Dark Ocean Princess

The Cursed Seas Collection #2

by Nina Walker

My reign is life and my song is death. I am the siren, the Dark Ocean Princess.

A century ago, after the seas rose and billions perished, my ancestors entered into a covenant with the Tibetan monks. Their magic granted us survival as sirens in exchange for protection. We lived in peace.

Until the humans interfered.

Now the monks have fled and the siren stone has vanished. Our power is dwindling and the ravenous sea monsters are turning the seas red with blood.

I’m Princess Senra, the last heir to the Chinese Siren Empire. I must journey to the surface and risk my life where my song holds no sway. I’m tasked to befriend the enemy, blend in with the humans, and find the siren stone before it's too late.

Trouble is, I never expected to care for the humans. And one in particular makes my heart race in ways my fiancé back home never has. I’m faced with an impossible choice: save the humans or save my people.

A standalone, full-length novel in the Cursed Seas Collection, Dark Ocean Princess is filled with magic and mages, dragons and pirates, forbidden love and Chinese mythology!

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mermaids, Paranormal, Dystopia, Ebooks, Fiction

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 15, 2018

About the author

Nina Walker writes all kinds of fantasy for teens and adults. She is happily married and living the good life in the mountains of southern Utah.

Connect with her:
FB Group - Nina's Reading Party
IG - @ninabelievesinmagic
TT - @ninawalker.books
www.ninawalkerbooks.com

Reviews

[The Half-blood Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars

This book is set in a sort of Post-Apocalyptic magical world, with sirens, mages, humans and sea monsters. Sea level rose and took most of the lands under it, entire cities lost to salty water. With no place to go and a world mostly perished, Princess Senra's ancestors went to the Tibetan monks for help. The later offered them a life on the vaster sea as sirens, which they took.

Now Princess Senra, the last heir to the Chinese Siren Empire, finds herself in the terrible position of seeing her people's magic weaken, defenceless to the ruthless sea monsters. Follow Senra through a quest to save her people and complete a prophecy far more challenging than it first seemed. Will she be able to make the right choice, to let go of prejudice and hatred, and be the catalyst that stops the feud between sirens and humans?

The story has an interesting premise, mixing Global Warming future outcomes with magic. In a world where previous big mountains are the only lands standing, mostly barren at that, starvations thrives. And so does violence.

I liked Senra's self-journey of growth and was weak for the animal companion, obviously. The book's message was great. It's not just a fantasy story trope; love, patience, forgiveness, acceptance, compassion, not acting or speaking in anger/violence when tested, those are the ways we should aim to live everyday. We shouldn't let darkness spread around us, and most importantly and firstly, inside ourselves.

I found Kyon's parents adorable and there really weren't any villains, just flawed individuals and mentalities. Personally, I didn't really feel the love between the main couple. Physical attraction aside, it seemed too sudden. I could take or leave Kyon.

There's also flashes of culture from China, Tibetan Monks and Japan, which is always interesting.

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sirens & humans & underwater dragons, oh my! (But much more exciting than the wizard of oz.) Plus there's a love story & that makes it all the more exciting to read. I love the plot twists that I didn't see coming. And I also love that the monks & dalai lama play a part in this book. It's magic & duty & energy all wrapped into an original story!

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONE INCREDIBLY EXCITING READ!!!
Wow! Holy crap! I'll get it out eventually. Maybe. Man, this little jewel totally blew me away. One action packed, hard hitting, nailbiting, spine tingling, heart pounding, pulse racing, page turning bombshell that's as riveting as it is captivating. So many twists and turns, unexpected circumstances and unpredictable surprises around every corner make for one phenomenal experience. These authors build the drama, fear, dread, angst, danger and suspense steadily increasing while the tension spirals as the tale unfolds. A whirlwind of emotions and events that really pulls this bad boy together beautifully. The characters and scenes are written with such realism it's easy to picture each scenario as they play off one another in perfect balance. These guys nailed this little gem bringing it alive effortlessly. Awesome job guys, thanks for sharing this little treasure with us.

[Selene Kallan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read with a protagonist that I liked. Compassionate yet strong, cunning but only to save those she loves. I read it in a matter of hours and liked the end.
The message of union and living in peace with nature instead of fighting against it resonated with me.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a slow start for me. It took me a minute to get into the fantasy of the story, but once I did, I couldn't put it down! I had to find out what happened. It did slightly bother me how quickly Senra and Kyro fell in love, but that's pretty much standard in all books, movie, tv shows, etc. That's just a personal annoyance. I really liked how she described Senra, her royal duties, her thoughts and feelings, etc. You get a true sense of how someone at her age has to deal with the pressure of saving her empire. I didn't get the same sense with Kyro. You barely get a glimpse of who he is. If this is truly a collection with additional stories in this series, hopefully, we'll get to dive deeper into some of the characters. I was also disappointed that we really had no idea what happened to Long. There was an idea of what might happen to him, but then everyone and everything is healed/restored, but there's no further mention of Long. Did he make it? Did he die? Did he convert back to being a monster? We're left wondering and I guess hoping it all worked out for him too.

Walker's writing style is enthralling and she knows how to paint a picture with words. She is definitely one of my authors to watch and on my automatically buy list.

If you have not yet read her books, you need to do so! You will not be disappointed.

[Rika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy to review.

This book is an interesting read, a Post-Apocalyptic world with magic involved. It explains the existence of sirens and how they used to be just humans. It mostly centers around China and Japan though, which I could relate to. This shows the author has done research on both cultures; I love her description of Japan's tradition.

The climax near the end engages me the most, with the 'fate' waiting Senra. The unexpected fight between Kyon and Lei, resulted in death. Definitely a surprise and the following plots ended remarkably well for Senra, though I had hoped for a better ending for the loyal albeit possessive Lei.

I recommend those who like The Little Mermaid to pick up this book. This is a more mature read, with mild violence showing the nature of sirens. The ending is good enough for young adults to appreciate.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recieved an ARC and chose to review

I normally don't like books about mermaids or sirens. But this book blew me away with its rich world-building and hauntingly beautiful story. It was hard not to like and harder still not to get swept away in the horrors above and below land, and the sacrifices asked of Senra, the Siren Princess. The book was wonderfully done and well worth the read. The characters were so relatable in their anger, fear, and prejudices. But also, in their love for their families and people. Senra definitely has her work cut out for her as she tries to navigate a prophecy that's not as straightforward as she once believed. As well as, learning to open her heart up to people she had always considered her enemies. It was truly a great dystopian YA.

[Krystal Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Nina Walkers color alchemist series so was excited to read her new book. Dark ocean princess was wonderful! The story is very different then anything I’ve read. The way the world is created is very intriguing. I love that the sirens are humans adapted to ocean life. The whole story is very exciting and full of adventure. And it has the perfect amount of romance thrown in. As a stand alone novel it’s a great quick weekend read. I loved it and think my daughter would love it to. It’s clean enough for a younger audience. I’m going to have her read it next. I highly recommended you read it!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This honestly wasn't my favorite book of Nina's. It had an interesting plot and I enjoyed the characters, but I really struggled with the pacing in the last quarter of the book. It was much too quick and felt a little convoluted. Also, the relationship with Senra and Kyon felt incredibly forced to me. The books I have read previously by this author were trilogies that allowed for better character development over time and I think she just struggled to develop relationships quick enough in a stand alone. Overall, I still liked the book though and it had a good moral message. Also, no bad language or inappropriate content, which is a huge plus to me!

[Katelyn Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been DYING to read this ever since Nina showed me the amazing cover (isn’t it gorgeous?!?) Nina has a knack of bringing such uniqueness to her stories, and she did not disappoint! Epic plot from start to finish. To squeeze such a flawless story together in a single book takes talent! Nina pulled out all the stops out in this story. History, lore, mythology, intricate characters, and amazing storytelling!

[Jessica Traver cashen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read, well written with a great plot and characters. I was absorbed from beginning to end. This book is an action packed, heart pounding, pager turner. It also has drama, suspense, twists and turns. I loved this book and hope there is more! I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the characters but never really was invested in them. The story had a bit too much narrative for my tastes. Seemed like the whole first part was narrative. The dialogue didn't really have any depth to it but was ok. The story was an interesting one. Cover was beautiful and this was why I read it. Loved Long the sea dragon.

[N.M. Lovely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!

I absolutely loved the well researched Chinese a d Japanese mythology as well as the entire book itself. It was fantastic thank you !

[Jessica Plowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun fantasy, with romance, action and adventure. Very well written and likable characters.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This one was going to be four but toward the end it felt a bit weak so I had to bump it down.

[Kylee McGloin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't get into it idk why... I made it to maybe the fourth chapter but it just didn't pull me in as I had hoped

[Amanda Ebner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting worldbuilding

[Rina~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

It felt too long and at times I was skimming through a few chapters cuz i don't really care.

[B]

The author is a white woman who is writing Asian (specifically Chinese) FMCs. Tone deaf.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first heard about Dark Ocean Princess through Claire Luana, recommending it to fans of The Moonburner Cycle: The Complete Epic Fantasy Series, which I loved. That, and the awesome cover, drew me in. While Moonburner took place in an Asian inspired fantasy world, this one takes place in a post apocalyptic China and Japan. The setting drew me into this story immediately, with the vivid prose making the world easy to envision and easy to read. I loved the world building, from the big stuff like the origin of the magic to the little details in each of the ruined cities that made it feel alive, as well as the undersea monsters and the humans, the magically enhanced subspecies of Sirens and the monks.

The story was fast paced with plenty of action and twists, and didn’t drag, as we follow Princess Senra in her transformative journey as she searches for a solution to the Siren’s dwindling magic as monsters attack their kind. After discovering that their tried and true methods to keep the magic afloat are gone, she sets out alone after viewing a prophecy of herself and her people’s future. I like Senra, loyal to her people, intelligent and cunning, and focused on the mission at hand, but willing to open herself to change. The other characters were interesting, including Kyon, with well rounded personalities, with a couple that surprised me. Though the romance in the story seemed to border on instalove to me at least.

The plot was good, though my major negative is the prophecy, which is one of my least favorite tropes of all time due to the lack of agency for the characters involved. And there’s hints of that here, as while Senra has agency and the prophecy isn’t the only reason why she jumps to action, some of the story feels inevitable. However, it doesn’t feel like it’s Senra’s only reason to do what she does as she has her own motivations and vows for most of what she does. I liked the ending, as it was a mostly fitting conclusion to Senra’s journey and really brought the themes of the story of trust and acceptance together.

At the end is a snippet of Prism, another Nina Walker novel, which has me interested.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Myth and Magic Book Club

Myth: 3.5/5

I really enjoyed the world building in this story. Senra and her siren people took a magical deal after the destruction of land on Earth. The Siren’s and humans have each been defending their precious homes from the increasing and more deadly sea dragons. It’s one of those stories where two groups are fighting the same battle but refuse to acknowledge it. That is until the prophecy of the Dark Ocean Princess comes to light.

We also get to enjoy a little enemies to lovers story line to go along with Senra’s prophesied journey.

Magic: 4/5

This was one of those stories where the way magic is used makes all the difference. I liked that Senra wasn’t the one to see that, but that she felt it and was strong enough to lead her people through that change.

Overall: 3.5/5

Senra was fun to read, a siren princess who wants what’s best for her people, but is willing to explore unique ways to get them to that better place.

[Cassie James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Ocean Princess is a lush magical new book from Nina Walker.
Everyone who's read her Prism series knows just how good she is, she brings that magic into this fantastic standalone.
Dark Ocean Princess is the tale of the Princess of the Chinese Underwater Siren Empire, Senra. Six months after losing her father in an attack by Sea Dragon-like creatures, Senra is to be married to her betrothed Lei.
Ever since the attack, Siren magic has been failing and their song which they used to hunt, survive and fend off dangerous sea creatures is dying.
Senra is the only one whose voice is still powerful.
When a discovery is made about the loss of the Siren Stone (Which is what grants the Sirens their powers), along with the destiny of a preordained Prophecy, Senra has to go alone on land and find the Stone which has been stolen by the Japanese Emperor.
Fortunately, Senra gets a magical sidekick in the form of tamed Sea Dragon, Long who becomes hwe formidable partner/friend/pet.
The path forward is not easy, not only is it fraught with danger, it'll test Senra, push her to her limit and change the basis of all she's known.
The world Nina Walker has created is not only refreshingly original, there are so many aspects of Siren Life that makes it differ from other books in its genre. This book will surpass your expectations, and it's actually a Dystopian Fantasy and it's a perfect blend of genres.
The monks and their magic, the changes to Earth, the concept of how the Siren came to be is all stuff readers will love.
And it's not without Romance which is another thing Nina Walker does well. One of the people Senra will come across is Kyon who is fire, brimstone and very suspicious. He and Senra clash due to a disastrous first meeting but their lives are bound together and they are the last hope of both the humans and Sirens.
Yes, the Sea Dragon-like beasts can come on land and cause chaos.
There are many satisfying twists in this book and it's a easy nice read.
The ending was a perfect culmination of all that's been brewing. I look forward to what's next from Nina Walker, whatever it may be.
I happily recommend this book.