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Ocean Apothecary #1
Blue Reflections
A sea nymph blind to her past. A watercolor artist who paints in one color. Should they trust the mysterious blue reflections appearing to each other?
Practicing the forbidden art of salt trance is the most excitement Selia has experienced in the past decade of her forgetful, introverted life. Her curiosity about the art’s salty secrets has landed the sea nymph in an ocean of trouble. Crimes against the fae are not easily forgiven by the Order—especially when Amphitrite's Ocean Apothecary is involved.
Selia is not the only one curious about the arts. She’s caught the eye of handsome watercolor artist Damien Malloch, whose moonlit paintings capture more than her heart.
When the Order steals a magical artifact from the Louvre, Selia begins experimenting with the unpredictable ingredients from Amphitrite's Ocean Apothecary. She quickly discovers that breath, memory, and salt are tied to a fae treasure the Order is trying to destroy. A dark secret from Damien’s past might be Selia's only hope for remembering what blue memory blindness has stolen from her. While navigating through Scotland’s faerie gardens, sleepy seaside pubs, and her growing feelings for Damien, Selia must choose—restore balance to the dying art, or save Damien’s life?
Or will the blue reflections reveal a truth that could tear Selia and Damien apart?
Practicing the forbidden art of salt trance is the most excitement Selia has experienced in the past decade of her forgetful, introverted life. Her curiosity about the art’s salty secrets has landed the sea nymph in an ocean of trouble. Crimes against the fae are not easily forgiven by the Order—especially when Amphitrite's Ocean Apothecary is involved.
Selia is not the only one curious about the arts. She’s caught the eye of handsome watercolor artist Damien Malloch, whose moonlit paintings capture more than her heart.
When the Order steals a magical artifact from the Louvre, Selia begins experimenting with the unpredictable ingredients from Amphitrite's Ocean Apothecary. She quickly discovers that breath, memory, and salt are tied to a fae treasure the Order is trying to destroy. A dark secret from Damien’s past might be Selia's only hope for remembering what blue memory blindness has stolen from her. While navigating through Scotland’s faerie gardens, sleepy seaside pubs, and her growing feelings for Damien, Selia must choose—restore balance to the dying art, or save Damien’s life?
Or will the blue reflections reveal a truth that could tear Selia and Damien apart?
307 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 23, 2023
26 people are currently reading
315 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Casey
9 books127 followersAmanda writes about women, water, and magic inspired by nature. She has written and illustrated dozens of stories involving nymphs, nature spirits, and other curious creatures who love getting into mischief. You can find her in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, where she is blazing a trail, drumming with her local taiko group, or having a flamboyant conversation with her two cats. She works as both a park interpreter and a children’s library associate at her local library, where she shares her imagination and creative programs with her community.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
May 26, 2023
*I was lucky enough to receive an Arc copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Amanda Casey for allowing me to read her novel*
So I received this ARC copy of BLUE REFLECTIONS by Amanda Casey after seeing it marketed on tik tok as the little mermaid meets outlander. I mean who wouldn’t want to read that! There’s a lot of potential in this book and there a glimpses of great concepts and writing however my overall impression is that the world, the characters, and the plot needed a bit more fleshing out.
By in large I felt the author both over and under explained things which led to me being confused throughout the story. For instance the main character Selia is a Selkie and her main love interest Damien is a human. The author doesn’t seem to establish if the two societies are living in harmony, or if Damien just happens to be a believer in mystical creatures. Perhaps this is established in her other novel however if this is supposed to be a stand alone series then a reestablishment of the book world should be included. Perhaps this is also because the main character suffers from amnesia, however it seems unlikely that after 10 years of having amnesia she would know so little about the world she’s living in and still wind up working at the Louvre.
The author would emphasize several times throughout the page that Selia was a creature of the sea by describing everything as salty or blue or by having a magic system basic on “strands of moonlight”. The inner workings of this magic system are never quite explained- just left for the reader to decipher- example “3 strands of moonlight” “breathe memory and salt” are required for the art of “salt trancing” which is forbidden by the Fae Order who somehow rule over the Selkie.
While the main character does suffer from amnesia it would seem strange to me that a ruling class like the fae would not have reiterated the rules of her world to her- yet they set out to punish her for breaking them. The overall structure and hierarchy of players involved was not very well defined.
Likewise we are dropped in the middle of a romance which has already begun with little or no recollection of their time together (one month ) before the story began- Selia starts out already infatuated with Damien, who is a watercolor artist (which is reiterated several times). It makes it difficult to fall in love with Damien and their story when we don’t really know how it began in this lifetime (Irregardless of their respective past together prior to Selia loosing her memory).
I also really disliked when whatever information Selia needed in order to succeed was just magically placed in front of her. It really lowers the stakes when the plot is just *character has question* *magical answer to the question appears before her*.
I do feel like the writing got better towards the middle and was curious to see the plot resolve but I can’t say that I would recommend this book to others. Overall I feel like the writing was very vague-and did not allow for imagination. Instead it by in large made an entirely blue and salty world so that you could never forget this story was about a mermaid- but failed to flesh out what the reality of this world would look like and how characters would respond to living in that world. Amanda Casey has great ideas- I just feel like the book needed more time in the oven.
So I received this ARC copy of BLUE REFLECTIONS by Amanda Casey after seeing it marketed on tik tok as the little mermaid meets outlander. I mean who wouldn’t want to read that! There’s a lot of potential in this book and there a glimpses of great concepts and writing however my overall impression is that the world, the characters, and the plot needed a bit more fleshing out.
By in large I felt the author both over and under explained things which led to me being confused throughout the story. For instance the main character Selia is a Selkie and her main love interest Damien is a human. The author doesn’t seem to establish if the two societies are living in harmony, or if Damien just happens to be a believer in mystical creatures. Perhaps this is established in her other novel however if this is supposed to be a stand alone series then a reestablishment of the book world should be included. Perhaps this is also because the main character suffers from amnesia, however it seems unlikely that after 10 years of having amnesia she would know so little about the world she’s living in and still wind up working at the Louvre.
The author would emphasize several times throughout the page that Selia was a creature of the sea by describing everything as salty or blue or by having a magic system basic on “strands of moonlight”. The inner workings of this magic system are never quite explained- just left for the reader to decipher- example “3 strands of moonlight” “breathe memory and salt” are required for the art of “salt trancing” which is forbidden by the Fae Order who somehow rule over the Selkie.
While the main character does suffer from amnesia it would seem strange to me that a ruling class like the fae would not have reiterated the rules of her world to her- yet they set out to punish her for breaking them. The overall structure and hierarchy of players involved was not very well defined.
Likewise we are dropped in the middle of a romance which has already begun with little or no recollection of their time together (one month ) before the story began- Selia starts out already infatuated with Damien, who is a watercolor artist (which is reiterated several times). It makes it difficult to fall in love with Damien and their story when we don’t really know how it began in this lifetime (Irregardless of their respective past together prior to Selia loosing her memory).
I also really disliked when whatever information Selia needed in order to succeed was just magically placed in front of her. It really lowers the stakes when the plot is just *character has question* *magical answer to the question appears before her*.
I do feel like the writing got better towards the middle and was curious to see the plot resolve but I can’t say that I would recommend this book to others. Overall I feel like the writing was very vague-and did not allow for imagination. Instead it by in large made an entirely blue and salty world so that you could never forget this story was about a mermaid- but failed to flesh out what the reality of this world would look like and how characters would respond to living in that world. Amanda Casey has great ideas- I just feel like the book needed more time in the oven.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2023
You know a book is so good that you end up ordering the physical copy of a book before getting half way into the book. I’m totally in love with this book!! I love all the characters and the world building!! Little mermaid meets Highlander vibes!!
My favorite character is Henrietta!! I love how mischievous she is! Always getting herself into anything that she can or take whatever she wants! Makes me want my own crab!!
Love that it’s a nice slow burn romance filled with magic and mystery. I was on the edge of my seat. I had no idea what was going to be on the vault or what the 4th idea would be! Love that it kept me guessing! I can’t wait for the next book to see what’s going to happen next! Now on to the prequel! I can’t get enough of this world!
My favorite character is Henrietta!! I love how mischievous she is! Always getting herself into anything that she can or take whatever she wants! Makes me want my own crab!!
Love that it’s a nice slow burn romance filled with magic and mystery. I was on the edge of my seat. I had no idea what was going to be on the vault or what the 4th idea would be! Love that it kept me guessing! I can’t wait for the next book to see what’s going to happen next! Now on to the prequel! I can’t get enough of this world!
June 8, 2023
I had the pleasure of reading Blue Reflections as an ARC reader. I'm not normally the type to read fantasy romance and I've never seen Outlander, but I do enjoy fantasy novels in general and have read a couple romances here and there.
Blue Reflections is a great start to what promises to be a trilogy with lots of potential. I do feel that the book should have been fleshed out more to make the reader feel fully engrossed in the story. As others have mentioned, the story has a tendency to jump from plot point to plot point without much in the middle to connect you to the characters, and the relationship between Selia and Damien is depicted as pretty hot and cold without much explanation as to why. I also thought that the character Deidra was pretty superfluous and didn't really affect the story at all. But the story and plot points are intriguing and I want to see more, just with the extra razzle dazzle it deserves.
In summary, Blue Reflections has a great story, it just needs some extra details to truly make it into a book I wouldn't want to put down.
Blue Reflections is a great start to what promises to be a trilogy with lots of potential. I do feel that the book should have been fleshed out more to make the reader feel fully engrossed in the story. As others have mentioned, the story has a tendency to jump from plot point to plot point without much in the middle to connect you to the characters, and the relationship between Selia and Damien is depicted as pretty hot and cold without much explanation as to why. I also thought that the character Deidra was pretty superfluous and didn't really affect the story at all. But the story and plot points are intriguing and I want to see more, just with the extra razzle dazzle it deserves.
In summary, Blue Reflections has a great story, it just needs some extra details to truly make it into a book I wouldn't want to put down.
January 8, 2024
Blue Reflections is a breath of fresh air in the world of Fantasy! Nymphs, Selkies, Fae, Scotland, Art, mystery and romance all wrapped up in a story centered around the ocean! I found myself wrapped up in Selia and her adventures. This book starts and ends with action, adventure and mystery. I love Henrietta and Auntie! I also thoroughly appreciate that there is an easy romance in this book without being overly steamy. Sometimes it is nice to enjoy a slow burn. I do wish we got a bit more world building, but I hope we get to see that in books to come! Definitely a fun read!
May 31, 2023
I had the pleasure of getting an arc copy of this book, and was very excited to dive in! However, I found the plot was kind of hard to follow, and I’m still not quite certain what was going on, maybe it’ll be resolved in book 2? I also had a hard time with selia and Damien’s relationship, for someone who was grieving the way he was, they sure did move quickly in the relationship. I was also hoping for spice, when in reality all we got was a fade to black scene. I would still be willing to read the second book just to see if I can get clarification on some of the things I have questions about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2023
I read this book as an ARC reader for an honest review.
I do think the plot is very good, and is the reason I applied to be an ARC reader for Amanda Casey. Who doesn't love a good romance between sea creature and man? The writing, unfortunately, was my biggest issue. I had a very hard time being drawn into the story which caused me to take longer than expected to finish the book. The development of the world was simultaneously over and under described in the beginning. One example is when the FMC and MMC decide to go back to Scotland. There was a lack of development for this event, and it was quite confusing. As the story progressed, the writing did improve. By the end of the book I was more captivated and invested with the characters.
With that said, I do look forward to the seeing how her writing improves with the second book of this series.
I do think the plot is very good, and is the reason I applied to be an ARC reader for Amanda Casey. Who doesn't love a good romance between sea creature and man? The writing, unfortunately, was my biggest issue. I had a very hard time being drawn into the story which caused me to take longer than expected to finish the book. The development of the world was simultaneously over and under described in the beginning. One example is when the FMC and MMC decide to go back to Scotland. There was a lack of development for this event, and it was quite confusing. As the story progressed, the writing did improve. By the end of the book I was more captivated and invested with the characters.
With that said, I do look forward to the seeing how her writing improves with the second book of this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2023
The plot was interesting and it had the means to be a great experience. But, I just ended up very confused by the end with many missing details and confusing plot lines.
Selia is a selkie who doesn’t remember her past. She gets help from her friend to perform the forbidden art of salt trance to get them back. This leads to the Order doing everything they can to stop them. Damien, a watercolor artist, is also interested in this magical world of fae and helps Selia in her search.
It felt like I was reading the middle of a series instead of the first book. We didn’t get any context behind Selia‘s friendship with the person helping her with her memories or the person helping her with information. Every detail as the story progressed kept adding to the confusion.
I wish there was more information about the art of salt trance, the artifacts, the significance of the memories and their powers. The whole book was a mess of plot points with no correlation between them. We learnt some details from Selia’s friends but that brought up more questions that ended up not answered.
“The time we waste comparing ourselves to others is time not spent expressing our feelings to those we love.”
Damien was an absolute gem of a character who kept me going in this book. He was an intriguing figure from the beginning. The way he carried himself in this plot with magical characters was entertaining. The romantic aspect of the story was interesting.
The story began with Selia having a crush on Damien and it ended with them in a relationship pretty quick. This was a little disappointing since Damien is shown as a person with an emotional past. I didn’t enjoy Selia constantly comparing herself to Damien‘s past and hoping to fill the role of a loved one.
This ended up becoming a poorly executed plot with much to develop. I’m looking forward to seeing how their story develops from here. Thank you to the author and BOMM for sending me the ARC to review.
Selia is a selkie who doesn’t remember her past. She gets help from her friend to perform the forbidden art of salt trance to get them back. This leads to the Order doing everything they can to stop them. Damien, a watercolor artist, is also interested in this magical world of fae and helps Selia in her search.
It felt like I was reading the middle of a series instead of the first book. We didn’t get any context behind Selia‘s friendship with the person helping her with her memories or the person helping her with information. Every detail as the story progressed kept adding to the confusion.
I wish there was more information about the art of salt trance, the artifacts, the significance of the memories and their powers. The whole book was a mess of plot points with no correlation between them. We learnt some details from Selia’s friends but that brought up more questions that ended up not answered.
“The time we waste comparing ourselves to others is time not spent expressing our feelings to those we love.”
Damien was an absolute gem of a character who kept me going in this book. He was an intriguing figure from the beginning. The way he carried himself in this plot with magical characters was entertaining. The romantic aspect of the story was interesting.
The story began with Selia having a crush on Damien and it ended with them in a relationship pretty quick. This was a little disappointing since Damien is shown as a person with an emotional past. I didn’t enjoy Selia constantly comparing herself to Damien‘s past and hoping to fill the role of a loved one.
This ended up becoming a poorly executed plot with much to develop. I’m looking forward to seeing how their story develops from here. Thank you to the author and BOMM for sending me the ARC to review.
June 26, 2023
The author was so kind and sent me an arc of this book!! It took me a few chapters to get fully immersed but once I did I really enjoyed it!! I enjoyed the myths and magic of the story, the locations that it took place in and the characters in the book!!! I loved Selia, Damien, and Henrietta!!! I really enjoyed the adventure that this book took me on and I’m excited to see what happens next for Selia!!
June 23, 2023
I was lucky enough to get this book as an ARC And wanted to thank the author Amanda for giving me the chance to read it.
I loved the concept of a little mermaid twist. I’m always obsessed with books about . I do feel like there should have been more descriptions into the backgrounds of the human and selkie worlds a bit more. It felt a bit confusing at times but it was mostly a really great read. The magic and intrigue kept me wanting more and I’m really excited to see what comes next from this author.
I loved the concept of a little mermaid twist. I’m always obsessed with books about . I do feel like there should have been more descriptions into the backgrounds of the human and selkie worlds a bit more. It felt a bit confusing at times but it was mostly a really great read. The magic and intrigue kept me wanting more and I’m really excited to see what comes next from this author.
July 21, 2023
I was lucky to receive an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review so shout out to Amanda Casey for letting me read it in advance!
Personally I really liked it and it enjoyed reading every minute of it. My only critiques would be that personally I felt the the relationship was a little rushed. I loved the characters and loved them together as a couple but I felt that with the pain in his past it would’ve taken them a little longer to get into a relationship. I also would’ve loved for some of the concepts (salt-trancing for example) to have had a little clearer descriptions so it was easier to follow. I love Celtic mythology and fantasy and really did enjoy the book! I would for sure read it again and am excited to see what happens in book two!!
Personally I really liked it and it enjoyed reading every minute of it. My only critiques would be that personally I felt the the relationship was a little rushed. I loved the characters and loved them together as a couple but I felt that with the pain in his past it would’ve taken them a little longer to get into a relationship. I also would’ve loved for some of the concepts (salt-trancing for example) to have had a little clearer descriptions so it was easier to follow. I love Celtic mythology and fantasy and really did enjoy the book! I would for sure read it again and am excited to see what happens in book two!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2023
I was an ARC reader for this book and the story had me so immersed in the magic and mystery of the sea and her creatures that I found it hard to put down. Add on visions of the beautiful Scottish countryside and a wonderful romance and this book checks all the boxes for a fully immersive and magical read.
July 20, 2023
I received this book as an ARC book. It was actually my first ever ARC read so I want to thank the author for giving me the opportunity as a newbie.
It was an absolutely fabulous book. I have not ready any Fantasy books so this was a first for me. After seeing the TikTok describing it as an Outlander meets Little Mermaid story I knew I had to give it a go! I was hooked from the beginning of her book the characters really pull you in and keep you wanting more. Her description of the Scottish Countryside was phenomenal and I could picture Auntie's cottage perfectly!
Henrietta had to be my favorite character. She was creative and mischievous and had me laughing several times throughout the book. Honestly I would read a whole book in Henrietta's POV!
The only thing I questioned was Damien and Selias relationship in the beginning. It felt like out of the blue (HAHA BLUE!) they were in a relationship with no real indicator of that happening. But hey maybe that was part of the selkie magic! ;) At the end of the day I absolutely adored both Damien and Selia and their adventures!
As a first time fantasy reader the author did a great job of explaining things in the novel so I as a beginner could wrap my head around it without making it over explained for those well versed in fantasy!
I would read this again and I cant wait to read book two of the Ocean Apothecary series!
It was an absolutely fabulous book. I have not ready any Fantasy books so this was a first for me. After seeing the TikTok describing it as an Outlander meets Little Mermaid story I knew I had to give it a go! I was hooked from the beginning of her book the characters really pull you in and keep you wanting more. Her description of the Scottish Countryside was phenomenal and I could picture Auntie's cottage perfectly!
Henrietta had to be my favorite character. She was creative and mischievous and had me laughing several times throughout the book. Honestly I would read a whole book in Henrietta's POV!
The only thing I questioned was Damien and Selias relationship in the beginning. It felt like out of the blue (HAHA BLUE!) they were in a relationship with no real indicator of that happening. But hey maybe that was part of the selkie magic! ;) At the end of the day I absolutely adored both Damien and Selia and their adventures!
As a first time fantasy reader the author did a great job of explaining things in the novel so I as a beginner could wrap my head around it without making it over explained for those well versed in fantasy!
I would read this again and I cant wait to read book two of the Ocean Apothecary series!
August 31, 2023
I was lucky enough to recieve an ARC of Blue Reflections in exchange for an honest review
*sigh* on paper this book was described as The Little Mermaid meets Outlander which would normally be exactly up my alley. However the execution I found to be severely lacking.
For starters, Selia, the FMC was so inconsequential in her own story I forgot she existed from time to time. It is alluded that she has a personality but I never saw it 😬, which drove me to find the relationship with the MMC completely unbelievable and not understanding at any point why they had an emotional connection.
I found there to be a lot of inconsistensies withing the story itself that made it a bit frustrating to read and left me not really knowing anything about the world, magic system or history.
*sigh* on paper this book was described as The Little Mermaid meets Outlander which would normally be exactly up my alley. However the execution I found to be severely lacking.
For starters, Selia, the FMC was so inconsequential in her own story I forgot she existed from time to time. It is alluded that she has a personality but I never saw it 😬, which drove me to find the relationship with the MMC completely unbelievable and not understanding at any point why they had an emotional connection.
I found there to be a lot of inconsistensies withing the story itself that made it a bit frustrating to read and left me not really knowing anything about the world, magic system or history.
November 2, 2023
"She gathered her salt skin, her cloak of moonlight"
First impression; Elegant, poetic descriptions that give a type of lyricism to the narrative that reflects the core of the story which is both myth and folklore. There is a crossover between Greek myth and Irish/ Scottish folklore that is interwoven beautifully and in context
The twists placing myth and legend into a modern context are well-constructed and Henrietta is a gem of a sidekick! While the book is advertised to be reminiscent of the Little Mermaid and Outlander, I have seen neither, but there is definitely a hint of Highlander and Hans Christian Andersons original tale
The dialogue between Selia and Damien is a great backbone to the narrative as it clarified a few points of confusion while keeping the flow engaging and fluid
I really enjoyed the different dynamics and especially the well defined characters. Casey's fantastic descriptive ability really rounds out the story, a 3d narrative if you will.
As much as I enjoyed Selia's quest and her slow-burn romance with her hazel-eyed Scottish painter, Henrietta's hi-jinx stole the show in part as a delightful comedy relief
The research into the juxtaposition between Scotland and Ireland, the landscape, geography, folklore and myths is clearly evident and utterly extensive as is demonstrated by the stunningly beautiful descriptions
The beauty of this story is that it is engaging, but also leaves you with questions and a hunger for more. As a fan of book series, this appeals to me and I will certainly be getting the prequel to help fill in some gaps. I am looking forward to seeing where this series goes in the future!
First impression; Elegant, poetic descriptions that give a type of lyricism to the narrative that reflects the core of the story which is both myth and folklore. There is a crossover between Greek myth and Irish/ Scottish folklore that is interwoven beautifully and in context
The twists placing myth and legend into a modern context are well-constructed and Henrietta is a gem of a sidekick! While the book is advertised to be reminiscent of the Little Mermaid and Outlander, I have seen neither, but there is definitely a hint of Highlander and Hans Christian Andersons original tale
The dialogue between Selia and Damien is a great backbone to the narrative as it clarified a few points of confusion while keeping the flow engaging and fluid
I really enjoyed the different dynamics and especially the well defined characters. Casey's fantastic descriptive ability really rounds out the story, a 3d narrative if you will.
As much as I enjoyed Selia's quest and her slow-burn romance with her hazel-eyed Scottish painter, Henrietta's hi-jinx stole the show in part as a delightful comedy relief
The research into the juxtaposition between Scotland and Ireland, the landscape, geography, folklore and myths is clearly evident and utterly extensive as is demonstrated by the stunningly beautiful descriptions
The beauty of this story is that it is engaging, but also leaves you with questions and a hunger for more. As a fan of book series, this appeals to me and I will certainly be getting the prequel to help fill in some gaps. I am looking forward to seeing where this series goes in the future!
June 8, 2023
I received an ARC copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
The book sounded intriguing and was described as Outlander meets Little Mermaid, and honestly it sounded like a dream mashup. But I was left missing details and really confused.
While I understand that Selia had amnesia, the reader doesn’t and we needed more details and even extra background chapters to tell us what was going on. Somehow Damien appears, there is salt trancing, magical creatures and a sassy hermit crab? They were all supposed to connect tougher but it felt forced. Selia and Damien seemed to be in love without actually being in love.
It was a whirlwind with no structure or telling the reader what was going on. I understand not wanting to share too many details so we are surprised and discovering the story along with Selia but I was extremely lost. The fae world itself was confusing as well. It was almost like we needed chapters from the ruling class to see things from their perspectives and why they chose the actions they did.
The story itself was fun but needed more development and needed to be slowed down. The romance felt too rushed. The fae world needed to be incorporated into the human world more and described more. The ending left me more confused then when it began and after letting the book sit for a few days, I’m still not sure what I read.
Amanda Casey has some truly interesting ideas, I just feel like this was a second or third draft and needed a few more before being released.
The book sounded intriguing and was described as Outlander meets Little Mermaid, and honestly it sounded like a dream mashup. But I was left missing details and really confused.
While I understand that Selia had amnesia, the reader doesn’t and we needed more details and even extra background chapters to tell us what was going on. Somehow Damien appears, there is salt trancing, magical creatures and a sassy hermit crab? They were all supposed to connect tougher but it felt forced. Selia and Damien seemed to be in love without actually being in love.
It was a whirlwind with no structure or telling the reader what was going on. I understand not wanting to share too many details so we are surprised and discovering the story along with Selia but I was extremely lost. The fae world itself was confusing as well. It was almost like we needed chapters from the ruling class to see things from their perspectives and why they chose the actions they did.
The story itself was fun but needed more development and needed to be slowed down. The romance felt too rushed. The fae world needed to be incorporated into the human world more and described more. The ending left me more confused then when it began and after letting the book sit for a few days, I’m still not sure what I read.
Amanda Casey has some truly interesting ideas, I just feel like this was a second or third draft and needed a few more before being released.
June 23, 2023
Blue Reflections by Amanda Casey is a quirky romantic fantasy that features selkies, fairies, and lost treasure. Woven within its pages are themes of grief and loss that the two main characters must overcome. Selia is a selkie who lost her memories a decade before, and Damien, her love interest, is a widower who lost his family around that same time.
The plot and writing in the book is somewhat off beat, but very fun. It’s a quick read that offers interesting characters and twists and turns along the way. I think my only complaint with the book as a whole was that at times it could be difficult to follow. This is most noticeable at the beginning where the author builds up the world of the book very quickly and mentions many things that happened prior to the start of the plot. It almost felt like there should have been a book prior to this one, and yet this is the first book of the series.
What I really loved about Blue Reflections were the characters and the love story between Selia and Damien. It’s a slow burn with light spice but lots of romance. They have a unique story that drew me in pretty quickly.
Overall I gave this book 3.5 out of 5 stars and 1.5 for spice. It’s a cute, quick read and definitely one to check out if you’re looking for something fun and different.
The plot and writing in the book is somewhat off beat, but very fun. It’s a quick read that offers interesting characters and twists and turns along the way. I think my only complaint with the book as a whole was that at times it could be difficult to follow. This is most noticeable at the beginning where the author builds up the world of the book very quickly and mentions many things that happened prior to the start of the plot. It almost felt like there should have been a book prior to this one, and yet this is the first book of the series.
What I really loved about Blue Reflections were the characters and the love story between Selia and Damien. It’s a slow burn with light spice but lots of romance. They have a unique story that drew me in pretty quickly.
Overall I gave this book 3.5 out of 5 stars and 1.5 for spice. It’s a cute, quick read and definitely one to check out if you’re looking for something fun and different.
June 22, 2023
3.5 stars!
Blue Reflections was quite different from anything I've ever read. It was an interesting read, that's for sure.
I absolutely loved getting lost in the Scottish highlands. The author did a great job painting the scenes in my mind. The characters were interesting and mysterious. We have our fmc Selia, who may or may not be a sea nymph and has no memory of her past. And then we have Damien, a charming artist who for the last 10 years has only been able to see one color - blue. It wouldn't be right if I didn't mention my favorite little creature, Henrietta, a sassy little hermit crab traveling with Selia.
This story was full of so much Scottish folklore, adventure, and mystery with some humor sprinkled in. It is a bit slow in the beginning, but it eventually picks up when they venture into Scotland. Then it becomes a quick read that is easy to get lost in.
The only problem I ever had is for a pretty good chunk of the book I felt a bit confused and/or like I didn't fully understand what was going on. Either way, I still enjoyed my read and am curious to see where things go in book two!
⚠️TW: Overcoming grief and loss on the name of love.⚠️
Blue Reflections was quite different from anything I've ever read. It was an interesting read, that's for sure.
I absolutely loved getting lost in the Scottish highlands. The author did a great job painting the scenes in my mind. The characters were interesting and mysterious. We have our fmc Selia, who may or may not be a sea nymph and has no memory of her past. And then we have Damien, a charming artist who for the last 10 years has only been able to see one color - blue. It wouldn't be right if I didn't mention my favorite little creature, Henrietta, a sassy little hermit crab traveling with Selia.
This story was full of so much Scottish folklore, adventure, and mystery with some humor sprinkled in. It is a bit slow in the beginning, but it eventually picks up when they venture into Scotland. Then it becomes a quick read that is easy to get lost in.
The only problem I ever had is for a pretty good chunk of the book I felt a bit confused and/or like I didn't fully understand what was going on. Either way, I still enjoyed my read and am curious to see where things go in book two!
⚠️TW: Overcoming grief and loss on the name of love.⚠️
May 27, 2023
I was an ARC reader for Blue Reflections by Amanda Casey. I’ve never read anything from Amanda before so I was skeptical as I am with any new authors I read for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The details are amazing especially of the Scottish countryside because it’s exactly how I imagined it to be (and yes I had to google to see if the details were truly accurate having never been to Scotland). Selia and Damien have a very unique relationship and although I found myself saying things like “umm yup shouldn’t have said that”, “no don’t go there it’s a bad idea” or “you messed things up before they could truly get started just by saying that.” My only complaint well more of a personal opinion, is at the end of the book I found myself wanting to know more and see how Damien would react and how he felt about certain good news. I can’t wait for book 2 to come out to see what happens and to truly be able to say if I’m a fan or not of Amanda Casey, because I don’t like to base my opinions off of only one book by an author. All and all I would say this is a great book to read if you enjoy magic, fae and ocean.
June 24, 2023
This had many fantasy and folklore elements that I have never read in a book before which was refreshing. This was the type of book that you have to just let it pull you in its own direction, but I can’t say I knew exactly what was going on some of the time. The main character, a sea nymph named Selia, is desperately trying to find the secrets to her past as well as the secrets behind the forbidden practice of salt trance and these secrets are slowly revealed as you (the reader) travel alongside her, and her artist love interest Damien.
The setting and feel of the book were the high points for me. Fans of a slow burn romance will appreciate Selia and Damien’s dynamic and once their feelings were revealed, I loved Damien’s infatuation with Selia.
There was a disconnect for me from understanding everything in the story which took some of the enjoyment, but I think the vision and originality are there.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are my own.
The setting and feel of the book were the high points for me. Fans of a slow burn romance will appreciate Selia and Damien’s dynamic and once their feelings were revealed, I loved Damien’s infatuation with Selia.
There was a disconnect for me from understanding everything in the story which took some of the enjoyment, but I think the vision and originality are there.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are my own.
May 30, 2023
Blue Reflections was a very unique read! I enjoyed the Scottish folklore aspect to the story. I also really enjoyed the new and different magic system, but I wish it had been explained a bit more. I still don’t quite understand how the moon magic works. I am hoping this will be explained better in the second book.
Damien and Selia’s relationship felt a little too fast paced for me. It seemed as if they went from not knowing each other, to practically living together and saying I love you within a couple weeks. I did enjoy them together though, and I am looking forward to seeing where their relationship goes!
This book covers the difficult topics of grief and loss very well. It realistically portrayed finding love again after a devastating loss. This aspect of the book was written very well in my opinion. Overall this was a good read, and I will be continuing with the series!
Damien and Selia’s relationship felt a little too fast paced for me. It seemed as if they went from not knowing each other, to practically living together and saying I love you within a couple weeks. I did enjoy them together though, and I am looking forward to seeing where their relationship goes!
This book covers the difficult topics of grief and loss very well. It realistically portrayed finding love again after a devastating loss. This aspect of the book was written very well in my opinion. Overall this was a good read, and I will be continuing with the series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2023
So I want to start off saying I really wanted to like this book- but ultimately I was left disappointed.
I felt like much of the story was under explained, at times I was left confused , as well I really had to push myself to finish.
We start off in the middle of a romance between the FMC and MMC which for the beginning of a series would have been nice to first experience them meeting. Though in this story is when they start to get to actually know each other - which personally i felt happened so fast in the oddest ways. At times I felt some chemistry between them only for it to then to move to a new scene.
I also found myself getting very frustrated with the FMC, for someone who is suppose to be so old in a sense - anemia aside- she acted wildly immature and illogical at times.
Much of her problems were quickly and magically solved without full explanation.
Throughout reading I kept questioning where exactly the story was going. Overall I felt like there was a lot of potential, I don’t think Ill be picking up the next in the series unfortunately.
I felt like much of the story was under explained, at times I was left confused , as well I really had to push myself to finish.
We start off in the middle of a romance between the FMC and MMC which for the beginning of a series would have been nice to first experience them meeting. Though in this story is when they start to get to actually know each other - which personally i felt happened so fast in the oddest ways. At times I felt some chemistry between them only for it to then to move to a new scene.
I also found myself getting very frustrated with the FMC, for someone who is suppose to be so old in a sense - anemia aside- she acted wildly immature and illogical at times.
Much of her problems were quickly and magically solved without full explanation.
Throughout reading I kept questioning where exactly the story was going. Overall I felt like there was a lot of potential, I don’t think Ill be picking up the next in the series unfortunately.
June 23, 2023
3.5 stars
I was confused for most of the book as to what the book was really about, memory loss, loss of the heart, and finding out about folklore?
Selia has no memories from before the last ten years, which happens to coincide with when Damien lost his family. They happened to meet off the page in Scotland, and she had one of his paintings where she works at the Lovre.
I did like the premise that she might be a sea nymph and doesn't remember, especially with the salt nodes behind her ears. I also liked the pairing of her with Damien.
The story was slow in the beginning and began to pick up about halfway through the book. I'm still not sure what to think of Diedre with her messages, but it will be interesting to see what happens in book two if the author is able to bring everything together.
I was confused for most of the book as to what the book was really about, memory loss, loss of the heart, and finding out about folklore?
Selia has no memories from before the last ten years, which happens to coincide with when Damien lost his family. They happened to meet off the page in Scotland, and she had one of his paintings where she works at the Lovre.
I did like the premise that she might be a sea nymph and doesn't remember, especially with the salt nodes behind her ears. I also liked the pairing of her with Damien.
The story was slow in the beginning and began to pick up about halfway through the book. I'm still not sure what to think of Diedre with her messages, but it will be interesting to see what happens in book two if the author is able to bring everything together.
January 17, 2024
Blue Reflections is an exciting fairytale fantasy and a heartwarming love story all at the same time. Coming from an Irish and Scottish family it was fun to read a book that had so much lore, folktales, and mythology. While I wouldn’t say there was specific lore I could pick out my family absolutely blamed inconveniences on the fae which was an occurrence in the book that warmed my heart. The selkie storyline and imagery felt like a grownup little mermaid, but not as dark as the original non mouse version. The story perfectly juxtaposed classical fairytale fae elements in the modern world. There are so many scenes and elements that I want to share as specific examples of how amazing this book and author are but I absolutely will not spoil anyone’s reading experience. This book is truly amazing and I can’t wait for book two to release.
May 18, 2023
I was not sure what I was getting into with this story, the teaser sparked my interest. Following a young woman who had a mystery illness, mysterious artifacts, and a sea witch. Did I mention Mythical creatures living side by side in secret with humans? It's like the book for adults that as a child secretly wished they are merfolk. There is time travel, magic, intrigue, morally greys you want and shouldn't, and sweet painters you should cheer for. Secret sects, and possibility of corrupted magic. Reality to fantasy is definingly well balanced. I never once felt like lost in the events. I want to know more about the men's backstories, there has to be a more in depth tie in. So lets get those next books...I want mooorrreeee. Also, I can never look at a hermit crab now without wondering. Great first in a series. Fun, and very fast read.
July 20, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. I read it as an arc and life just got in the way and kept me from posting this but I loved this book so much I’ve read it twice!! It’s such a fun read. Mystery and magic and the characters are so much fun. I loved Selia so so much but my favorite character was Henrietta. She is such a little shenanigator. Always made me laugh through the whole book. That little thing has so much personality it was hard to stop reading lol this book I believe is supposed to be a trilogy and I can’t wait for the rest. I wouldn’t say I was engrossed in this world but I’m definitely invested and can’t wait to see what’s waiting in the next books. Kept me guessing through the whole book. I’ve recommended this book to a few people.
May 16, 2023
Blue Reflections by Amanda Casey is a mesmerizing fantasy novel that tells the tale of Selia, a sea nymph with a forgotten past, and Damien Malloch, a watercolor artist who paints in only one color. When they begin to see mysterious blue reflections, they're unsure if they can trust each other or their visions. The book is full of adventure, suspense, and romance, with Scotland's faerie gardens and seaside pubs as the backdrop. Casey's prose is whimsical, and her characters are well-developed and relatable. The plot is intricate and engaging, with surprising twists and turns that keep readers on their toes until the very end. Blue Reflections is a must-read for any fan of fairytales and romance.
June 23, 2023
I was fortunate to receive an ARC copy of this book and this is my first time reading and reviewing a novel before it’s release date! Thank you Amanda!
I love the characters and the setting. What I would like to see in the next book in the series is more detailed world building, especially regarding the magic system used by the FMC. I can tell the author was so excited to get her ideas out on paper, but the scenes and plot felt very rushed early on in the book. The writing improved greatly towards the last third of the book, and I hope Amanda will give us all the juicy details and flesh out the story for us in book 2!!
I love the characters and the setting. What I would like to see in the next book in the series is more detailed world building, especially regarding the magic system used by the FMC. I can tell the author was so excited to get her ideas out on paper, but the scenes and plot felt very rushed early on in the book. The writing improved greatly towards the last third of the book, and I hope Amanda will give us all the juicy details and flesh out the story for us in book 2!!
September 1, 2023
This is a magical tale of a selkie who goes on an adventure to find out about her life . She meets this beautiful Scottish man who is a painter. They have feelings for each other which grow more as they investigate Selia the selkie past. While in Scotland the discover this world that selia was unaware of. it makes selia and her love go on a wild goose chase throughout the countryside. It has some romance, a lot of beautiful magic along with a weird hippy grandma who believes in the old ways and magical crab who always in trouble. I love the writing tremendously and this was a four star for me
June 18, 2023
I loved it she did a fantastic job writing this, she pulls in from the first page and has your attention for the whole book. I recommend it to anyone who loves a good mermaid story. You know a book is so good that you end up ordering the physical copy of a book before getting halfway into the book. It gives the little mermaid meets the Highlander vibes. Love that it kept me guessing! I can’t wait for the next book to see what’s going to happen next! Now on to the prequel! I can’t get enough of this world!
I had the pleasure of reading Blue Reflections as an ARC reader.
I had the pleasure of reading Blue Reflections as an ARC reader.
June 7, 2023
This was an overall good story, but it was just a VERY slow read. It did not pick up until I was about 60% of the way through the story. I can normally read pretty quickly but this took me longer to get through cause I was having trouble getting into it. Even with that said, I will have to read the next book, I need to know what is going to happen with Selia and Damien. Also, Amy is definitely hiding something and I need to know what it is!
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