. Fast paced detailed book. Just the right amount of drama and suspense. Definitely enjoyed reading this book.

[Mary Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a quite different book with a Siren as the main character than what you might be used to. It is not warm and fuzzy, just the opposite. The story is intense, graphic at times, deals with past trauma, and has much loss. That being said, the relationship between AEsa and Nicolai has this warm undercurrent of love and sacrifice. They both are dealing with past trauma in very different ways. Yes, Nicolai is a vampire, but not the kind you run from- you want to hug him!!! When you get to the end you will want to say "No! Not that!" Sabrina has a way with weaving darkness with the cruel reality of evil and you still want and have to keep on reading!

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had that feel that I enjoyed from the previous two books in the Blood Bound series, it uses that fantasy horror element that I enjoyed. I loved the idea of this book and how everything worked with the world that I knew. It was everything that I expected and enjoyed the way the characters worked in this world. Sabrina Voerman has a strong way of keeping you in this world and be invested in the characters. I enjoyed the overall feel of this and wanted more in this series. It is a dark fantasy novel and it uses that to its advantage.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nik Knack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read- I couldn't put it down! I love fantasy reads and Sabrina isn't afraid to get dark and twisty to dive into how destructive mankind can be... but also how we can control our own destiny.