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The Singer Tales #2
Song of the Sea
Sometimes the death of your greatest dream is only the beginning…
Princess Estelle has never been happy in her father’s underwater empire, although she’s ready to do her duty—marry at fifteen and pass her three hundred years in service to family and empire. But when she’s finally allowed to ascend to the surface and catches sight of a handsome human prince, a different—and altogether dangerous—dream starts to grow in her heart.
Demetrius is a merman with one ambition—to earn a place in the emperor’s royal guard. Emotion plays no role in his duty, and Princess Estelle is not strictly under his care. So why does it make him so uncomfortable to see her pain, and why does he allow himself to get caught up in her desperate bargain to win the human prince?
Only, once on land, Estelle finds that neither her plans nor her heart are as much in her control as she thought. Prince Farrin’s dramatic disappearance should shatter her world. Instead, it’s the beginning of a whole new life—one that’s both simpler and happier than the opulence of her underwater palace. But when the prince returns, it’s time to pay the price for her happiness. The bargain she made now threatens to consume both land and sea—and even with Demetrius’s help, the cost of saving her world may be too terrible to be paid.
Song of the Sea is the second installment in The Singer Tales, a series of interconnected standalone novels set on the continent of Providore, where magic is harnessed by singers. Each story follows a different heroine navigating everything from miniature elves to brutish giants as she chases her own happily ever after. If you enjoy strong heroines, clean romance, and fantasy worlds with a dash of intrigue, discover the world of The Singer Tales today.
Princess Estelle has never been happy in her father’s underwater empire, although she’s ready to do her duty—marry at fifteen and pass her three hundred years in service to family and empire. But when she’s finally allowed to ascend to the surface and catches sight of a handsome human prince, a different—and altogether dangerous—dream starts to grow in her heart.
Demetrius is a merman with one ambition—to earn a place in the emperor’s royal guard. Emotion plays no role in his duty, and Princess Estelle is not strictly under his care. So why does it make him so uncomfortable to see her pain, and why does he allow himself to get caught up in her desperate bargain to win the human prince?
Only, once on land, Estelle finds that neither her plans nor her heart are as much in her control as she thought. Prince Farrin’s dramatic disappearance should shatter her world. Instead, it’s the beginning of a whole new life—one that’s both simpler and happier than the opulence of her underwater palace. But when the prince returns, it’s time to pay the price for her happiness. The bargain she made now threatens to consume both land and sea—and even with Demetrius’s help, the cost of saving her world may be too terrible to be paid.
Song of the Sea is the second installment in The Singer Tales, a series of interconnected standalone novels set on the continent of Providore, where magic is harnessed by singers. Each story follows a different heroine navigating everything from miniature elves to brutish giants as she chases her own happily ever after. If you enjoy strong heroines, clean romance, and fantasy worlds with a dash of intrigue, discover the world of The Singer Tales today.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 24, 2023
87 people are currently reading
391 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Grace White
44 books359 followersDeborah Grace White was more or less born reading. She grew up on a wide range of books, from classic literature to light-hearted romps. Her love of fantasy was inevitable from the time her father read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy to her and her siblings when she was four years old.
The love of reading has traveled with her unchanged across multiple continents, and carried her from her own childhood all the way to having children of her own.
But if reading is like looking through a window into a magical and beautiful world, beginning to write her own stories was like discovering she could open that window and climb right out into fantasyland.
Now she gets to live that childhood dream amidst the fun and chaos of life with her husband and their four kids.
Visit Deborah at her website: http://deborahgracewhite.com
Or follow her on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/DeborahGrace...
Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deborahgrac...
The love of reading has traveled with her unchanged across multiple continents, and carried her from her own childhood all the way to having children of her own.
But if reading is like looking through a window into a magical and beautiful world, beginning to write her own stories was like discovering she could open that window and climb right out into fantasyland.
Now she gets to live that childhood dream amidst the fun and chaos of life with her husband and their four kids.
Visit Deborah at her website: http://deborahgracewhite.com
Or follow her on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/DeborahGrace...
Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/deborahgrac...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
January 5, 2025
3.5 stars ✨ Clean Fiction - Fairytale Retelling
Let’s appreciate that cover first, yes?? Stunning. 😍
After reading the first book, I decided to dive in (pun intended 😁) to this next book as I was curious how it would be, as I expected it to be Emmett’s (Farrin’s brother’s) story. We barely saw him, actually, and his story will be later on in the series.
I always think mermaid stories are interesting because every author does them differently. What the merfolk eat (either seafood or not), wear, if sea creatures are their pets, etc. I do have to note that I found the mermaid fertility thing…odd. Interesting in a way? But weird and I was very confused why that was a thing. It didn’t really make sense to me expect to highlight another example of how merfolk and humans are different.
Half this book is set prior to Book 1 in the series and then it has a time skip to 2.5 years later, after the events in the first book. So I waited 232 Kindle pages for the scene I’ve been anticipating—Farrin reunited with his family! Great news for his family, but bad news that he’s getting married to Bianca when Estelle’s life is tied to that. And Demetrius’ as well. 😅
After the time skip, it did feel like Demetrius went “oh my gosh, I love Estelle” a little too soon in my opinion, but they’ve been landlocked for the last 2.5 years together, so I guess it made sense for the timing. But I wasn’t there for it so maybe I’m just a little bitter about it, haha. 😂
I really felt for Estelle and while I could see why so many in her family called her foolish, they really set her up by keeping things from her. I would have preferred waaaaay more groveling from her father at the end, but oh well.
That said, I quite liked how the ending worked out for the two of them, quite indeed. I didn’t fully understand the magic in the sea and how it was different from land magic. The characters understood, so I just went with it and trusted them! 🤪
The bonus chapter in the queen’s POV (Farrin’s mom) makes me more excited for Emmett’s story, the fourth book. But I suppose I ought to read the third book before then. 😉
Main Content-
Magic under the sea is different from on land as it cannot affect things outside of its realm; Merfolk sing often to keep predators away, help plants/coral grow, using the water currents as messengers, and checking if an area is safe; All merfolk have a power to their voice to call on the magic of the sea, but royalty’s power is stronger; Estelle goes to the Ocean Miner to receive a talisman to go on land (the Ocean Miner is an old mermaid that mines magic from the bottom of the ocean).
Mentions of giants & elves; Mentions of sirens and mermaids being legends to humans; Mentions of talismans, magic, mining magic, and bargains/deals that are enforced with magic; A few mentions of sirens being said to lure humans to their deaths; A couple mentions of a possible curse; A mention of fate not doing something for someone.
Being attacked/fighting back, Pain, Injuries, Stabbing someone, & Blood/Bleeding (up to a few sentences); Seeing a human almost drown & rescuing him; Seeing a man who fell and hit his head (and died); Seeing another death (attacked/murder, but also self-defense, up to a few sentences).
No major cursing, instead some phrases like “thank the tides”, “why in the seas”, “no way in the ocean”, and “tides above” are said; Other words like “blasted” and “stupid” are said, but nothing stronger; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
The catch to Estelle’s talisman from the Ocean Miner is that if the human marries another, she will die by dawn of the following morning; *Spoiler* .
Estelle’s father belittles and verbally hurts her & they have a very strained relationship (we see him belittling her and calling her a burden on-page as well; It’s well-known that he wanted a son and not another daughter); Estelle thinks of herself as a disappointment to her father, a freak in the merfolk kingdom (her sister later tells her she is not a freak when Estelle says it again), and that her life in the sea is barely worth living; Most merfolk believe humans to be inferior to them (later, Estelle is hurt to think that her family wouldn’t think of killing a human unlike killing a fish); Estelle doesn’t think her family will miss her.
Mentions of deaths (including drownings), possibly deaths, grief, & guilt (Estelle feels guilt that she could have been the reason why Farrin disappeared); Mentions of shipwrecks & being thrown off a ship, & it being possible that someone was pushed off a ship and sacrificed to the ocean; Mentions of injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of poison & someone near death; Mentions of criminals, black markets, & illegal goods; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of stealing & being robbed; A few mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of the possibility of a mermaid being caught in fishermen’s nets or speared by a whaler; A mention of going to a tavern for a drink.
1 head kiss,
1 kiss lasting a couple sentences,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences,
Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Flutters (up to a couple sentences); Noticing & Staring (light including Estelle thinking a human boy is handsome, up to a couple sentences); Blushes.
Like the classic Little Mermaid story, Estelle believes herself to be in love with a human; When she and Demetrius transform into humans, they are both uncovered (they do not see the other and a human man looks away from Estelle after she tries to drape seaweed to cover herself); There’s later a mention of a rumor that Estelle shed her clothing in order to gain more attention; A man comments on Estelle’s trim figure and another man says it’s better she’s not a fine lady (implying wanting to dally with her).
Mermaids are expected to marry at fifteen as that’s when their fertility starts and they are fertile once every ten years for sixty years (they live for three hundred years); Estelle is expected to marry and have her first child soon or she will miss her first fertility cycle and have to wait until she is twenty-five; Mermen aren’t affected by this and typically don’t have their first child until ages 20-25+; Estelle comments “But there isn’t a great deal to get excited about, is there? I mean, a political marriage at fifteen, then five decades of pressure to produce heirs for your husband, then another two hundred years of everything the same, but no one having any use for you since you have nothing more to contribute.”; A couple mentions of human fertility being different & Estelle commenting on how nice it must be to have close-age siblings.
Mentions of flirting; A few mentions of mooning; A couple mentions of jealousy.
Let’s appreciate that cover first, yes?? Stunning. 😍
After reading the first book, I decided to dive in (pun intended 😁) to this next book as I was curious how it would be, as I expected it to be Emmett’s (Farrin’s brother’s) story. We barely saw him, actually, and his story will be later on in the series.
I always think mermaid stories are interesting because every author does them differently. What the merfolk eat (either seafood or not), wear, if sea creatures are their pets, etc. I do have to note that I found the mermaid fertility thing…odd. Interesting in a way? But weird and I was very confused why that was a thing. It didn’t really make sense to me expect to highlight another example of how merfolk and humans are different.
Half this book is set prior to Book 1 in the series and then it has a time skip to 2.5 years later, after the events in the first book. So I waited 232 Kindle pages for the scene I’ve been anticipating—Farrin reunited with his family! Great news for his family, but bad news that he’s getting married to Bianca when Estelle’s life is tied to that. And Demetrius’ as well. 😅
After the time skip, it did feel like Demetrius went “oh my gosh, I love Estelle” a little too soon in my opinion, but they’ve been landlocked for the last 2.5 years together, so I guess it made sense for the timing. But I wasn’t there for it so maybe I’m just a little bitter about it, haha. 😂
I really felt for Estelle and while I could see why so many in her family called her foolish, they really set her up by keeping things from her. I would have preferred waaaaay more groveling from her father at the end, but oh well.
That said, I quite liked how the ending worked out for the two of them, quite indeed. I didn’t fully understand the magic in the sea and how it was different from land magic. The characters understood, so I just went with it and trusted them! 🤪
The bonus chapter in the queen’s POV (Farrin’s mom) makes me more excited for Emmett’s story, the fourth book. But I suppose I ought to read the third book before then. 😉
Main Content-
Magic under the sea is different from on land as it cannot affect things outside of its realm; Merfolk sing often to keep predators away, help plants/coral grow, using the water currents as messengers, and checking if an area is safe; All merfolk have a power to their voice to call on the magic of the sea, but royalty’s power is stronger; Estelle goes to the Ocean Miner to receive a talisman to go on land (the Ocean Miner is an old mermaid that mines magic from the bottom of the ocean).
Mentions of giants & elves; Mentions of sirens and mermaids being legends to humans; Mentions of talismans, magic, mining magic, and bargains/deals that are enforced with magic; A few mentions of sirens being said to lure humans to their deaths; A couple mentions of a possible curse; A mention of fate not doing something for someone.
Being attacked/fighting back, Pain, Injuries, Stabbing someone, & Blood/Bleeding (up to a few sentences); Seeing a human almost drown & rescuing him; Seeing a man who fell and hit his head (and died); Seeing another death (attacked/murder, but also self-defense, up to a few sentences).
No major cursing, instead some phrases like “thank the tides”, “why in the seas”, “no way in the ocean”, and “tides above” are said; Other words like “blasted” and “stupid” are said, but nothing stronger; Eye rolling & Sarcasm.
The catch to Estelle’s talisman from the Ocean Miner is that if the human marries another, she will die by dawn of the following morning; *Spoiler* .
Estelle’s father belittles and verbally hurts her & they have a very strained relationship (we see him belittling her and calling her a burden on-page as well; It’s well-known that he wanted a son and not another daughter); Estelle thinks of herself as a disappointment to her father, a freak in the merfolk kingdom (her sister later tells her she is not a freak when Estelle says it again), and that her life in the sea is barely worth living; Most merfolk believe humans to be inferior to them (later, Estelle is hurt to think that her family wouldn’t think of killing a human unlike killing a fish); Estelle doesn’t think her family will miss her.
Mentions of deaths (including drownings), possibly deaths, grief, & guilt (Estelle feels guilt that she could have been the reason why Farrin disappeared); Mentions of shipwrecks & being thrown off a ship, & it being possible that someone was pushed off a ship and sacrificed to the ocean; Mentions of injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of poison & someone near death; Mentions of criminals, black markets, & illegal goods; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of stealing & being robbed; A few mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of the possibility of a mermaid being caught in fishermen’s nets or speared by a whaler; A mention of going to a tavern for a drink.
1 head kiss,
1 kiss lasting a couple sentences,
1 kiss lasting a few sentences,
Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Flutters (up to a couple sentences); Noticing & Staring (light including Estelle thinking a human boy is handsome, up to a couple sentences); Blushes.
Like the classic Little Mermaid story, Estelle believes herself to be in love with a human; When she and Demetrius transform into humans, they are both uncovered (they do not see the other and a human man looks away from Estelle after she tries to drape seaweed to cover herself); There’s later a mention of a rumor that Estelle shed her clothing in order to gain more attention; A man comments on Estelle’s trim figure and another man says it’s better she’s not a fine lady (implying wanting to dally with her).
Mermaids are expected to marry at fifteen as that’s when their fertility starts and they are fertile once every ten years for sixty years (they live for three hundred years); Estelle is expected to marry and have her first child soon or she will miss her first fertility cycle and have to wait until she is twenty-five; Mermen aren’t affected by this and typically don’t have their first child until ages 20-25+; Estelle comments “But there isn’t a great deal to get excited about, is there? I mean, a political marriage at fifteen, then five decades of pressure to produce heirs for your husband, then another two hundred years of everything the same, but no one having any use for you since you have nothing more to contribute.”; A couple mentions of human fertility being different & Estelle commenting on how nice it must be to have close-age siblings.
Mentions of flirting; A few mentions of mooning; A couple mentions of jealousy.
February 28, 2023
I used to dislike Little Mermaid retellings. It turns out, I just needed to find the right Little Mermaid retellings.
This one is adorable. The author does a great job of balancing a Little Mermaid character who is rebellious and makes immature choices with a dad who is truly overbearing and in the wrong. It is a bad situation all around, and the author makes that very clear, which I appreciated. The leading lady also gets a chance to mature and grow and reflect on her bad choices, which was a nice touch.
And her leading man was NOT who you would expect, and he was an AMAZING male lead. So self-sacrificial, yet he had learning and growing to do as well.
Also, I really liked how close this stuck to the original Little Mermaid story rather than going the Disneyfied route, and it made the story feel very fresh and new.
If you haven't picked up fairy tales by Deborah Grace White yet, what are you waiting for? She is quickly proving to be among the top, sweet fairy tale retelling authors!
This one is adorable. The author does a great job of balancing a Little Mermaid character who is rebellious and makes immature choices with a dad who is truly overbearing and in the wrong. It is a bad situation all around, and the author makes that very clear, which I appreciated. The leading lady also gets a chance to mature and grow and reflect on her bad choices, which was a nice touch.
And her leading man was NOT who you would expect, and he was an AMAZING male lead. So self-sacrificial, yet he had learning and growing to do as well.
Also, I really liked how close this stuck to the original Little Mermaid story rather than going the Disneyfied route, and it made the story feel very fresh and new.
If you haven't picked up fairy tales by Deborah Grace White yet, what are you waiting for? She is quickly proving to be among the top, sweet fairy tale retelling authors!
September 30, 2024
A bit too mushy at the end, but I love this Little Mermaid retelling with a horrible father and a little princess you can really root for. Full thoughts will be in my end of the month BookTube wrap up
March 3, 2023
Deborah Grace White is the author of my current favorite mermaid series, The Vazula Chronicles. To say I was eager to read her new retelling of "The Little Mermaid" would be an understatement, especially after having thoroughly enjoyed Song of Ebony, which was a fun and creative retelling of "Snow White" and the prequel to this latest book. Though Song of the Sea did not contain any references to the Vazula Chronicles aside from a few similar themes, Deborah Grace White did what she does best and created an entirely new and fleshed out world of mermaids, magic, and romance. I'm really excited to read more books from this series, which focuses on magical singing.
Song of the Sea does an amazing job of bringing in elements from the original Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale while adding just enough new ones to keep its readers guessing. I appreciate that it didn't include any blatant references to the Disney movie and instead created its own compelling adaptation. Like the character from the fairy tale, Estelle is supposed to be able to visit the surface world for the first time when she turns 15 in a coming-of-age ceremony called an ascension that all of her sisters had already experienced. However, her father, Emperor Aefic, delayed her ascension indefinitely and refuses to tell her why. Instead of making her lose interest in the human world like he hopes, this only makes Estelle more curious and eager to leave her elaborate undersea prison. With the help of her sisters, Estelle's father reluctantly agrees to let her have her ascension but refuses to let her visit the surface again afterward. Like that's going to stop her.
Anyone who is familiar with Deborah Grace White's writing style knows that she likes to alternate perspectives between the two main love interests in her books. The way this book is written gives away the fact that Prince Farrin, the human who Estelle rescues from a ship wreck, does not wind up being her true love. Then again, that would already be obvious to anyone who read his story in Song of Ebony, which takes place in the middle of this book. Half of this book is written from the perspective of Demetrius, a merman on the royal guard who winds up inadvertently trailing Estelle on her adventures. He's a great new addition to the story that opens up more options for her to have a happy ending. He reminds me of Erebus, one of my favorite characters from the Filipino mermaid series, Dyesebel, who loves Dyesebel so much that he ends up sacrificing himself for her happiness. When Estelle makes a deal with the sea witch to risk her life on land, Demetrius follows her and ties his fate to hers so he can protect her.
I love how this story points out the flaws of the original Little Mermaid's decision without being overly critical. She spends a lot of time talking to Demetrius about why she needs to get away from her overbearing father and doesn't mind giving up her voice, but also how she didn't consider the way it might affect those who cared about her. The Sea Witch in this version of the story is referred to as the Ocean Miner, and like most adaptations, she is evil. An overarching theme in the Singer Tales series is that singing is magical. The Ocean Miner wants to possess Estelle's voice for the power it contains. Estelle bargains to get the Ocean Miner's voice in exchange for her own, but it is such agony for her to use it on land that she ends up being more or less mute anyway. It's mostly thanks to Demetrius's interference that she is able to communicate with the staff in Farrin's castle and make a living for herself, which eventually makes her realize that she actually cared more about her freedom on land than she did about marrying Prince Farrin.
Song of the Sea is a beautiful and faithful retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" that explores all of the characters' motivations and the ramifications of their actions while providing an alternate route to a happy ending that is different from the common approach that the Disney movie or even the Saban series took. I'm really enjoying the Singer Tales so far and find it a thoroughly enchanting series of fairy tale retellings for contemporary readers. If you enjoyed this book, I definitely recommend checking The Vazula Chronicles, which are written by the same author. That series presents a even more extensive underwater world with another touching romance between a human and a mermaid.
Song of the Sea does an amazing job of bringing in elements from the original Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale while adding just enough new ones to keep its readers guessing. I appreciate that it didn't include any blatant references to the Disney movie and instead created its own compelling adaptation. Like the character from the fairy tale, Estelle is supposed to be able to visit the surface world for the first time when she turns 15 in a coming-of-age ceremony called an ascension that all of her sisters had already experienced. However, her father, Emperor Aefic, delayed her ascension indefinitely and refuses to tell her why. Instead of making her lose interest in the human world like he hopes, this only makes Estelle more curious and eager to leave her elaborate undersea prison. With the help of her sisters, Estelle's father reluctantly agrees to let her have her ascension but refuses to let her visit the surface again afterward. Like that's going to stop her.
Anyone who is familiar with Deborah Grace White's writing style knows that she likes to alternate perspectives between the two main love interests in her books. The way this book is written gives away the fact that Prince Farrin, the human who Estelle rescues from a ship wreck, does not wind up being her true love. Then again, that would already be obvious to anyone who read his story in Song of Ebony, which takes place in the middle of this book. Half of this book is written from the perspective of Demetrius, a merman on the royal guard who winds up inadvertently trailing Estelle on her adventures. He's a great new addition to the story that opens up more options for her to have a happy ending. He reminds me of Erebus, one of my favorite characters from the Filipino mermaid series, Dyesebel, who loves Dyesebel so much that he ends up sacrificing himself for her happiness. When Estelle makes a deal with the sea witch to risk her life on land, Demetrius follows her and ties his fate to hers so he can protect her.
I love how this story points out the flaws of the original Little Mermaid's decision without being overly critical. She spends a lot of time talking to Demetrius about why she needs to get away from her overbearing father and doesn't mind giving up her voice, but also how she didn't consider the way it might affect those who cared about her. The Sea Witch in this version of the story is referred to as the Ocean Miner, and like most adaptations, she is evil. An overarching theme in the Singer Tales series is that singing is magical. The Ocean Miner wants to possess Estelle's voice for the power it contains. Estelle bargains to get the Ocean Miner's voice in exchange for her own, but it is such agony for her to use it on land that she ends up being more or less mute anyway. It's mostly thanks to Demetrius's interference that she is able to communicate with the staff in Farrin's castle and make a living for herself, which eventually makes her realize that she actually cared more about her freedom on land than she did about marrying Prince Farrin.
Song of the Sea is a beautiful and faithful retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" that explores all of the characters' motivations and the ramifications of their actions while providing an alternate route to a happy ending that is different from the common approach that the Disney movie or even the Saban series took. I'm really enjoying the Singer Tales so far and find it a thoroughly enchanting series of fairy tale retellings for contemporary readers. If you enjoyed this book, I definitely recommend checking The Vazula Chronicles, which are written by the same author. That series presents a even more extensive underwater world with another touching romance between a human and a mermaid.
October 18, 2025
I didn't care a whole lot for the first book in the series, but since I've had good experiences with White's books in the past I wanted to give this series a second chance.
I found the relationship between D and E to be sadly underdeveloped. Estelle doesn't really treat him well for most of the book and we have a time jump of 2.5 years where we miss the relationship develop into something romantic. Honestly a lot of the stuff after that jump was boring. Here's Estelle gardening. Here's Estelle dancing. Here's Demetrius having a crisis about his feelings.
The confrontation with the villain was pretty quick and simple. Besides a pathetic attempt within 5 mins of them hitting shore at an assassination, we don't see any real problems for our heroes to overcome or have the antagonist try and stop them.
Did the Miner wait 2.5 years to start terrorizing the undersea world? If she waited, why? If it's been going on for years that's a long time for her to not achieve her goal and for the merpeople to hold out that long.
I was annoyed that Estelle is like oh I saw someone once and I LURVE him(which is inline with most LM stories) and really only says later, "Well it turns out he WAS a nice guy." I'm like... chances were just as good he wouldn't be a good guy. Also, every human they meet is nice(besides the 2 min assassin) and every mer is either bad or so flawed that Estelle doesn't even care about them. It's too black and white. Estelle doesn't miss ANYTHING about the sea or being mer. She's mad at her family for not reaching out to her(Despite the fact they can't talk out of water and she can't talk underwater) even though she LEFT without saying goodbye, leaving a message(i get they can't write, but there was something she could've done), considering how the people she left might feel, or trying to contact THEM after she left. Phone goes both ways as they say.
Overall I just did not like Estelle and I could've liked Demetrius if his character hadn't been so "whatever I can do to help Estelle". She doesn't consider him when she goes to shore, threatens to reveal he went with her the first time to protect her if he says anything after that, continues to go to shore even though she can laze about all day and D has to work and then babysit her. Doesn't listen to him about the Miner, because yes, she actually is foolish and childish. She doesn't consider that he was happy with his life as a mer or that he left a family he loved behind.
It's the story of one selfish mermaid who makes a lot of dumb choices but hey, it works out for her. And a merman who's got not agency besides that of a babysitter.
I found the relationship between D and E to be sadly underdeveloped. Estelle doesn't really treat him well for most of the book and we have a time jump of 2.5 years where we miss the relationship develop into something romantic. Honestly a lot of the stuff after that jump was boring. Here's Estelle gardening. Here's Estelle dancing. Here's Demetrius having a crisis about his feelings.
The confrontation with the villain was pretty quick and simple. Besides a pathetic attempt within 5 mins of them hitting shore at an assassination, we don't see any real problems for our heroes to overcome or have the antagonist try and stop them.
Did the Miner wait 2.5 years to start terrorizing the undersea world? If she waited, why? If it's been going on for years that's a long time for her to not achieve her goal and for the merpeople to hold out that long.
I was annoyed that Estelle is like oh I saw someone once and I LURVE him(which is inline with most LM stories) and really only says later, "Well it turns out he WAS a nice guy." I'm like... chances were just as good he wouldn't be a good guy. Also, every human they meet is nice(besides the 2 min assassin) and every mer is either bad or so flawed that Estelle doesn't even care about them. It's too black and white. Estelle doesn't miss ANYTHING about the sea or being mer. She's mad at her family for not reaching out to her(Despite the fact they can't talk out of water and she can't talk underwater) even though she LEFT without saying goodbye, leaving a message(i get they can't write, but there was something she could've done), considering how the people she left might feel, or trying to contact THEM after she left. Phone goes both ways as they say.
Overall I just did not like Estelle and I could've liked Demetrius if his character hadn't been so "whatever I can do to help Estelle". She doesn't consider him when she goes to shore, threatens to reveal he went with her the first time to protect her if he says anything after that, continues to go to shore even though she can laze about all day and D has to work and then babysit her. Doesn't listen to him about the Miner, because yes, she actually is foolish and childish. She doesn't consider that he was happy with his life as a mer or that he left a family he loved behind.
It's the story of one selfish mermaid who makes a lot of dumb choices but hey, it works out for her. And a merman who's got not agency besides that of a babysitter.
August 28, 2023
Foolish and Error Filled
This book was disappointing. I actually did not finish on my first attempt. After reading and generally enjoying Song of Ebony, I was interested to see how that story continued here and gave this book another chance.
Estelle was incredibly foolish and barely improved throughout the story, even after a 2-3 year time jump. Demetrius had some common sense, but apparently that lessens as blind devotion to Estelle's "perfection" overcame him. I tend to like friend to lover type stories, but this book skipped most of that in favor of sudden discovery of feelings type moments post time jump. Perhaps the ages played a role here. It kind of reminded me of Gigi, if you skipped the middle. The extremes presented here bugged me the most. There was some mediating wording, but it was greatly overshadowed. The story and characters felt very immature/juvenile, more so than most other YA fairy tale retellings I've read, even by this author.
I read the kindle version. This book had more errors than any other I've read by this author. Entire paragraphs were repeated, punctuation was misplaced, and names were incorrect (used a previous series' continent name instead of this series' name). These content errors were reported directly.
This book was disappointing. I actually did not finish on my first attempt. After reading and generally enjoying Song of Ebony, I was interested to see how that story continued here and gave this book another chance.
Estelle was incredibly foolish and barely improved throughout the story, even after a 2-3 year time jump. Demetrius had some common sense, but apparently that lessens as blind devotion to Estelle's "perfection" overcame him. I tend to like friend to lover type stories, but this book skipped most of that in favor of sudden discovery of feelings type moments post time jump. Perhaps the ages played a role here. It kind of reminded me of Gigi, if you skipped the middle. The extremes presented here bugged me the most. There was some mediating wording, but it was greatly overshadowed. The story and characters felt very immature/juvenile, more so than most other YA fairy tale retellings I've read, even by this author.
I read the kindle version. This book had more errors than any other I've read by this author. Entire paragraphs were repeated, punctuation was misplaced, and names were incorrect (used a previous series' continent name instead of this series' name). These content errors were reported directly.
May 15, 2023
I like Little Mermaid stories where... oops, almost gave that one away! heehee
This is a story about Estelle, a very much underappreciated younger daughter of the Emperor of the Sea. She has always longed for the world above, and on her 15th birthday she gets a chance to ascend and see the sky and hopefully some land. Her father, not wanting to feed her desire for the land sends her up where there is no land to see, just sky and waves. Not satisfied, Estelle keeps going up, and in one of her forays she saves a young man from drowning. One of the guards protecting her family, Demetrius, follows her and helps her to save the man and will eventually be a part of her adventure on the land - because we all know she gets legs and is able to spend time on land - unfortunately the sea miner (she mines for power because she doesn't have any of her own) makes her demands almost impossible to fulfill, which could cost Estelle and Demetrius their lives.
I enjoyed the twists in this version. I also am very happy it was a clean read, not bad language and no sexual content; just a fun clean read.
This is a story about Estelle, a very much underappreciated younger daughter of the Emperor of the Sea. She has always longed for the world above, and on her 15th birthday she gets a chance to ascend and see the sky and hopefully some land. Her father, not wanting to feed her desire for the land sends her up where there is no land to see, just sky and waves. Not satisfied, Estelle keeps going up, and in one of her forays she saves a young man from drowning. One of the guards protecting her family, Demetrius, follows her and helps her to save the man and will eventually be a part of her adventure on the land - because we all know she gets legs and is able to spend time on land - unfortunately the sea miner (she mines for power because she doesn't have any of her own) makes her demands almost impossible to fulfill, which could cost Estelle and Demetrius their lives.
I enjoyed the twists in this version. I also am very happy it was a clean read, not bad language and no sexual content; just a fun clean read.
November 28, 2024
Oh thank goodness she gets her man… if not the one she once thought she would. Sweet twist on The Little Mermaid with a HEA ending HCA should have thought of for his own.
Our mermaid has her heart set upon the surface and to learn all that life on land could show her. The problem is that as the youngest daughter to the King she’s a problem to marry off. All of her sisters before her have been married off to her father’s advantage, but when his one option declines the offer, the King’s fury and disappointment pour forth… even if it isn’t her fault.
Foolishly making a bargain with the Ocean Miner, our unlikely heroine is pursued by one of her father’s guards who has tied his fate to hers without her knowledge. If she fails to capture the younger Prince’s heart she is doomed to until the dawn after he marries- and then to return to the sea only as foam upon the waves.
So what happens when the prince sneaks off to sea and disappears without a trace?
You’ll have to read to find out.
I haven’t peeled ahead to see what book 3 is about, but I hope we delve into the older Prince’s story and his supposed illness. Guess I’ll know soon enough because Song of Winds here I come!
Our mermaid has her heart set upon the surface and to learn all that life on land could show her. The problem is that as the youngest daughter to the King she’s a problem to marry off. All of her sisters before her have been married off to her father’s advantage, but when his one option declines the offer, the King’s fury and disappointment pour forth… even if it isn’t her fault.
Foolishly making a bargain with the Ocean Miner, our unlikely heroine is pursued by one of her father’s guards who has tied his fate to hers without her knowledge. If she fails to capture the younger Prince’s heart she is doomed to until the dawn after he marries- and then to return to the sea only as foam upon the waves.
So what happens when the prince sneaks off to sea and disappears without a trace?
You’ll have to read to find out.
I haven’t peeled ahead to see what book 3 is about, but I hope we delve into the older Prince’s story and his supposed illness. Guess I’ll know soon enough because Song of Winds here I come!
September 21, 2023
The premise of this one was interesting enough, but I felt like the execution just fell a little bit flat. I didn't like either Estelle or Demetrius quite as much as I wanted to. I mean, they were fine, I didn't dislike them or anything, but I just never really developed that emotional connection with them that makes me not want to put a book down. I didn't feel like the chemistry between them was quite up to the usual standard I've come to expect from this author either.
That being said, I did really enjoy the overall plot and the changes made to the typical Little Mermaid story, and I especially liked the ending. I liked it enough to still rate the book 4 stars, even though characters tend to be more important in my personal enjoyment of a book than plot.
So I'm definitely not sad I read it or anything, and I'd still absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a good Little Mermaid retelling. I just wish the characterization/character development had been done just a bit better. I'm absolutely looking forward to seeing where this world goes next though!
That being said, I did really enjoy the overall plot and the changes made to the typical Little Mermaid story, and I especially liked the ending. I liked it enough to still rate the book 4 stars, even though characters tend to be more important in my personal enjoyment of a book than plot.
So I'm definitely not sad I read it or anything, and I'd still absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a good Little Mermaid retelling. I just wish the characterization/character development had been done just a bit better. I'm absolutely looking forward to seeing where this world goes next though!
November 29, 2023
Love this series, sweet an intriguing for all ages
This is a clever and very well woven retelling of a classic, that has no sexual content so is perfect for preteens on up.
I absolutely love the way this version set up and laid out what is a normally worn out simple plot line. It still feels like the classic but in a way that is far more gripping, realistic and humanizing then 2-d fairytale characters are often shown. This series is ful of princesses that are headstrong, determined and at their core they each have this pure sense of morals. That doesn't mean that they always start out that way or know exactly what to do. Debra does something that is often lost to stories now days, room for character growth. They make mistakes, poor choices or even shy from what they know they should do. She shows they as they grow and then face each of their own challenges which always changes them for the better. So far each story has been artfully if entwined, so seamlessly that it makes the world even more real.
This is a clever and very well woven retelling of a classic, that has no sexual content so is perfect for preteens on up.
I absolutely love the way this version set up and laid out what is a normally worn out simple plot line. It still feels like the classic but in a way that is far more gripping, realistic and humanizing then 2-d fairytale characters are often shown. This series is ful of princesses that are headstrong, determined and at their core they each have this pure sense of morals. That doesn't mean that they always start out that way or know exactly what to do. Debra does something that is often lost to stories now days, room for character growth. They make mistakes, poor choices or even shy from what they know they should do. She shows they as they grow and then face each of their own challenges which always changes them for the better. So far each story has been artfully if entwined, so seamlessly that it makes the world even more real.
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May 7, 2025
🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊
I’m so excited to read this series! I loved Melanie Cellier’s fairytale retellings and I’m hoping her sister’s books are just as good!! This is a Little Mermaid retelling! The cover is STUNNING! This is very interesting and unique, but I like it! Estelle is a beautiful name! I love it! She is a lovely character! Although she is quite bratty and foolish at the beginning which annoyed me. Demetrius is an interesting character, but he quickly grew on me! But I love the bodyguard and princess trope! This is such an interesting and exciting twist on the Little Mermaid with turns that I didn’t see coming! It did skip a time which sometimes was hard to follow. There was a certain part towards the end with blood that was weird! I loved the ending though! This was a wonderful retelling of the Little Mermaid and I loved it! I’m so glad that it didn’t disappoint! 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quote I liked:
🌊 But I'd still be glad to have had a happy life, however short.
🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊
I’m so excited to read this series! I loved Melanie Cellier’s fairytale retellings and I’m hoping her sister’s books are just as good!! This is a Little Mermaid retelling! The cover is STUNNING! This is very interesting and unique, but I like it! Estelle is a beautiful name! I love it! She is a lovely character! Although she is quite bratty and foolish at the beginning which annoyed me. Demetrius is an interesting character, but he quickly grew on me! But I love the bodyguard and princess trope! This is such an interesting and exciting twist on the Little Mermaid with turns that I didn’t see coming! It did skip a time which sometimes was hard to follow. There was a certain part towards the end with blood that was weird! I loved the ending though! This was a wonderful retelling of the Little Mermaid and I loved it! I’m so glad that it didn’t disappoint! 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Quote I liked:
🌊 But I'd still be glad to have had a happy life, however short.
🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊
August 30, 2025
This retelling is a twist on the original. I totally felt for Estelle. Her rebellion is understandable. Her father delays her coming of age celebration at 15. He threatens to keep her below the surface, even though part of her right of ascension is the ability to see the sun and world above. Her curiosity is mocked by all the family. Her father humiliates her over and over until you cheer when she sneaks out.
The royal guard Demetrius would do anything to keep her safe. Including following her to the surface so nothing happens to her. Even helping her save a human prince against his better judgment.
I love how the main characters grow and change over the course of the story. Estelle realizes it's naive to expect a strange prince to instantly fall in love with her. Especially since she seems a mute commoner. And Demetrius learns that true love is nothing to scoff at.
Delightful and sweet fairytale, as are all of Deborah's. If you like this one, try her Kingdom Submerged series for another mermaid tale.
The royal guard Demetrius would do anything to keep her safe. Including following her to the surface so nothing happens to her. Even helping her save a human prince against his better judgment.
I love how the main characters grow and change over the course of the story. Estelle realizes it's naive to expect a strange prince to instantly fall in love with her. Especially since she seems a mute commoner. And Demetrius learns that true love is nothing to scoff at.
Delightful and sweet fairytale, as are all of Deborah's. If you like this one, try her Kingdom Submerged series for another mermaid tale.
May 18, 2023
One of the best little mermaid retellings I have read so far.
This author truly does an amazing job with dual POV chapters. The story flowed seamlessly between Demetrius and Estelle, while showing both of their thoughts and reactions. I especially enjoyed reading how Demetrius finally begins to understand his feelings and motivations toward Estelle.
The story had just the right amount of Disney mixed with the original mermaid tale.
The author did a great job in letting the reader feel what it was like to be a mermaid who suddenly has to learn to live on land. Like just when I was starting to question how a detail was going to work the answer was written.
The ending was so very sweet with a kiss that was long overdue! So plenty of romantic tension in this book. Now I look forward to continuing the series in book 3.
This author truly does an amazing job with dual POV chapters. The story flowed seamlessly between Demetrius and Estelle, while showing both of their thoughts and reactions. I especially enjoyed reading how Demetrius finally begins to understand his feelings and motivations toward Estelle.
The story had just the right amount of Disney mixed with the original mermaid tale.
The author did a great job in letting the reader feel what it was like to be a mermaid who suddenly has to learn to live on land. Like just when I was starting to question how a detail was going to work the answer was written.
The ending was so very sweet with a kiss that was long overdue! So plenty of romantic tension in this book. Now I look forward to continuing the series in book 3.
February 26, 2023
I thought this retelling was fantastic, one of the best Little Mermaidretellings I've ever read. I liked how the remise of the originaltale was kept sound, but also this was just such an orginal take on it that I can't help but love it for its own merits. The two MCs were so great, played off of each other so well and fit as a romantice couple too. The stakes were high, and the overall story was just such a fun ride that I read it all start to finish in a few hours. Really enjoyed this, would highly recommend to any fairy tale lover. The mermaid lore was well done and original, the story itself tied into the first one in the series well, and all characters were just super well done. Can't say enough how much I enjoyed this read it was great.
April 2, 2023
Not that great of a story. I figured out immediately what would happen once the 1st main characters were introduced. A dumb, childish princess and a guard determined to protect her. Hmmm..she becomes obsessed with a human prince, makes a shady deal with the Ocean Miner(a raspy old mermaid), becomes human and the guard does so too, because he just HAS to protect her. Now how obvious is this story?? Super. No need to say more because I'm sure you figured it out. Estelle( little mermaid) is princess from the sea, he dad treats her like absolute garbage so of course she hates her life. She deserves more. And she saw the prince 1 time, so of course it's true love. Lol. She does mature so that's a plus.
May 20, 2024
A More Realistic Little Mermaid Story
I love what White did with this book! This is a continuation of the glimpse we saw in book 1 of the nameless girl who appeared shortly before Farrin disappeared from Medulle, but it can be read as a stand alone. Estelle shares the traditional curiosity of land, becomes infatuated with a prince, and goes through the transformation to human. The threat of death and turning into seafoam is also present should she fail to capture the heart of her prince. Demetrius is a faithful friend throughout the book with the romance only coming later. The plot was well-developed and well-paced. I liked how White left her own flair on the beloved classic. Would highly recommend.
I love what White did with this book! This is a continuation of the glimpse we saw in book 1 of the nameless girl who appeared shortly before Farrin disappeared from Medulle, but it can be read as a stand alone. Estelle shares the traditional curiosity of land, becomes infatuated with a prince, and goes through the transformation to human. The threat of death and turning into seafoam is also present should she fail to capture the heart of her prince. Demetrius is a faithful friend throughout the book with the romance only coming later. The plot was well-developed and well-paced. I liked how White left her own flair on the beloved classic. Would highly recommend.
January 16, 2025
Romantic and gripping!
The first half of this book was slow as it established the world and characters and plot devices, but the second half more than made up for it as it doubled down with everything happening!
Loved this take on a grumpy/sunshine couple! Not to mention it’s a bodyguard romance!
Mermaid Princess Estelle makes a reckless bargain to forfeit her voice in exchange to turn her tail into human legs so she may pursue a human Prince. Royal guard Demetrius swears to protect her in her venture and follows her on land. But together, they start to discover more between them than they ever expected.
Loved this take and the twists on the classic fairytale, and the happily ever after was so swoony and perfect!
The first half of this book was slow as it established the world and characters and plot devices, but the second half more than made up for it as it doubled down with everything happening!
Loved this take on a grumpy/sunshine couple! Not to mention it’s a bodyguard romance!
Mermaid Princess Estelle makes a reckless bargain to forfeit her voice in exchange to turn her tail into human legs so she may pursue a human Prince. Royal guard Demetrius swears to protect her in her venture and follows her on land. But together, they start to discover more between them than they ever expected.
Loved this take and the twists on the classic fairytale, and the happily ever after was so swoony and perfect!
December 22, 2024
captivating!
Truly, this is such a perfect blend of classic Anderson’s Little Mermaid with Disney’s one set in its own magical world. But with one huge twist, which is amazing and that makes a lot of sense!
The plot is superb, the characters are amazing, and the style is very engaging.
And on top of it, the sweet and clean romance.
However, what makes each novel of this series impressive is the character growth as they struggle with decisions and their cost, find true meaning and purpose, and learn to love unconditionally.
Truly, this is such a perfect blend of classic Anderson’s Little Mermaid with Disney’s one set in its own magical world. But with one huge twist, which is amazing and that makes a lot of sense!
The plot is superb, the characters are amazing, and the style is very engaging.
And on top of it, the sweet and clean romance.
However, what makes each novel of this series impressive is the character growth as they struggle with decisions and their cost, find true meaning and purpose, and learn to love unconditionally.
March 16, 2023
Loved this Little Mermaid retelling
I’ve never been a fan of Disney’s Th Little Mermaid. So. Many. Problems. White does a great job fixing those and adding in some twists for fun. If you read the first book in this series, you know some spoilers going in. But, that didn’t spoil anything as the ride in this book was so fun. Characters you care about who both grow a lot through the book make this a delightful read. Looking forward to the next book!
I’ve never been a fan of Disney’s Th Little Mermaid. So. Many. Problems. White does a great job fixing those and adding in some twists for fun. If you read the first book in this series, you know some spoilers going in. But, that didn’t spoil anything as the ride in this book was so fun. Characters you care about who both grow a lot through the book make this a delightful read. Looking forward to the next book!
June 16, 2023
Song of the Sea definitely earned a spot in my top favorite reads of 2023. It was such an engaging and endearing retelling of The Little Mermaid. It has nods to the original tale, yet plenty of new changes to keep the plot flowing as the story unfolds. I don't often buy paperbacks of books anymore, but I'm going to be making an exception and making space on my packed bookshelves for a copy of this book ASAP.
March 24, 2023
Contains: mild violence. I liked that we got to see some character growth in this retelling of the Little Mermaid. Estelle is so young, naive, and headstrong at the beginning but she soon finds that her foolish chooses have bigger consequences than she had imagined. It did feel like it took a long time to get things started though.
April 4, 2023
Neatly woven retelling!
Book 2 is definitely linked with book 1! Ms White did not miss a step in weaving the series together. Her usual intriguing imaginings found an excellent outlet and one-upped the Disney version while retaining the sorrow felt in the old fairy tale. No spoilers, but this one is definitely more a new fairy tale ending.
Book 2 is definitely linked with book 1! Ms White did not miss a step in weaving the series together. Her usual intriguing imaginings found an excellent outlet and one-upped the Disney version while retaining the sorrow felt in the old fairy tale. No spoilers, but this one is definitely more a new fairy tale ending.
July 22, 2023
She’s literally fourteen at the start and turns fifteen but still that’s just not okay. Like sixteen would’ve been more appropriate and less childlike than fourteen and fifteen. Like that’s just gross!!! The whole family system was just not okay. I get the idea for writing something unique and new but this was not it. How are people comfortable with that age??
August 23, 2024
Broken song
Youngest, sheltered princess Estelle is fascinated by the land and the humans that walk it. This was an excellent retelling of the Little Mermaid. Estelle grows from a naive, impulsive girl to a brave, selfless woman. The setting is well-made and believable. Highly recommend.
Youngest, sheltered princess Estelle is fascinated by the land and the humans that walk it. This was an excellent retelling of the Little Mermaid. Estelle grows from a naive, impulsive girl to a brave, selfless woman. The setting is well-made and believable. Highly recommend.
February 27, 2023
The best ending!
Whew what a journey! I was totally engrossed in this story, and up half the night trying to get these two to their happily ever after. My goodness I could not imagine a better happy ending. A fantastic read!
Whew what a journey! I was totally engrossed in this story, and up half the night trying to get these two to their happily ever after. My goodness I could not imagine a better happy ending. A fantastic read!
July 5, 2023
A bit convoluted, but I liked the change of heart. She's really an immature idiot in the beginning but I really love the fact that she comes to realize it at the end AND she isn't still infatuated with the prince.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2023
Best Little Mermaid retailing ever!
So full of surprises. I loved the way Deborah Grace White wove this tale. So full of heart, pain, love, loss, joy and discovery. This is perfect for young teens on up.
So full of surprises. I loved the way Deborah Grace White wove this tale. So full of heart, pain, love, loss, joy and discovery. This is perfect for young teens on up.
January 2, 2024
Singer tales #2
I normally don't like little mermaid retelling but this one is brilliantly done. It ties in so well with book #1 that you really need to read them in order to get the full benefit. Really looking forward to the next book.
I normally don't like little mermaid retelling but this one is brilliantly done. It ties in so well with book #1 that you really need to read them in order to get the full benefit. Really looking forward to the next book.
January 18, 2024
Great ending
I’m not a Little Mermaid fan generally, but once the Princess got on land, I fell in love with her. Her humility and love of life were truly special. This is such a unique telling and throughly enjoyable.
I’m not a Little Mermaid fan generally, but once the Princess got on land, I fell in love with her. Her humility and love of life were truly special. This is such a unique telling and throughly enjoyable.
February 15, 2024
A refreshing take on The Little Mermaid
A great addition to the series! Book 1 takes place in the middle of this book during the time skip, so while you can read this one independently, it’s that much more enjoyable having read Book 1 first.
I really enjoyed this. It had great pacing and well thought out characters. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down, and somehow ended up bingeing it in one day. Excited to read the rest of the series!
A great addition to the series! Book 1 takes place in the middle of this book during the time skip, so while you can read this one independently, it’s that much more enjoyable having read Book 1 first.
I really enjoyed this. It had great pacing and well thought out characters. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down, and somehow ended up bingeing it in one day. Excited to read the rest of the series!
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