The Palace Beneath the Sea

by Lauren Wiesebron

A GREAT LOVE. A PALACE BENEATH THE SEA. A DEVASTATING BETRAYAL.

A doomed love story created the city of Ys. It's fitting that another one would end it . . .

Nolwenn is sure that her life's purpose is to defend her beloved city of Ys as a lighthouse keeper. But when a dangerous tide threatens Ys, the queen instead tasks Nolwen with collecting enough rare seasilk to shield the city from deadly sea monsters.

Determined to fulfill her task, Nolwenn recklessly puts her life in danger and is attacked by sea monsters. She's saved by Morvan, who is a korrigez, with the torso of a human and the tail of a fish. Against her will, Morvan drags her deep beneath the sea to the coral palace of Below-Ys. Although terrified and homesick, Below-Ys is strange and beautiful - and so is Morvan. The more time Nolwenn spends below the surface, the less she is sure she wants to leave.

As danger draws ever nearer and Ys remains precariously unprotected, Nolwenn must decide between her heart and her home.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Mermaids, Romantasy, Adult, Retellings, Fiction

430 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2026

About the author

Lauren Wiesebron is a fantasy author, writing adventures for characters who do not yet know they need them. She grew up in France and is now an itinerant academic studying sea creatures. When not writing, you can find her acquiring yarn and naming houseplants. She has also been known to pick up cats even when they don’t want to be picked up. The House of Frost and Feathers is her debut novel.

To learn more, and to join her newsletter for sneak peeks—including a prequel short story to The House of Frost and Feathers—visit laurenwiesebron.com

Reviews

[Christine Garrow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nolwenn serves as a lighthouse keeper tasked with protecting the city of Ys. Part of her work involves harvesting seasilk, a valuable material that can defend the city against the teuthes, which are deadly, tentacled creatures lurking beneath the waves. When something drags her into the depths, Nolwenn assumes she has been caught by one of these monsters. Instead, she discovers that her captor is Morvan, a korrigez: a mermaid-like being from the hidden kingdom of Below-Ys.

A magical bracelet transforms Nolwenn into korrigez form, leaving her disoriented, unable to communicate, and quite literally trying to gain her sea tail. Her arrival initially feels more like a mystery than a merpeople romance. Humans and korrigez clearly do not understand one another, but the truth connecting their civilizations is hidden as deeply as the palace beneath the sea.

As Nolwenn acclimates to her new body and surroundings, she begins to admire Morvan. One of the most interesting elements of korrigez society is its nonbinary approach to sex and gender. Much like certain species of fish, a korrigez’s reproductive role can change according to their position within the group. I found this biological influence fascinating and well suited to the underwater world. The physical nature of Nolwenn and Morvan’s romance remains somewhat ambiguous. This did not bother me, although readers who prefer clearly defined romantic or intimate relationships may be left with questions.

The political and class structures of both civilizations are complex and require a substantial amount of explanation. As Nolwenn learns more about Below-Ys, her loyalties are tested by revelations concerning the history between the two cities, their possible futures, and the relationships among other korrigez colonies. The novel contains far more political maneuvering than I expected from its premise. Although some readers will appreciate this as detailed world-building, I occasionally felt that the explanations overshadowed the characters and emotional momentum.

Antonia Whillans has a beautiful, almost ethereal voice that complements the underwater atmosphere and many aspects of Nolwenn’s first-person perspective. However, her consistently serious delivery sometimes muted the humor that could have emerged from Nolwenn’s confusion and embarrassment while adjusting to her transformation and unfamiliar surroundings.

The Palace Beneath the Sea is an imaginative fantasy that combines mermaid folklore, marine biology, political conflict, and a romance bridging two deeply divided worlds. It will likely appeal most to readers who enjoy immersive underwater settings, unconventional explorations of gender, and politically intricate fantasy with a slower, more contemplative approach to romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for providing an advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Palace Beneath the Sea by Lauren Wiesebron
Book Blurb: A GREAT LOVE. A MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM BENEATH THE WAVES. A DEVASTATING BETRAYAL.
A doomed love story created the city of Ys, it’s fitting that another one would end it . . .

Rating: ****
Feels: Mysterious, Intrigue, Wonder, Satisfaction
Style: Fantasy, Mermaids, Romance, Romantasy, Retellings, Fiction
First published September 15, 2026 : 384 pages

Themes & Setting:
FMC: I really enjoyed Nolwenn and her having to explore a whole new world under the sea, with different expectations and learning about her own world as well.
Conclusion: Hauntingly beautiful in an ethereal way that made you really feel the magic of the story. This not only made me feel the elements of good fantasy but some of those of other genre where you deal with other beings and how they are different yet the same. Loved so many aspects of other cultures being explored like the language barriers as well as gender and other societal expectations. Nolween has to struggle with who she wants to be and what is right. Really a lovely story I thoroughly enjoyed.

Audiobook Review:
Narration Style: Solo
Listener Rating: ****
Audiobook Notes: I listened to this as an audiobook and did parts on ebook as well. I found the audiobook enchanting and very easy to enjoy. The tone, accents and candace were all very easy to follow along with and I always knew who was talking even through some of the complicated parts. I typically listen to my audiobooks between 1.5 and 2.5 and listened to this at 1.7. Highly recommend as an audiobook or immersive read !

This book has:
Retelling
Slow Burn
Forbidden Love
Under the sea vibes

[Quilted.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a dreamy emotional fantasy with a bit of a tragic love story. It’s set around the legendary city of Ys, which already gives it that kind of magical vibe from the start.The story follows Nolwenn who’s always believed her purpose is to protect her city as a lighthouse keeper. She’s super loyal to Ys and takes that responsibility seriously. But when the city is threatened by dangerous tides and sea monsters, she’s given a new mission to gather this rare material called seasilk that could protect everyone.Of course, things don’t go as planned. While trying to complete her task, she ends up getting attacked and is saved by Morvan, who’s this mysterious sea being (a korrigez basically part human, part fish). Instead of just helping her and leaving, he takes her down to Below Ys, this hidden underwater coral palace. And honestly, that’s where the story really shifts.At first, Nolwenn is terrified and just wants to go home, but the underwater world is beautiful in this strange, otherworldly way. And Morvan yeah, she definitely starts to see him differently over time. Their relationship builds in a way that feels emotional and a little forbidden, especially since she’s supposed to be focused on saving her city.The whole story becomes about that tension her duty to Ys versus her growing feelings and connection to this underwater world. You can kind of feel from the beginning that it’s not going to end simply, especially with the whole “doomed love” theme hanging over everything.Overall, it’s romantic, a little sad. this will be a favorite for any fantasy lover.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Harper Collins, NetGalley, and the author for this advanced copy. This was a very interesting story and the direction it went was not what I expected at all. The concept was very unique and I enjoyed some parts. It was ok, but not great. It dragged on a little for a book on the shorter side. I almost DNFed a few times but I was genuinely interested in how the Queen was going to handle Nolwenn’s disappearance and betrayal, so I kept reading. Also, I was genuinely interested in some spice between Morvan and Nolwenn since it was alluded to and discussed so much between them and in Nolwenn’s inner monologue. But alas, it was glazed over and no details were provided. Maybe I’m the only one here but I was genuinely curious. Overall, an interesting and unique idea and story.

[ChellesOfBooks]

dnf at 36%

I wanted to really love this. From the gorgeous cover and intriguing synopsis, I had hoped for something otherworldly and moving to read, and being classed as an adult read was promising. Sadly, The Palace Beneath the Sea did not up to these expectations. I struggled a lot with the pacing and the main protagonist's actions. It was painfully slow, and character development lacked. I often found myself confused by the age of Nolwenn, as she felt more like a YA main protagonist than an adult one. This was disappointing, but I tried to push through my concerns and attempt to get invested in this world further. Whilst I appreciated the underwater world Wiesebron constructed here, there wasn't a lot going on to keep me invested in Nolwenn's task or the folk around her to keep reading on. There was also a lot of signs where I feel like this book could have done with further editing before publication. It is such a shame, because there was something special here, but it just missed it's mark entirely with me from these issues.

[Danielle Pulliam · Rating 4 out of 5]

**𝔄ℜℭ ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴** 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔓𝔞𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔢 𝔅𝔢𝔫𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔖𝔢𝔞 𝔟𝔶 𝔏𝔞𝔲𝔯𝔢𝔫 𝔚𝔦𝔢𝔰𝔢𝔟𝔯𝔬𝔫

Release Day: September 15, 2026

4⭐️2🌶

This is a gorgeous little story that is "reverse little mermaid." Where Nolwenn has spent her entire life as a human above the sea. Only to find out there is an entire city below the surface of her quaint little Bayside town.

Minor Spoilers Ahead:

Nolwenn has been a lighthouse keeper since she was young, her father was a light house keeper before her and her brother took it over. The lighthouse keepers are not only responsible for maintain the lighthouses themselves, but for watching the waves at night and pointing the spotlight on any Tuethes creatures that surface, so that they are stunned by the light and don't come onto shore to attack any unsuspecting townsfolk.

When Nolwenn happens upon a cache of sea silk, she's called in to see the Queen, who orders her to abandon her position at the lighthouse in order to spend her days hunting the coast and the sea for seasilk, that can protect thie Kingdom of Ys from the Tuethes and the Korrigez creatures.

While hunting for sea silk, Nolwenn ends up below the waves, when a Korrigez finds her drowning, and Nolwenn's adventures under the waves have just begun.

Highly recommend this book for all Little Mermaid lovers, and for anyone who love a shifter/monster romance.

Themes/Tropes:
🍁Folklore Retelling / Reimagining
🍁Reverse Little Mermaid Story
🍁Slow-Burn Romance
🍁Fish Out of Water (Reverse)
🍁Divided Loyalties / Heart vs. Home
🍁Royal Betrayal
🍁Environmental & Marine Ecology
🍁Queer Identity & Inclusivity
🍁Duty vs. Autonomy

TW:
✨Kidnapping & Abduction
✨Imprisonment / Captivity
✨Violence & Monster Attacks
✨Body Horror / Unwilling Transformation
✨Betrayal & Political Manipulation
✨Fade to Black Sexual Content

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC read!

#thepalacebeneaththesea #netgalley

[Dallas Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Where do I even start. The beautiful cover? The heartwarming story? The fact that I could cry that it’s now over? 😭 Don’t sleep on this one, it’s truly a one of a kind for both mermaid and fantasy novels. 🧜🏼‍♀️🪸👑

Nolwenn is a lighthouse keeper, a protector of the city “Ys” (yeah not the greatest choice of names, but I guess it’s a real legend?) from sea monsters who appear when the moon is full. Everyone in this book has a really Celtic name, so you’ll get used to that, but don’t let it deter you in the beginning. There’s a bit of world building for the first few chapters, but it all will eventually make sense. Some GREAT plot twists and storyline in this one that have to be led up to.

Nolwenn gets saved by a Korrigeez (this book’s version of mermaids) where she is taken to their underworld palace (aptly named Ys-Below). The book is written in 1st person, so the interesting part (albeit frustrating early on) is that we know only as much as Nolwenn does…which is nothing because she doesn’t speak their language. It really ties you to the character as you navigate her story alongside her as she tries to communicate and figure everything out. I found myself glad that we didn’t get other perspectives because it made the mystery all that more intriguing as it unfolded. There were so many times I was on the edge of my seat hanging onto every word!

This isn’t necessarily a fast-paced book, it has its own pace, but it’s fantastically creative and I absolutely fell in love with the Korrigeez and this love story. It also has a bit of twist in that these “mermaids” don’t have genders in the same way we do, so it’s sort of a choose your own adventure for how you want to envision the MMC/MFC. I was a little disgruntled at first as it was hard for me to picture them (and the they/them is used for all the Korrigeez the entire book which not gonna lie can be confusing - I would have to reread sentences to make sure I understood who was being talked about), but I eventually just went with what my imagination gave me.

There’s angry queens and politics, mermaid legends, a little magic, a wondrous love story and of course, a yellow octopus named Lemon. 🍋🐙 Definitely check this one out in September for its’ release!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Katie Lavoie]

I was pulled in my the cover (beautiful) and premise (who doesn’t want mermaids, danger & turmoil, and lgbtqia+ representation?). But unfortunately, the book went downhill from there for me.

Most acutely, I struggled with the writing. Nolwenn feels more juvenile in her actions, which matches the writing itself, but seems at odds with her age and themes in the book (and being labeled as ‘adult’). The world building was inconsistent, dropping the reader in without enough context and requiring me to reread or make guesses a lot which ruined any sense of immersion. And the plot’s pacing was inconsistent, with large swaths of the book barely making progress only to have others move concerningly fast.

Thanks to Lauren Wiesebron, Harper Votager, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[heather 📚✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

As soon as I saw the cover of this book I wanted to read it. It’s so beautiful! And I’ve been wanting to read a mermaid book so it was a win win

I really liked the plot of the book. It was so interesting. Everything felt unique from the names to the creatures to the magic. The mystery surrounding the story is interesting and the surprise reveals throughout the book helped keep me interested. The last few chapters of the book were even better as everything came to a head and I was stressed

And I loved the love story. It was probably my favourite part. My heart almost couldn’t handle it

While I enjoyed all those aspects of the story I found it a little slow in some parts. It could have been a bit shorter. And the ending somehow felt rushed

The audiobook was great, I thought the narrator did a great job

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ALC!

[Amela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not gonna lie this one was a little weird but I still enjoyed it. We follow Nolwenn, a lighthouse keeper who protects the city of Ys from teuthes, bloodthirsty Kraken-like creatures. Nolwenn finds seasilk, the only weapon against the teuthes, and is summoned to find more by the queen of Ys, but in her attempts to find more she’s almost drowned, until she’s saved by a mermaid - sorry, korrigez - and turned into one herself. As she tries to live among them, Nolwenn finds out the horrible truth about seasilk and about the founding of her city.

I liked the characters and the premise was interesting, having Nolwenn have to learn how to live among the mermaids rather than the opposite like we see with the Little Mermaid. I also thought it was interesting that the author went with kind of a more evolutionarily correct mermaid rather than what we’re used to seeing. The world she created was really interesting, as was the idea of them using a version of sign language and living in coral cities.

There were some issues with the writing sounding a little weird at times, and Nolwenn definitely felt a lot younger than 23, but the story was fun overall, as was her romance with Morvan.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

[annie cusack · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I was very excited for this novel, as I loved The House of Frost and Feathers by this author, AND I love mermaids. Maybe I went in with too many expectations?

Let me start by saying this was a very unique and creative story. I enjoyed how the author navigated the mechanics of having mermaid-like creatures as main characters. However, there were quite a few aspects I just didn’t connect with as a reader…

I almost DNF’ed multiple times simply for lack of engagement in the plot; the story just seemed to drag. The main character felt much more juvenile than is typical for an adult novel—the writing style felt completely different than this author’s previous novel. In addition, the romance was not very fleshed out (and kind of seemed random to begin with), nor was the character development prominent.

Unfortunately, this novel didn’t hit the mark for me.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for a free ARC of this book.

[Erin Hawley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so bummed about this one! I really liked the author's previous book, House of Frost and Feathers, and the cover is SO lovely, but The Palace Beneath the Sea was a total miss for me. If this wasn't an arc, I would have DNFed.

I really could not connect with the FMC of this book at all. She felt so juvenile and I never really grasped her personality. The supporting characters were similarly flat, and I didn't really care what happened to any of them except the pet octopus. The romance was also aggressively lukewarm. It didn't feel organic and there was no chemistry between the two of them. I do want to call out that I appreciate that Wiesebron doing something different with the creatures' biology and culture, specifically around sex and gender. A lot of creature fiction just kind of glosses over the biology aspects or there is some handwaving to make the couples "compatible". However, while the dialogue told a lot about these differences, the actual "coupling" part was completely off page and I honestly was curious how it was going to work out with the merperson bottom halves together. I know a lot of folks will appreciate there are no explicit sex scenes but I'm nosy and wanted to know the mechanics here.

The writing in this book felt very weak which was confounding because the author's previous work was well written, in my opinion. The sentence structure was choppy, and the pacing was glacial but skipped over important information and detail. The dialogue also felt pretty uninspired with trite turns of phrase, which is especially egregious with the author's imaginative world building! The author's previous book was definitely slower on the spectrum of pacing, but the mystery and intrigue was compelling enough to take that journey. The emotional stakes were nonexistent even though on paper the plot should have been more compelling.

There is some violence but it's pretty tame. If you're very interested in merpeople fiction and imaginative biology, this may be up your alley! I am still willing to give this author's next work another try, and I hope this lands better with other readers.

Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager, for the arc!

[Xath Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely blown away. So much depth wrapped up in a beautiful, standalone package.

I loved loved LOVED this story!! We have LGBTQIA+ rep, mermaids/selkies, and sign language rep!

The story builds tension straight away with out MC, who is struggling to find her place among her family and the city she loves. All of that is washed away when she suddenly finds herself whisked away to a place no other human has ever been.

We are then swept up into a new culture, political intrigue, and a little touch of romance. Nolwenn has to not only navigate a new culture and way of speaking, she also must learn how her newly transformed body works. The elegant way the author had of writing non-binary characters left no room for argument and the story is much better for it.

There is so much character growth for Nolwenn, but it doesn't ever feel forced or misplaced. She is a girl who grew up in one place and taught to be good at one thing. It takes time for someone to grow and learn, and I feel like this book represents that growth in a way that's charming and relatable.

We spend more time below than we do above, but somehow even the above characters were given enough attention to feel real and relatable. We spend lots of time learning about below culture and making a couple friends along the way. The most complex part of the book was the language barrier, but I feel it was handled expertly. We have sign language punctuated with lights, and HARD eye contact. This is not a language of subtlety nor for the feint of heart. But is earnest and beautiful and complex.

Finally... yes, we do have a beautiful love story that plays out, but that's all I'll say on the matter. I it was truly a gift of a read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Harper Audio for the arc/audio arc, for my open and honest review!

[Bre · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating take on mermaids! I thoroughly enjoyed this story despite its somewhat slow pace.
Mermaids aren’t a “beautiful” thing in Ys. They are mythical creatures of the past that supposedly contributed to the founding of Ys. Teuthis, giant deadly octopus like creatures, are a very real threat. Nolwenn is a dedicated lighthouse keeper that helps keep the teuthis away until she is tasked to find more seasilk- a rare material that helps keep the monsters away. Nolwenn puts herself at risk to gather the seasilk and finds herself suddenly among the mermaids (korrigez). She is now a korrigez in the underwater city of Ys-below struggling to understand their way of life. Nolwenn is determined to return to the surface with more seasilk to save Ys.
It’s obvious that Wiesebron studies biology by the level of detail put into the culture of the korrigez. The picture painted of Ys-Below was dark, but colorful and just straight up really cool. Can’t hear or talk under the sea? No problem, they talk with their hands plus the light of their bodies. I loved the inclusion of a dumbo octopus pet. The tension between the love interest was good, resulting well done fade to black.
My biggest issue other than the slow pace is that the story just fizzled out. I knew, for the most part, what would happen at the climax. The very ending was a surprise, but I was sort of bored when the “big” resolution occurred
I like the narrator, though I don’t know if her calm, soothing voice was the best choice for a slow paced story. I did find myself zoning out a bit. Her pronunciation and accent are spot on!
Thank you Harper Voyager for the gifted ALC and eARC!

[Jessica Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC through NetGalley

Title: The Palace Beneath the Sea

Written By Lauren Wiesebron

Star rating (out of 5): 4.5

Reading Format: ebook

Content review: Wow! I love a mermaid inspired story and I have never read a book like this. The plot alone was interesting but the world building was fascinating. I would be interested in a companion textbook type novel that gave more history about the Korrigez people.

The only thing keeping me from 5 stars was that there were times the communication systems took me out of the story. I understand that they are underwater so developing a way to communicate was necessary. However, there were times I started focusing on the change in style rather than the content. Still, this was such a creative reimagining of mermaid folktales it kept me turning the pages!

Description: This story follows Nolwenn, a lighthouse keeper in the city of Ys, who wants to defend her family and region from dangerous creatures living in the sea.

Finding and spinning rare seasilk is one way that Nolwenn can shield the city. The queen of Ys asks Nolwenn to help her find seasilk before a celestial event that could bring more creatures to their shores. Nolwenn tries to please her queen only to put herself in harms way and come face to face with one of the creatures.

She's rescued by Morvan, a member of the korrigez people, with the torso of a human and the tail of a fish. Quickly we are introduced to a whole other world beneath the sea.

[Amy Avila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Palace Beneath The Sea

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes: mermaids 🧜🏽‍♀️, royalty, Bisexual FMC,


Summary: Nolwenn is a lighthouse keeper by blood to protect the Ys city. Her family was once given the opportunity to spin seasilk but lost the privilege. She is tasked by the queen to find seasilk that can be woven into nets to protect the city from Teuthes, giant squid creatures. During a storm she sees seasilk on a rock in the distance. Her brother tries to stop her but she insists she can safely retrieve the seasilk. She is almost drown by a teuthes when she is rescued by Morvan, a korrigez (merman). Nolwenn is taken underwater to their city where she only wants to return to her family.


First impressions: I love mermaids so I was so excited for this! It reads a bit YA for the FMC to be 23 due to family dynamics and jealousy of her sister in law.


What I struggled with: I wanted more world building and lovable sea side creatures. Her octopus was cute but I wanted more. She also is an FMC who just lets things happen to her instead of taking charge. I wish she caused a bit more chaos during this book.


Overall: it was a dreamy, easy to understand book that was plot forward.

*I got this as a free ARC through NetGalley for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to everyone who made this happen❤️

[Shreya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book. It has a nice mix of fantasy, romance, with a melancholy undertone in the writing.

The best thing this book did was introduce me to what a korrigez is. This was a new term from a subset of folklore that I had no familiarity with.

Nolwenn is a lighthouse keeper who is determined to protect her city, but everything changes when she gets sent on a mission to find seasilk. After she gets attacked, she’s rescued by Morvan, a korrigez who seemingly has his own agenda, and is taken to the underwater world of Below Ys. The underwater landscape allows Wiesbron to construct a world different from the medieval European inspired setting that is typically seen in fantasy,

The setting and worldbuilding are there however, I did feel like it and the plot for that matter, took a back seat to the progression of the romance. I believe the pacing was a little off at some parts and the characters felt a bit juvenile compared to their actual ages. However, this seems to be a common issue with modern fantasy novels overall.

I also liked Nolwenn and Morvan’s relationship. Their romance has tension because Nolwenn has a responsibility to her city, but she starts developing feelings for Morvan when she's not entirely convinced of their intentions. Overall, their characters had chemistry with each other and it was a entertaining dynamic.

Overall, I thought the book was romantic, emotional, and really fun to read. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy and romance.

[samantha ✨]

DNF @ 29%

I might come back to this in the future with the ebook but overall this is not for me right now.

I was genuinely excited about mermaids because who doesn't love a mermaid story so I am again really bummed that I didn't love this one. The Palace Beneath the Sea is atmospheric and beautiful, the world building is really wonderful, too but the overall pacing is very slow. Normally I do much better with audiobooks but I wasn't in love with the narration on this. Antonia Whillans does a great job voicing Nolwenn specifically but there is not much variation for other characters making the overall narration kind of monotone and not super engaging.

I do think folks who like slower paced atmospheric books will do good with this!!

Thank you HarperAudio for the ALC!

[Shiyanne · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Im so happy I picked this book back up and used Audio instead. It was so much better!!

Thank you Harper Collins for this ARC.
It too a while to get into but I enjoyed the story.
I enjoyed Nolwen and Morvan dynamic.
When she went under water in the beginning I was so confused that she was basically a mermaid.
I don’t know why that confused me.

The story did drag on a bit which is why I soft DNFd in the beginning. But it did pick up a little after the plan failed to get the letter to her family.

[AlyciaRunsandReads]

Dnf 43 % was feeling like a 2 or 3 star but I was really losing interest. From the first chapter the writing just felt odd to me. The way the characters and world building were done also wasn’t working for me. I enjoyed her previous book and some of the concepts of this were super unique but overall this was a miss for me.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the e arc of this book. I am reviewing honestly and voluntarily

[Trish - thebookishfoodie25 · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Intriguing premise. The story is presented as a mermaid fantasy. It took me a while - like probably 40-50% through to get into the story. I just wasn’t hooked into it - so it’s probably just not for me.
I liked the lighthouse, moonlight, and sea silk aspects of the story and learning about the sea creatures. The human betrayal was almost a slow burn because it was unclear for most of the book.
Thank you HarperVoyager for the advance audiobook and electronic copy. All opinions are my own.

[Stevie Jo Lawson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Palace beneath the Sea is labeled a mermaid fantasy with a love story but unfortunately, it didn't really deliver. The plot moves slower than a glacier, and the protagonist Nolwenn is shockingly juvenile. She spends more time thinking about her crush than anything else, and then once a certain event happens (I don't do spoilers) her actions are...questionable at best. I made it about 40% before I simply couldn't take it anymore. I was drawn in by both the premise and the gorgeous cover, but ultimately I was left with bitter disappointment.

[Monica Lyons · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐⭐⭐✨ stars

This was an interesting and unique fantasy with a creative premise and plenty of potential. The story follows a protagonist navigating a fascinating world filled with complex relationships, magic, and self-discovery. The concept immediately caught my attention, and there were several elements that kept me invested in seeing where the story would go.

One of the things that sets this book apart is its LGBTQ+ representation. The main character is bisexual, and the romance involves an agender love interest with both male and female anatomy. Readers who enjoy inclusive fantasy romance may appreciate this aspect of the story.

While I found the premise compelling, the execution felt somewhat underdeveloped. I wanted more depth in the worldbuilding, characters, and overall story development. I also struggled with some of the names and wished there had been a pronunciation guide included. The fade-to-black romance style and the romance dynamic itself ultimately didn't resonate with me as much as I had hoped.

Overall, I can appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish, and I think many readers will enjoy the representation and unique concepts presented here. Unfortunately, the story never fully lived up to its potential for me, leaving it as a good read rather than a great one.

[Ash · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

★★★.75
Narrated by Antonia Whillans

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the ALC of The Palace Beneath The Sea in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an atmospheric and immersive fantasy! The world-building, especially the palace above the sea, the palace beneath the sea, and the entire underwater world of the mermaids, was beautifully done. I loved learning about how they live, the magic surrounding their world, and all the little details that made the setting feel so vivid.

The plot was action-packed, especially towards the end, and I loved that the story had such strong female characters at its centre. The characters and their dynamics were so interesting, and the way the mermaids were portrayed, including their unique biology, added another fascinating layer to the world.

The magic system was really well done, and while the story does get a little dark at times, it never felt overwhelmingly dark. I also absolutely loved the audio narration. It made the whole experience so much more fun and immersive.

That said, I did feel a little bored and sleepy in the middle because the pacing slowed down and it felt like the plot wasn't moving forward as quickly as I wanted. But once things picked up again, I was completely invested.

Overall, this was such a fun and beautifully atmospheric mermaid fantasy with an intriguing world, a fascinating magic system, strong female characters, and plenty of action. I had such a good time with it!

[Charisa Flaherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgally for the opportunity to read this book. I really enjoyed reading this book not has so many elements I love. Fictional creatures, romance, good characters, and a compelling story. I liked the characters of Nolwenn, Morvan, and Kit. I was interested in how it was all going to come together. How Nolwenn and Morgan’s story paralleled the story of the queen and the lorises and wanted to we how they were going to make it work. Overall an enjoyable read.

[Alexandra Morales]

I didn't specifically request this arc so I no longer feel guilt about not finishing this.

House of Frost had more compelling characters and friendships that I fell in love with. While this feels oddly strange, falling in between trying too hard or not trying hard enough..

[Rynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC.

Before I started The Palace Beneath the Sea by Lauren Wiesebron, I will admit I was a little hesitant due to this story revolving around mermaids. I have not read much fantasy that focused on mermaids before this, and throughout this reading journey I learned I am not really a fan of them in my fantasy. That is a personal issue of mine -- so do not let that discourage you!

I will say, The Palace Beneath the Sea is very readable and easy to understand, however it seems to be lacking a compelling nature to keep the reader's interest. Something that consistently bothered me while reading was the overall flatness of the side characters and how they seemed to only exist to further along the plot. There were only three overall who had some fleshing out, but not enough to make them feel realistic. Character motivations could not be gleaned from clues that Wiesebron dropped. Instead, they were mostly just told to the reader which takes the fun out of the experience.

The story begins when Nolwenn is called to visit the Queen and complete a very important mission. In the city of Ys, there lies a constant danger of teuthes --think Krakens--that threaten to destroy the walls and the city itself. For protection, the city is ringed by lighthouses with workers whose job it is to find teuthes quickly, and use the light of the moon to chase them away. Fortunately, there is another form of protection that can be used against them: seasilk. Seasilk is a rare commodity and difficult to find. People have died attempting to find just mere strands of it. Nolwenn, however, had the fortunate chance of finding not one but two giant heaps of it laying on the beach. With this luck, the Queen decided to confide in Nolwenn about the coming danger to the city and their outrageous plan that hinges on her bringing back tons of seasilk to be spun into a protective barrier.

Reading that, that honestly felt like such a far fetched idea to get the story moving... I could already tell I was not going to enjoy the journey much. Shortly after we learn that Nolwenn is jealous of her sister in law taking over the lighthouse duties. Wildly enough this jealousy is played more like a teenager pouting about not getting their way rather than a mature 23 year old learning to navigate their feelings. This feeling, combined with her quest led her to very stupidly, leave at midnight on a full moon with an indeterminate amount of teuthes in the water to grab an alleged bundle of seasilk after a quick argument with her brother. This action alone is reminiscent of the memes of "tiktok girlies" getting into an unknown vehicle in order to find the "romance" of their dreams.

Nolwenn drowns of course, but have no fear because the main part of the story is to begin! For, she was rescued and through magic transformed into a Korrigeez -- this world's version of a mermaid. I did enjoy how Wiesebron attempted to subvert tropes. Normally it is the mermaid who learns to live with the humans, not the other way around. The most interesting part of the book comes here, when Nolwenn learns how to communicate via finger flashes with the local colony, as well as the exploration of the colony itself. Personally, I felt there could be more serious worldbuilding put in after this, and that Nolwenn just was not curious enough about her new world. She rarely described the feelings of being underwater, let alone more than the most basic details.

At this time, the communication begin to stagnate and we were left to our own devices. After some time, Nolwenn did exclaim that the politics of the Korrigeez were too complicated for her to understand and I had to scoff at that. Overall, the plot is extremely simple and the mystery is not much of a mystery at all if you are familiar with any sort of book.

When I finally turned the last page in The Palace Beneath the Sea, it took me a little time to sort through my thoughts and ideas of this story. The big beats, and plot points are there, but there is nothing that keeps the reader going. It just felt extremely sterile and like Nolwenn herself was creating distance between her and the events of the story. Everything together could have been a blockbuster piece that blew up, but the execution is holding it back. The characters need some serious work, as well as the pacing. Regardless, I know there will be someone out there who will absolutely adore this book.

[anya]

DNF @ 24%

*The Palace Beneath the Sea* promises a lot of interesting things, especially with its gorgeous cover. Does it deliver? I wouldn't know because I'm not sticking around to find out.

Initially, I was willing to look past the juvenile and repetitive YA prose because the worldbuilding was genuinely intriguing and had a lot of potential. The author is a marine biologist and it really shows with the way the mermaid-like creatures, the korrigez, are depicted. I did really enjoy that part, I think this was the first time I found a truly unique and detailed depiction of mermaid biology.

That is, unfortunately, the only thing that kept me reading until I got tired of it. A small piece of good worldbuilding cannot hold me over for an entire novel which is why I had to DNF. I could not make myself slog through 384 pages of it.

Like I mentioned already, the prose is really bad. It almost feels like it's geared toward a younger teen audience despite the protagonist being 23 years of age. One big plot point happens in the first few chapters and then things just stop happening and I was left reading repetitive paragraphs about the same thing over and over and over again until I felt like I was going insane.

The story follows Nolwenn, who comes from a family of lighthouse keepers who make sure the cephalopod monsters of this world don't kill anyone by reflecting moonlight on them, which is one of the only things that stops them (the other thing is some kind of gold thread thing that i forgot the name of). Nolwenn finds a bunch of this super rare gold thread and gets to meet the queen (who has a lot of generational beef with Nolwenn's family) who convinces Nolwenn to look for more of it so they can fight off an oncoming unusual high tide that will bring on the octopus monsters.

So in her search for the gold thread, Nolwenn goes out in a storm at night because she sees the gold thread entangled on some rocks with what looks like a korrigez (who are mythical in this world and people don't believe they really exist). Anyway, long story short, she gets got by an octopus monster and then wakes up underwater, her body transformed into that of a korrigez because of some magic her korrigez rescuer put on her.

All this happens in very rapid succession in the first 10% of the book. The rest of the book (until my 24% end point) Nolwenn spends in the secret underwater city of the korrigez, trying to escape and getting foiled immediately like 50 times and begrudgingly attempting to learn the korrigez sign and light language.

I feel like if you want to go back to your family on land your priority should be learning how to communicate with your rescuers first and explain to them that that's what you need to do. They're really nice to her and are clearly not letting her leave because they are concerned for her safety so maybe before she tries to swim back up to the part where there are lurking monsters by herself she should hear these people out on how to do that safely? I don't know, Nolwenn is not the brightest tool in the shed and extremely self-centered so I guess maybe she doesn't know to do that.

Nothing else happens for chapters upon chapters. Literally over and over she keeps repeating the same things hoping that it would give her different results. We barely get any interesting descriptions of this underwater city. We don't get much of anything at all other than Nolwenn not understanding what's going on and not trying to. It's like the author just hit pause on the plot to hit a word count by copy-pasting paragraphs and changing a few words so they're not exactly identical.

Anyway, maybe it gets better later but the minuscule amount of investment I had at the beginning is completely spent so I will not try to find out.

Thank you publishers and Netgalley for the eARC.

[Linda Ayala · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 Stars (ARC via NetGalley)

First, can we talk about that gorgeous cover? It immediately caught my attention, and thankfully, the world inside was just as imaginative.

The Palace Beneath the Sea was such a unique and fully realized take on siren mythology. I’ve read several mermaid and siren stories, but this one managed to feel completely its own. The world was imaginative, the characters compelling, and the fantasy struck an interesting balance between the mythical and something that still felt strangely believable.

At the center of the story is Ys, a kingdom built among a rocky series of islands in the sea, a place that should have been impossible. Its existence is tied to the tragic, star-crossed love between Princess Ahes and the Korriguez, the sirens whose history and mythology are woven throughout the kingdom.

I loved this foundation.

There was something almost legendary about Ys, as though I were reading the history of a place people might once have genuinely believed existed. The mythology wasn’t simply decoration around the plot either; it was embedded into the culture, history, politics, and survival of the kingdom.

Then we’re introduced to Nolwenn, a bisexual lighthouse keeper who is given an enormous task by the Queen: find the mysterious seasilk that may be the only way to protect Ys from an ominous black tide threatening its survival.

And from there, we’re off on a fantastical adventure.

What I enjoyed most was the uniqueness of it all. The sirens, seasilk, island kingdom, ancient legends, doomed lovers, and approaching black tide created a fantasy world that didn’t feel like another recycled version of something I’ve already read. I genuinely wanted to learn more about Ys and uncover its history alongside Nolwenn.

The sirens especially worked for me. They felt mythical without becoming overly whimsical, and I appreciated that the author created an actual culture and history surrounding them rather than simply using them as magical creatures within someone else’s story.

Nolwenn was also an interesting protagonist to follow. Her identity, relationships, responsibilities, and connection to this world all play into her journey, and I enjoyed watching an ordinary lighthouse keeper become entangled in something much larger than herself.

My one gripe was the novel’s heavy emphasis on gender identity and fluidity. Representation itself wasn’t an issue for me, and it fits naturally within the diversity of the world the author created. However, there were moments when the narrative returned to these ideas so frequently that they began pulling my attention away from the fantasy, mythology, and adventure, the elements I personally found most compelling. I would have preferred a little more balance and for those aspects of the characters to remain organically integrated rather than receiving quite so much narrative emphasis.

But that didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the book overall.

The Palace Beneath the Sea gave me something I increasingly appreciate in fantasy: a world I hadn’t already visited a dozen times before. It was imaginative, atmospheric, mythical, and wonderfully strange.

Four stars for a beautiful and refreshingly original fantasy adventure and a world I’m very glad I got the opportunity to visit.

Tropes & Themes:

• Sirens & sea mythology
• Queer / bisexual FMC
• Lighthouse keeper protagonist
• Underwater / island kingdom
• Ancient magic & legends
• Star-crossed lovers
• Doomed romance
• Royal quest
• Magical artifact / seasilk
• Environmental threat
• Race to save the kingdom
• Gender-fluid representation
• Mythology & folklore
• Ocean fantasy
• Fantastical adventure
• Immersive worldbuilding

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreamy mermaid fantasy



Thank you to HarperCollins Publishers, NetGalley, and the author, Lauren Wiesebron, for this advanced copy.

I’ve been known to pick up a book for its pretty cover, and The Palace Beneath the Sea is absolutely gorgeous! The vibrant colors immediately gave me a wave of nostalgia, reminding me of vintage posters for Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

This was such an interesting story and Wiesebron did a fantastic job of world-building here.

𝒮𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎
Nolwenn has heard stories of mermaids — better known here as korrigez — all her life. She never thought she’d meet one herself.

In order to keep her beloved coastal city of Ys safe from a dangerous tidal wave, Nolwenn is tasked by the queen to collect enough rare seasilk to defend the city from the deadly monsters lurking beneath the waves.

However, a reckless decision puts her life in danger. She’s saved by Morvan, who to her surprise is a korrigez. At first, Nolwenn is scared and homesick, but Below-Ys isn’t so different from her world above. And maybe Morvan isn’t as strange as she thought either.

As danger grows near, Nolwenn wrestles between her two worlds, unsure where she belongs. Does listening to her heart mean sacrificing her home, or can she save both?

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐻𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓈
With such an expansive world to build with both Ys above and Ys below, Wiesebron did a wonderful job of explaining everything without info-dumping. I never once felt overwhelmed, and while it took me a hot second to get familiar with everything, it was nice that we were discovering Below-Ys right alongside Nolwenn.

This book was so well-written, and oh my… the twists and turns! Wiesebron sure knows how to write a cliffhanger that has you continuously saying, “Just one more chapter!” I gasped, I laughed, I swooned.

The conflict was set up swimmingly. Not one piece of information was unnecessary, everything moved the story forward. Each character was unique enough not to forget who was who. Nolwenn, our lead. Her two brothers and their respective partners. Their parents. They didn’t just help the plot, they enriched it. Gave it color and depth.

Umm, the romance?! My, my. The tension was chef’s kiss! I was positively buzzing from all the electricity in the opening chapters… but that did not hold a candle to what was to come! Oh. My. Gosh. Nolwenn fighting her head and heart, torn between the world she knows and the one she learns to love. Morvan certainly made that second option awfully tempting. I was squealing at their chemistry! I loved that this book focused more on the emotional connections of romance, not just the lustful side of it.

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝓌𝓈
That it had to end. That I learned about this world and can’t live in it. 😭

𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑒𝓃𝒸𝑒
Perfect for anyone who’s ever dreamed about being a mermaid.

𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️