Still Water

by Amanda M. Kosar

Genres: Fantasy

183 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2026

About the author

Amanda M. Kosar is a gothic fantasy writer who has made it her life's mission to find the sweet spot between grotesque and swoon-worthy. She fell in love with reading stories at a young age, and fell even harder when she realized she could write them herself. She hasn’t put the pen down ever since. On the rare occasion that she pries her eyes from the page, she tries to take advantage of the Florida sunshine with a dip in the Atlantic or a sweaty stroll on a palm-flanked trail.

Reviews

[Victoria Barajas · Rating 5 out of 5]

holy CRAP, this has to be one of the most beautiful books i’ve ever read. not just on some “one of the best books i’ve read this year” kind of vibe, genuinely one of the most heart wrenching stories i’ve gotten my hands on period.

this is a true dark fantasy that leaves you weighing your options when questioning who the true victim is, and if it’s possible that everyone in this story may very well be the answer to that question.
though i’ll admit the lack of dialogue for a good portion of the book made for a slow build up, this author’s writing style truly brings everything together.
the romance, the longing, the touch them and die trope, the t w i s t s, the resentment, the shame UGH.
literally no notes!

i am so glad that i read this and wish i could have gotten my hands on it sooner. i will be shouting this one from the rooftops because it deserves just as much love as every other dark fantasy romance on the market.

[Taylin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still Water was a story I found unique and I enjoyed this take on mermaid lore and the way it draws you in with its premise and action so quickly. I found having dual pov really made this extra special. The setting, dialogue, and character development was refreshing. I found the details to be vivid and realistic and the word choices pretty nicely placed. I loved how it ended and felt like it did a great job of capturing that emotion that so many struggle with. I did think the pacing was a bit slow in moments but overall the story isn’t hindered by it. I’m excited to see what else this author writes! Can’t wait to read more.

[Ashley ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️
Less than 200 pages and I felt SO many emotions throughout this book! The ending was bittersweet and not at all what I expected. I can’t wait to read more from this author 🧜🏻‍♀️🐚🌊🖤

[˚❀˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I’d like to thank Amanda M. Kosar for this arc!

This book was a little hard to get into at first but after the first 50 pages, I was hooked! One thing I noticed about it was how scientific it was at times and I thought that was hilarious. The romance was very sweet and unexpectedly emotional and tender in a way. One thing I liked about this book is that it was short and sweet and it didn’t drag on too much. I also like how love didn’t “fix” Iris, despite her desperately wanting it to. Lovely read and can’t wait for what Amanda puts out next!