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The Watermarked Trilogy #1
Watermarked
Eyes like a storm…
Surrounded by ocean, terrified of water, Cam’s new life on a tiny island is her version of hell. But at 16, abandoned by her father and with a mother struck by a devastating illness, Cam is forced to live with the reclusive grandmother she’s never met.
But it’s nothing to cry about—not for the girl who never sheds a tear.
Isolated off the coast of Maine, Cam is drawn to Macon, the boy from the other side of the island. But his mother—and most others in the tight-knit community—looks upon her with suspicion.
When she learns about her family’s unsettling history, Cam is plunged into ancestral mystery and the magic of the sea.
And what she discovers could be the key to changing everything.
Surrounded by ocean, terrified of water, Cam’s new life on a tiny island is her version of hell. But at 16, abandoned by her father and with a mother struck by a devastating illness, Cam is forced to live with the reclusive grandmother she’s never met.
But it’s nothing to cry about—not for the girl who never sheds a tear.
Isolated off the coast of Maine, Cam is drawn to Macon, the boy from the other side of the island. But his mother—and most others in the tight-knit community—looks upon her with suspicion.
When she learns about her family’s unsettling history, Cam is plunged into ancestral mystery and the magic of the sea.
And what she discovers could be the key to changing everything.
- GenresYoung AdultFantasy
234 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 28, 2019
44 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Butler
3 books18 followersDanielle Butler has spent most of her life making up stories. From the rich and multi-layered lives of her Barbies and anthropomorphised stuffed animals, through her work as a long form improvisation and stage actor to development producing for film and TV—it was all about What Happens Next. American-made, she lives the exPat life in the UK with her husband and various pets in a little house on a very old river.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 21, 2019
3.5 Star Review
Cam is forced to go live with her grandmother after her mother gets sick and can’t take care of her. At 16 she lives in the house behind her grandmother, has no real adult watching out for her, and can feel that there is something “wrong” with her.
There is so much that I liked about this book. I liked that there are friends who care about Cam, who stand by her, make her feel welcome, and do what is needed to help her when she needs it. I liked that Cam questioned everything. She didn’t accept things at face value and she pushed for answers even when no one wanted to tell her them. Yet, there were times I felt the book left part of the story hanging. There was more to the story about Bridgette, Anne, and some of the other characters and their reactions to Cam. I wanted those storylines to be more developed the fact that they weren’t left the story feeling choppy to me.
I enjoyed this book. It isn’t long and is perfect for YA, older readers, and everyone in between. I have hopes that there will be more to come about these characters and their island. Maybe that will tie it all together for me.
Cam is forced to go live with her grandmother after her mother gets sick and can’t take care of her. At 16 she lives in the house behind her grandmother, has no real adult watching out for her, and can feel that there is something “wrong” with her.
There is so much that I liked about this book. I liked that there are friends who care about Cam, who stand by her, make her feel welcome, and do what is needed to help her when she needs it. I liked that Cam questioned everything. She didn’t accept things at face value and she pushed for answers even when no one wanted to tell her them. Yet, there were times I felt the book left part of the story hanging. There was more to the story about Bridgette, Anne, and some of the other characters and their reactions to Cam. I wanted those storylines to be more developed the fact that they weren’t left the story feeling choppy to me.
I enjoyed this book. It isn’t long and is perfect for YA, older readers, and everyone in between. I have hopes that there will be more to come about these characters and their island. Maybe that will tie it all together for me.
February 19, 2019
I’m so glad I picked up Watermarked, because I was instantly hooked. Given how notoriously impatient I am I was constantly having to check myself for reading too fast, I was so excited to learn more about Cam and her new life living on a tiny island! I honestly loved how reading these pages made me feel so close to the ocean and it’s mysteries!
January 29, 2019
Book 2, where are you?
Make it to 30% and you won’t be able to put it down. It’s a slow build to a glorious ending. It’s YA with mystery and new worlds to explore.
If there isn’t a book two, I’ll probably riot. Just a small riot-minimal picketing and destruction. The last 25% has some things mentioned that I need to know more about. I. NEED. TO. KNOW.
Make it to 30% and you won’t be able to put it down. It’s a slow build to a glorious ending. It’s YA with mystery and new worlds to explore.
If there isn’t a book two, I’ll probably riot. Just a small riot-minimal picketing and destruction. The last 25% has some things mentioned that I need to know more about. I. NEED. TO. KNOW.
February 8, 2019
Watermarked by Danielle Butler is a well written story that will have you turning pages just to find out what is so special about Cam. She has been sent to live with her grandmother, someone who Cam is not sure they ever met. Cam's mother is in a nursing home and her father is overseas. Cam is terrified of water and her grandmother lives on a small island surrounded by water. Can she survive is this terrifying place. How can she help her mother get better?
This is a wonderful story about finding out about oneself and discovering special qualities that are hard to imagine that they are part of oneself! Cam is special and so is this story. I highly recommend it. It was given to me as a gift and I always review every book that I read.
This is a wonderful story about finding out about oneself and discovering special qualities that are hard to imagine that they are part of oneself! Cam is special and so is this story. I highly recommend it. It was given to me as a gift and I always review every book that I read.
January 28, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. I can’t believe this is the first book from Danielle Butler ! To me a good author has to have certain attributes, for me to enjoy their work. A gripping storyline, originality, believable worlds and characters with depth, also emotions play a big part, I need to feel their feelings, fears, loves etc. I prefer a story to be told in the first person. Watermarked had these and so much more. It captivated me from the beginning. There was a continuous mystery surrounding the main characters, Cam and Ellie. Cam was in a place she didn’t want to be, having to fight prejudices, judgements & secrets from all around her. I became totally invested In Cam’s feelings, I felt the butterflies and sorrow with Macon. The insecurities that led her to the island, the vulnerability of missing both her parents, & a certain dark haired young man....Danielle Butler transcends traditional ideas and turns them on there heads. She has the ability to plant mental images as an idea, then twists and turns it, until it either breaks or weaves into a completely different direction. It certainly keeps you on your toes. I don’t like leaving spoilers as I believe you should enjoy the book yourself. I hope I have given you an insight to the writers originality & unmeasurable imagination. To Danielle Butler I thank you, you transported me to another place, where I could feel the waves crashing against the rocks, the wind in my hair, and the bite of the ocean. You made me smile, made me cry and made me believe in the world & characters of Shell island. I hope this is the start to a series as I would love to see so much more, from Cam, her family and heritage. And Macon, that is a mystery waiting to be revealed. Oh yes 💐💐👏👏👏👏👏👏
June 4, 2025
Watermarked by Danielle Butler is the author’s impressive debut novel and first of her trilogy that includes Landbound and Tideborne. The novel strikes me as fitting more into the recent category of speculative fiction, rather than pure fantasy. The setting is contemporary Maine with a short excursion to the protagonist’s home state of New Mexico, both settings are well described adding immensely to the believability of a tale about mythical sirens, and that is as much of a plot spoiler as I will provide.
Camline, “Cam,” is the sixteen-year-old protagonist. First problem, in Albuquerque, her mother is seriously ill with a malady no doctor can diagnose. Cam desperately wants to stay with her, but her mother sends Cam to live with her grandmother Ellie on an island off the coast of Maine. Second problem, Cam is terrified of any body of water larger than a bathtub. Third problem, Ellie, both feared and respected by the local island fishing community, does not exactly welcome Cam with open arms. The author vividly imbues her story with a claustrophobic atmosphere.
Although just a teenager, Cam has a strong, determined character that she definitely needs as she discovers that she is literally out of her element. I was impressed by the author’s handling of the present tense narrative, using it well to fill the story with a sense of immediacy. I look forward to reading the second part of the trilogy.
4.5 stars
Robert Temple
Camline, “Cam,” is the sixteen-year-old protagonist. First problem, in Albuquerque, her mother is seriously ill with a malady no doctor can diagnose. Cam desperately wants to stay with her, but her mother sends Cam to live with her grandmother Ellie on an island off the coast of Maine. Second problem, Cam is terrified of any body of water larger than a bathtub. Third problem, Ellie, both feared and respected by the local island fishing community, does not exactly welcome Cam with open arms. The author vividly imbues her story with a claustrophobic atmosphere.
Although just a teenager, Cam has a strong, determined character that she definitely needs as she discovers that she is literally out of her element. I was impressed by the author’s handling of the present tense narrative, using it well to fill the story with a sense of immediacy. I look forward to reading the second part of the trilogy.
4.5 stars
Robert Temple
August 8, 2020
"There is always more to the story than the pieces you can see"
Cam, a girl from New Mexico, who gets seasick even thinking about boats and water, is sent to live with her Grandmother not by choice, after her mother's failing health forces the issue. But "Ellie" has a secret or two as the old eccentric widow on the island off the coast of Maine. Cam even has to cross water by boat to get her mail and go to school. Trying to figure out what it means to live next door to her grandmother and thousands of miles from her mother throws the young woman for enough of a loop, but the way the seawater seems to be helping her is even more of a mystery.
Like others, this was a book that I virtually read in two sittings. Poetically lyrical, Author Danielle Butler sucks you into this story and simply won't let you go. And with Landbound (Book 2) we'll find out just what's next in this heroic girl's life. Highly Recommended. 5/5
[disclaimer: I received this book as a gift from the author and voluntarily read and reviewed it]
Cam, a girl from New Mexico, who gets seasick even thinking about boats and water, is sent to live with her Grandmother not by choice, after her mother's failing health forces the issue. But "Ellie" has a secret or two as the old eccentric widow on the island off the coast of Maine. Cam even has to cross water by boat to get her mail and go to school. Trying to figure out what it means to live next door to her grandmother and thousands of miles from her mother throws the young woman for enough of a loop, but the way the seawater seems to be helping her is even more of a mystery.
Like others, this was a book that I virtually read in two sittings. Poetically lyrical, Author Danielle Butler sucks you into this story and simply won't let you go. And with Landbound (Book 2) we'll find out just what's next in this heroic girl's life. Highly Recommended. 5/5
[disclaimer: I received this book as a gift from the author and voluntarily read and reviewed it]
January 27, 2019
What an amazing debut read. This YA has a great story line with plenty of questions and the unknown. Thrown into a world she knows nothing about she has to learn on the fly who and what she is. This wonderful paranormal read is as thrilling as it is chilling as she learns to navigate who and what she is. This author gives us a read filled with self discovery added to the angst of a teen too old for her age and a wonderful story to support her. Loved this authors style and loved her characters. From Elle and her wild and creepy ways to Blue and her eclectic band of friends it's a journey worth taking. I can't wait to see where this author goes from here and share this awesome read with my teenage grand.
March 24, 2019
I loved this book and hope there will be more to come. Great to read a story in which the young female character is both smart and independant, seeking her own destiny through her story. There's romance too, but on her terms, not in deference to the guy she's in to.
The story is also filled with adventure and discovery and is so beautifully written that you'll be transported. It's a book that's hard to put down once you start so try to make it last. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
The story is also filled with adventure and discovery and is so beautifully written that you'll be transported. It's a book that's hard to put down once you start so try to make it last. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
January 30, 2019
What a lovely twisting story, with love, betrayal, teen angst, family skeletons, and of course a bit of magic.
Danielle's writing is such that you are there in the scene, you can see the colours, taste the air, feel the tension.
I gave this only a 4 star, as I would like the story to hold more depth.
However, as a young adult book, this is an excellent read, and I'm looking forward to more.
Danielle's writing is such that you are there in the scene, you can see the colours, taste the air, feel the tension.
I gave this only a 4 star, as I would like the story to hold more depth.
However, as a young adult book, this is an excellent read, and I'm looking forward to more.
January 25, 2019
Amazing. I can’t wait for another one to come out. There is so much that you find out about Cam, but so much more that can come.
January 28, 2019
Fantastic read. Page turner... A little mystery with a lot of supernatural.
February 2, 2019
I so thoroughly enjoyed this book that I basically read it in one sitting. I found the characters interesting and fun to follow. I look very forward to reading more from this author!
February 2, 2019
What a great read!!! The setting, characters and story line were wonderful. I hope to read a lot more from Ms. Butler.
February 8, 2019
I wasn't surprised to find out that it is a very good book. It kept my interest all the way through. Even though the ending was a bit rushed in my opinion, I cannot wait to read a continuation if one shows up.
March 29, 2020
I thought the storyline was really interesting and unusual and it was compulsive reading. I couldn’t put it down. An underlying tension all the way through!
March 26, 2019
Loved every minute!
I truly enjoyed this book. I am always looking for a book that will transport me away from my current worries and allow me to get lost in a different world. This book did just that. I am crossing my fingers that a second book will be published soon-- I am not ready to say goodbye to Cam!
I truly enjoyed this book. I am always looking for a book that will transport me away from my current worries and allow me to get lost in a different world. This book did just that. I am crossing my fingers that a second book will be published soon-- I am not ready to say goodbye to Cam!
March 28, 2019
I really hope a sequel is in the works. This was an amazing read, and I loved every bit of it. Now I want to know the rest!
February 26, 2019
Amazing! It was such a page turner and so well written. I love the story and can't wait for more!
November 1, 2019
This is a review of a free ARC of Watermarked.
In Watermarked, 16-year-old Camline is shipped off to a small island in Maine to live with her grandmother because her mother is too unwell to look after her and her estranged father has been posted overseas. The end of her journey to Shell Island begins the start of another, discovering herself and her family’s past and a magical secret her mother has been keeping from her.
I liked the first person, present tense telling of this story. It is a powerful device, creating an immediacy that draws you in, but that only works when the scene-setting is equally strong, as it is here.
Of the characters, Camline is immediately likeable – a girl of fierce independence and strong views, grieving for the mother who is not dead but still lost to her, obliged to uproot herself and go live with a grandmother in a part of the country she feels no connection to. She’s unhappy but she’s no moody, moany teenager like Twilight’s Bella Swan, who I could never really take to. But a close second character for me was the setting. The coastline’s wild ‘otherness’ repels Cam at first - for example:
I start to feel the first twinges of worry when Ellie leads me off the path, and we start to pick our way over the rocks. I slow my pace, careful with every step, as we get closer to the water and pass little nooks and crannies of tide pools. We reach a large pool, and Ellie stops and sets down her basket. She takes out two short-handled, sharp-looking knives and hands one to me hilt first. Then she toes off her shoes and steps down into the pool. It has to be freezing. I’m afraid she’s going to ask me to get in, and I start swallowing reflexively, flipping through a million excuses wondering which one will work. Before I try one out, she holds up a hand and says, “Stay there for a moment.”
Fine with me.
Gradually the island seduces her into facing what she fears until its magic is revealed.
The other characters were well physically described so I could see them in my minds’ eye, but apart from Cam’s Grandmother Ellie I didn’t feel I’d got to know them. I would have liked to hear more of Macon’s thoughts on Cam and her family; of anthropologist Jane’s take on the island’s culture, to know how close she came to discovering Cam’s family secret; and what prompted Blue to make herself stand out as different in a town that struggles with the idea.
I knew this wasn’t a long book but I was enjoying the read, so I was deliberately reading it in stages to avoid finishing it. But then I got engrossed towards the end when Cam makes a discovery that could alter everything. As a result the end snuck up on me unexpectedly, so while it was rewarding read it left me a little disappointed. I’m hoping there will be a sequel that explores the story strands that feel unfinished.
It’s not an easy book to categorize, as you’d enjoy it as a reader of any age and a fan of anything from literary fiction to YA and fantasy. If you liked the immediacy of the present tense telling of Wolf Hall, you wold enjoy this; if you liked the mythic beauty lent to small town America in Holly Black’s the Darkest Part of the Forest, this could also be one for you. The basic message – give it a try!
In Watermarked, 16-year-old Camline is shipped off to a small island in Maine to live with her grandmother because her mother is too unwell to look after her and her estranged father has been posted overseas. The end of her journey to Shell Island begins the start of another, discovering herself and her family’s past and a magical secret her mother has been keeping from her.
I liked the first person, present tense telling of this story. It is a powerful device, creating an immediacy that draws you in, but that only works when the scene-setting is equally strong, as it is here.
Of the characters, Camline is immediately likeable – a girl of fierce independence and strong views, grieving for the mother who is not dead but still lost to her, obliged to uproot herself and go live with a grandmother in a part of the country she feels no connection to. She’s unhappy but she’s no moody, moany teenager like Twilight’s Bella Swan, who I could never really take to. But a close second character for me was the setting. The coastline’s wild ‘otherness’ repels Cam at first - for example:
I start to feel the first twinges of worry when Ellie leads me off the path, and we start to pick our way over the rocks. I slow my pace, careful with every step, as we get closer to the water and pass little nooks and crannies of tide pools. We reach a large pool, and Ellie stops and sets down her basket. She takes out two short-handled, sharp-looking knives and hands one to me hilt first. Then she toes off her shoes and steps down into the pool. It has to be freezing. I’m afraid she’s going to ask me to get in, and I start swallowing reflexively, flipping through a million excuses wondering which one will work. Before I try one out, she holds up a hand and says, “Stay there for a moment.”
Fine with me.
Gradually the island seduces her into facing what she fears until its magic is revealed.
The other characters were well physically described so I could see them in my minds’ eye, but apart from Cam’s Grandmother Ellie I didn’t feel I’d got to know them. I would have liked to hear more of Macon’s thoughts on Cam and her family; of anthropologist Jane’s take on the island’s culture, to know how close she came to discovering Cam’s family secret; and what prompted Blue to make herself stand out as different in a town that struggles with the idea.
I knew this wasn’t a long book but I was enjoying the read, so I was deliberately reading it in stages to avoid finishing it. But then I got engrossed towards the end when Cam makes a discovery that could alter everything. As a result the end snuck up on me unexpectedly, so while it was rewarding read it left me a little disappointed. I’m hoping there will be a sequel that explores the story strands that feel unfinished.
It’s not an easy book to categorize, as you’d enjoy it as a reader of any age and a fan of anything from literary fiction to YA and fantasy. If you liked the immediacy of the present tense telling of Wolf Hall, you wold enjoy this; if you liked the mythic beauty lent to small town America in Holly Black’s the Darkest Part of the Forest, this could also be one for you. The basic message – give it a try!
April 5, 2019
A refreshing read delightful to dive into
I loved reading this book and truly got caught up in the story. I would love to see more of these characters and their world which is beautifully mundane with a splash of magic. What really caught me was that these characters were living real lives and having a real adventure that didn't need anything epic to happen or involve the eternal clash of Good vs. Evil.
I loved reading this book and truly got caught up in the story. I would love to see more of these characters and their world which is beautifully mundane with a splash of magic. What really caught me was that these characters were living real lives and having a real adventure that didn't need anything epic to happen or involve the eternal clash of Good vs. Evil.
February 21, 2019
Fascinating ride
I don’t know the last time I zipped through a novel as fast as I did this one. The words flew off the paper and kept me wanting more. The only question is, when is the next book coming out? I need to know what happens.
I don’t know the last time I zipped through a novel as fast as I did this one. The words flew off the paper and kept me wanting more. The only question is, when is the next book coming out? I need to know what happens.
September 6, 2020
When I heard that the second part of this trilogy was released, I bought it immediately, but then, of course, I just had to reread the first book before starting the second. I'm glad I did. It's a strong first novel that captures the imagination and doesn't let go. Danielle Butler creates a very real world that seamlessly coexists with a mythological one. Watermarked is a fantastic tale of a young woman who must rebuild her broken life, a much too relatable occurrence for most readers. When her mother becomes increasingly debilitated due to a mysterious illness, Cam's father abandons the family and teenaged Cam must step in to help however she can. As the illness progresses, it becomes necessary for Mom to go to a care facility, and because Cam is only 16, she is forced to leave her mom in New Mexico and live with her grandmother on a little island off the coast of Maine. It is there that she discovers new friends, the islanders' superstitions, her family's secrets, and how she can help her mother.
May 5, 2019
For all lovers of The Little Mermaid with a hint of intrigue reminiscent of Twilight.
December 18, 2025
This is the perfect book to read at the end of summer and beginning of fall (September). The fantasy aspect of it makes it perfect for fall and the siren and beach community setting make it perfect for summer. I loved Cam’s story. The mix of coming of age with fantasy was original and refreshing.
The message I got from the book was to always learn about and be curious of yourself.
It was a nice and cozy story that was relaxing to read. I did feel the ending was a little lackluster, but still loved it. I will definitely finish the trilogy.
The below ASMR YouTube video perfectly captures the ambience of the houses in the book:
https://www.youtube.com/live/OplJt2fe...
The message I got from the book was to always learn about and be curious of yourself.
It was a nice and cozy story that was relaxing to read. I did feel the ending was a little lackluster, but still loved it. I will definitely finish the trilogy.
The below ASMR YouTube video perfectly captures the ambience of the houses in the book:
https://www.youtube.com/live/OplJt2fe...
January 1, 2021
Cam goes to stay with her mysterious grandmother on an even more mysterious island, while her mother is working through a terrible illness. She befriends the family local to the island (The Stones) and their guest Jane. If living alone in her mother's childhood home isn't hair raising enough, how about the howling noises coming from the outdoors. As Cam digs deeper into her family history, she learns something you won't expect. But will she go too far? This gripping tale will leave you on the edge of your seat and wanting to read more and more. Danielle Butler's passion is displayed through the pages and connects the reader to the characters.
October 30, 2022
This was my favorite of the Watermarked trilogy. I enjoyed the resiliance of 16 year old Cam as she struggles with her new life on a small island with a grandmother she's never met. Her father abandoned them and Cam was her mom's caregiver and didn't want to leave her in the care facility. Her two school friends help her adjust as Cam hears of the mysterious, magical ways of her grandmother and wonders why she never leaves the island.
July 15, 2019
Beautifully Done!
There was so much unsaid chaos in the mind of Camline. I don't believe she truly knew whether she was coming or going, until she met her grandmother Ellie. A lot of stubbornness between the young, and the old a long with sea lore, history, and island magic of the sisters.
There was so much unsaid chaos in the mind of Camline. I don't believe she truly knew whether she was coming or going, until she met her grandmother Ellie. A lot of stubbornness between the young, and the old a long with sea lore, history, and island magic of the sisters.
October 17, 2022
Literally one of the best series I’ve picked up in a long time. I got maybe 30 pages in before I went ahead and ordered the last two books in the trilogy. I’m not usually one for fantasy writing, but this? Holy cow. Amazon 2 day shipping just isn’t fast enough!
January 17, 2023
I’m a sucker for great YA that is wonderfully paced and intriguing. A very strong first installment of the trilogy that I am excited to continue. I especially appreciate the different take when it comes to a certain mythical creature.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews