Tenebrasco

The Pearl Wielder Trilogy #1

by Hannah Reed

Princess April Meridia is preparing for the long awaited Peace Treaty to unite the mer and legged after centuries divided. The most powerful mera under the sea, her only instruction for the evening is to look 'pretty and harmless'.

But when peace is threatened and April's powers start acting strangely, it is time for her to take control.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Ebooks, Fiction

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 11, 2019

About the author

Hannah Reed writes YA contemporary fantasy. Her latest novel 'Essentia' Book 2 of the Pearl Wielder Trilogy is out now (available on Amazon).

Her first novel 'Tenebrasco' was published in July 2019 and is the debut novel in the Pearl Wielder Trilogy.

Hannah grew up in Jersey, Channel Islands where was never more than 10 minutes away from a beach. She is addicted to ice cream, has an unhealthy relationship with chocolate and is trying to learn to love running.

Currently, Hannah is living in Canada and is waiting patiently to see a Moose!

Buy Tenebrasco on Amazon
Buy Essentia on Amazon

Reviews

[Sad Sunday (Books? Me?!? NEVER!!!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a giveaway hosted by the author on Instagram. And I promised my firstbo... Nope, just a review.

So, mermaids you say?



The biggest strength of this book in my opinion that it's written for young people by a young author. Yes, there is YA cliches of princesses, kings, kingdoms, magical powers, fancy stuff, evil guys and etc., but somehow it felt honest and I could tell that author really believed in the world she was building. The young perspective is really good in this book. Not just making drama out of thin air. The arch of the main heroine April's development is quite good and most importantly - believable. I also think that idea of mermaids having tongues with colors like blue and green was quite cool. (*takes some blue M&M to be more like mermaid)

The other great topic and not so typical to YA was mother-daughter relationship. I think mostly in YA it's love-love and now it was great to see not so warm relationship unfolding. As the book is party based underwater (pun intended) it might be tricky for a young author to completely reveal the underwater world (with all it's nuances) but I think H. Reed succeeded. There was even an explanation why mer people doesn't build establishments on the ocean floor. Fascinating.

I wish there was more character development on Alex and Connor. As "main boys" they had much more to offer than being a little simple and underdeveloped as characters. Also, the word "okay" was a little overused in my opinion. Or does young people say that a lot? :/

[tabz_talks_tales · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC of Tenebrasco in exchange for an open and honest review, so here goes...

Tenebrasco is a Young adult fantasy novel that is loosely based on the premise of the Little Mermaid. This is something that is very clear when you begin to read the novel. However it quickly evolves to something far more intricate as we see the Author build up this amazing new world of the Mer and the Legged. The world building was very well done and you get a real idea of the societies that exist in this world and how they mirror reality in many ways. From the romance, to the politics every aspect of the book draws the reader in. Intricate world-building has always been important for me and the author definitely succeeded here.

There were parts of the story that as a reader had me nervous, for example the introduction of artefacts always worry me as it can sometimes feel like there may be too much to remember about them especially when there are lots of them and  particularly while the plot moves forward. Therefore, what I appreciated was that the author began with a key before even introducing the 'artefacts' as it allowed me to to reference back quickly and easily when I needed to.

I really enjoyed how the author incorporated modern technology into the context of a mermaid inhabited world and it has the most realistic depiction of how a Mer society would work if it was actually real. (I wish)

There have been a lot of positives for me in this book and since I wanted to do a balanced review I started to think about what I disliked. The one thing I didn’t like at all for most of this book were the potential love interests for our protagonist. There was something about them that I just found unworthy of April. However after reaching the end of the book I can’t help but wonder what happens next. I know who I want April to be with and I’m eager to see how this will play out and how the characters will develop. This story ended on a bit of a cliffhanger and it’s left me frustrated.

Recommended for anyone who loves; mermaids, fairytale retellings and a well built fantasy world.

Bring on Book 2 Pronto!

[T. Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME!

This book was so freaking cool! The characters were all really interesting and flawed and I found myself rooting for them all. The world building was so fun and magical! I’m always a suckers for a good mermaid story and this was definitely one of them! If you enjoy a good mermaid book set in the real world with some cool characters, romance, and magical powers, then this book is for you!

[Rebecca Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love mermaid stories and was excited to read this one.
The author did a fantastic job incorporating modern technology into a fantasy world that seemed fairy tale like,
but realistic at the same time. The concept of Princess April being able to wield the powers from nine pearls fascinated me, and I found the plot very engaging. The story is creative, clever and definitely leaves you guessing who April's love interest will be. Book one is a great beginning to this series!

[AG Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will only be brief ( Somewhat ) but the rest of the excitement is on my Instagram page @_thewritter, and my YouTube review will be out for it soon as well.

First of all let me say, at first I was a bit skeptical when I found out it involved mermaids and thought, 'Oh crap, not another one.' P.s. I read a mermaid YA book a while ago and it kind of ruined things for me, lol. ANYWAY, this turned out to be nothing like it and so much BETTER.

This is a book of mermaids put in the real world of things and I love it! From the powers, to the secrets, to the mystery, reveal of secrets, and the characters were greatly created.

Hannah has taken the world of Mer people and made it work with our times with technology and it is just amazing and something not all can do without messing the story up a little. As some people go so far in the real world, they stray from the underwater and start to take that very mysterious and wonderful vision of a world under water away, and it ruins that for me because I know about humans already. I want to know more about the Mer people, and Hannah did just that!

This book is about Princess April who is very different from your everyday Mer ( Besides from being a princess), as she is one of the few that can wield all nine of the pearls powers. But big powers comes with big problems, don't you think?
And with those problems arising, April has to trust the legged to help her figure things out and hopefully get back to her home in the sea before things go anymore wrong and crazy.
I was ALSO very interested about the relationship between Princess April and her mother Freya, it was one of the key points that kept me guessing, of, why is she acting like this? Did something happen.

I also found myself wondering so much about the powers of the pearls. I even wanted one after that, NOT ALL, but just one. Maybe Factus? Or Iris?

This book is more mysterious and something that keeps you wondering and guessing, it has it's few action points but not too many, but the mystery, and secrets, kept my hand still turning those pages. It didn't need anymore action then it already had, as I believed what is in here was enough for me.
I personally enjoyed taking the ride with April as new things were discovered. Even some jaw dropping stuff happened, to the point I was like, whaaaaaaat.

The two amazing men in this book, I love them both but I'm kind of rooting for one as I want the other to end up with the other girl instead. Then again, there isn't time for any of that right now, stuff is getting crazy! Still though, I'm okay with her just being friends with either one as I love the moments and interactions they have but I just don't think none of them are ready for any kind of romance yet, still, if I had to pick it would be Alex for me. I just kind of like that guy, he's funny to me, and you can tell that just like Connor, that he cares about our April. What I mostly love about what Hannah did with them is she just didn't just throw them in there to be there, you know what I mean? They have their reasons for being there and they fit in the story. Once you read more into it, it makes sense as of why on certain things.
Not gonna lie when I first was reading and they came in, I was like, let me guess, they are her heroes right? They don't know anything about her and there is no connection plot wise but they are going to fight with her to the bitter end? It's one of those.
But NOPE! Total opposite, and I just loved it.

In all honesty, Hannah Reed did one amazing job capturing my imagination and my attention. If this is what the Mer world is like, somebody get me a Jet Stream arranged for 4 or 5, because I am ready to leave. I don't want to be a legged anymore man! It's not fun -_-.

The book really goes goes from 'Mhm, uh-huh, oh that's cool', to 'What in the world-wait a minute! Who But what's going to happen to? Where is-What the heck is going on here?!' But in a good way!

For me it is about being able to visualize the world that the authors create, because I look for the world to make sense and for me to believe it could exists, and if I can't do that then I will put it down and I'm glad this was one I didn't have to. I haven't read a book involving Mer people in a long time but I am so happy that I she saw my post to review honestly on books, and allowed me to take this up on my lists, to review on IG. It was a great piece of work that the author should be very proud of.

So much has happened and where I got left off at I was not happy, I NEED BOOK 2, you can't just leave us like that!

Either way this is just book 1 of what I believe could be the best mermaid tale I have read in a long time. When you read into it you will realize that this is not a tale like the Little Mermaid and there is no comparison to anything else, this is a story of it's own, and a world of it's own, and it is all made by Hannah Reed.

I do recommend many to give this book a read, as I am very glad that I did.

[Chantal · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading Tenebrasco I thought I had a book in my hands that sort of resembled “The little Mermaid” on steroids. But just a little bit in, I happily realised it wasn’t.

Hannah Reed did a wonderful job creating a detailed underwater world. It keeps up with our real life modern day technology, while still maintaining a mystic layer that sets it apart from the world out of the water.

The book follows the viewpoint of Princess April who is the heir to the throne of the seven seas. The Mer(maid) people have special powers that are strengthened by certain pearls. And while there are 9 different powers in total, most Mer can’t wield them all. Yet April can, and she’s stronger than she should be for her Mer-age.

For as long as one can remember there has not been peace between the Mer world and the legged. But that’s about to change. Princess April’s parents have been working with legged world leaders to sign a peace treaty uniting the worlds.

Unfortunately nothing goes as planned and April will have to rely on her instincts and put her trust in legged strangers. Will she be able to find her way home? Can she trust the legged that she has to put her faith in?

Not only did Hannah Reed create a wonderful detailed and believable underwater world. She also managed to create and equally detailed and realistic world of the legged.

Even though I got some little mermaid and The Snork (who remembers those?!) vibes in the beginning of the story. That evolved rather quickly though. As I continued reading, the little mermaid was soon forgotten. Instead, I found myself emerged in an underwater world I could visualise in my head.

As a lot of books do, this one also has a bit of an underlying love story. It just doesn't do it for me in this story. Even though there are more suitors for April I just don’t see either one of them with April just yet. I can’t put my finger on it but I’m just not there for this undercurrent of a love story. Luckily her suitors are more important in other ways for April’s story. So it doesn’t bother me that much but I’m sort of shipping the suitors with others instead of April.

Book 1 of the series is pretty good and I'm looking forward to the (yet to be released) sequel. I actually want to know what happens to April and her friends. And although this story has a conclusion, it is pretty open too so it can continue into the next book.

If you want to emerge yourself in a deep sea story I think this book is a good pick.

Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

[Brittany S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer:I won this book as part of a goodreads giveaway.

So I started off this book and really struggled to get into the first few chapters.i was certain I was going to hate it. But after that, the story pace quickened. The character development was solid, though some better than others. By the middle of the book I was completely engaged, hungry to read more. The ending was comparable to hitting into a brick wall, leaving me absolutely in disbelief and stunned.

[Hayden Rouille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucky enough to get my hands on an advanced copy of Tenebrasco and I really enjoyed it! Will be recommending to family and friends!

[Kellee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book overall, however, the flow of the story felt choppy and a little difficult to read. The plot was new and had a lot of promise and I hope the author continues the story.

[Madeline Cathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

While it had a slow start, I ended up enjoying this one. I really liked all the details put into the mer world and the main character April.

[Ally Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was brilliant. The stakes were high, the danger real, and it had me turning the page every chance I got.

April is easy to like and relate to, despite being a mer princess. All the characters are well thought out with clear motives that make sense, even the villains. I really enjoyed the pearl magic system.

There isn’t a romance although there is the potential that one is growing. The immediate threat is resolved in the book but the overall threat is ongoing, leaving it open for the next book. I now need book 2, Essentia!

#

I read this as part of the Instagram challenge “MerMayReadalong. It was fun to watch the weekly lives to discover more about the books. If you’d like that checkout @hannah.reads on Instagram.

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book begins with April, a mer princess, choosing her pearls, which are the source of power for the mer. Then it jumps ahead several years to April as a teenager. She is attending the signing of a major peace treaty between the mer and the legged, which is disrupted by a terrorist attack. She wakes up in a strange place, having been rescued from where she washed up on the beach. The rest of the story centers on her attempts to get her pearls back and get back home with the help of the two brothers, Alex and Connor who found her and are now helping her.

I really enjoy stories about the ocean, so I was extremely excited to begin this story. I think that it was an engaging story, and I definitely never lost interest. There were several times that I was certain there was going to be a particular plot twist, and it ended up twisting in a different direction, which was lots of fun. My main issue with this story though was that it felt like it was trying to do too much. I felt like a lot happened in a very short span of time, which was terrific for the pacing, but it felt like this happened in lieu of details in some areas. Especially in terms of relationships between the characters, such as April's younger sister, I was left wondering and confused, waiting for another scene to explain what exactly the relationship dynamic was and what the story was behind it. I felt as though the world-building was lacking due to the jam-packed plot as well. I never got a clear picture of what the underwater world really looked or felt like, and while I know what the powers of the pearls are, I don't necessarily know much about the pearls themselves. Perhaps these are things that will be covered in more detail in the next installment of the series.

Despite some areas that were a bit lacking, overall, I enjoyed the quick-paced plot and am interested to know what happens next for these characters.

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway, which in no way influenced my opinions.

[Silvia (silviatheavidreader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really thought that this was The Little Mermaid retelling, but it’s not, and I like this book for that even more. I’ve never read a book about mers and meras (mermaids), and the underwater world but I’ve always wanted to (because I grew up watching The Little Mermaid). I’m so grateful that Hannah reached out to me and offered me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows the heir to the throne of the seven seas, April. She’s a mer, and a very powerful one. The mer people have special powers, which are strengthened by certain pearls. There are 9 different pearls in the mer world, and Hannah, the author, explains them very well at the beginning of the book. Most mers can’t wield them all, but April can. She’s one of the most powerful mers, more powerful and stronger than she should be for her age.

There has been no peace between the mer and the legged (humans) since forever. But the King (April’s dad) has been working on a peace treaty with the leaders of the legged world in order to unite the two world.

Everything goes as planned until it doesn’t and April is left on her own to find a way out of the mess that her life has just become. And in order to succeed she’d have to put her trust in the hands of two strangers (legged).

I really liked how Hannah weaved the two worlds together. The details of the underwater world painted a wonderful picture in my mind. I also liked the characters’ relationships with one another. I was especially interested in the relationship between April and her mother since the beginning of the book.

The only thing I wasn’t very fond of was the love triangle. 🙈 It’s one of my least favorite tropes. Also, Connor’s jealousy over Alex.

I’m very interested to read more about April’s story, and her powers.

[A.D Silver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok so going into this book l was a little apprehensive but equally excited because there are not many who can write a really good mermaid novel and l was worried it was going to be another ”little mermaid” retelling so you can imagine the delight l had reading a whole new take on mermaids or ”mer” as the author Hanna Reed calls them. Hanna Reid did an amazing job with the story line and enticed the fantasy of mermaids upon me once again bringing to life the amazing rhelm of mermaids and humans coming together on an amazing journey!

One of my favourite things about Tenebrasco was the world of mermaids ( mer ) in this novel and how it goes into depth of how they co-exist in today's world with the land people (legged) without making it feel cheesy.

My only negative were the constant switches of P.O.V. between characters and the love triangle. Usually l love this trope but the main character April did not make this enjoyable for me with her ignorance of everything throughout the story.

But the parts l did like was April’s little sister Kayla who was a strong character and inspirational and by far my favourite character in the whole book! The way she faced and overcame the harships after what happened to her family and kingdom was amazing and even after she lost her power it didn’t stop her. Kayla kept on going letting nothing get in her way and l do hope we get to see more of her in the second book.

Over all Tenebrasco was a great book, perfect for younger girls still looking for fantasy and the well thought out magical world of mermaids and that is why I’m rating it 3.5 stars.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a book about mermaids and of all the fantasy/urban fantasy/paranormal books out there, mermaids are the minority. I enjoyed this book, the world building was unique but some of the dialogue was a little wonky. The book doesn't end on a terrible cliffhanger but you are left with lots of questions and unfinished business. I may or may not read on in this series. And I must admit I knew nothing about the island of Jersey. I had to look it up, so I learned something reading this book.

I won this book from the giveaways at Goodreads.com

[Fierymermaidbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review (Slight Spoilers!)
5/5⭐️

It’s been so long since I have read a mermaid book! I absolutely love this one. I did it as part of a read along which was super fun!

This book is about April who is a mer princess, and heir to the throne. The mer and the humans have been negotiating a peace treaty for awhile so when it finally happens they are invited to sign it on a boat with the legged president. only things do not go as planned!

April ends up washed up on a beach unconscious on a private island owned by Alex and Connor. I absolutely adored both boys I was getting a little bit of a love triangle vibe. Connor was my favorite I really love how he adores April and is fascinated by it all things mermaids and I really like the kind of unrequited love he has for her even though she seems like she may be interested in Alex.I really love Alex too though!

I love how the story is told in multiple point of view. We get to see what’s going on with all the other characters including Ethan who is Aprils best friend he was captured when the attack happened and is pretty much being tortured throughout the whole book I really hope he ends up getting revenge in the sequel for what was done to him.

I love the magic system in this book it’s like nothing I’ve ever read before where the pearls are your sense of magic!

I love how the storyline in this book was constantly moving there is no dry chapters and every time you turn around there’s a plot twist. You fall in love with all these characters and worry for them as you would your real friends and family. And the end of the book had me reeling! I immediately purchased book to you as soon as I got to the end of book one because I need answers. I highly recommend this book to anybody who loves mermaids and anybody looking for a new book to obsess over!

[Hannah Baller · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILER ALERT ************************

I have been waiting for a world with merpeople, and this has been very refreshing to read. It is aimed at a younger audience, not at me, who may be older than 29 (not giving anything away!) but I do think it works really well.
The world does need more development, in the way of a bit more description than dialogue. I would like to see more development of Connor and Alex's character's other than love interests, but this may be solved in the next instalment, only reading it will find out!
I love the fact that the human world has been, almost, completely transferred over to the Mer world, instead of iPads, its an Iris Pearl. The idea that merpeople have that classic ideology of collecting precious things is kept in Tenebrasco, but they're given a purpose: they help them wield their powers. And it is magical, and a lovely fresh idea that I haven't heard of before. I hope more YA find out about this world, because I can see lots of fanfiction and fanart being created, and Hannah Reed to create spinoffs because there are characters I want to know more about. For eg. Setha's position was more of a wallflower, I think it would have been nice for her to have a purpose, so maybe Hannah could do a short story of what exactly the external characters went through - especially Frederick and Gregory!!!
Anyways, I want to see more from this author on this storyline, I'll be keeping an eye on her! :)

[Caroline Noe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess April is the heir to the mer(maid) throne and the wielder of the greatest powers the kingdom's pearls can bestow, even the illusive tenebrasco black pearl with its unknown gifting. Attending the signing of a treaty with the legged, April and her people come under violent attack from their supposed former enemies. But does she have worse to fear from herself?

The opening has a completely different mermaid vibe than the remainder, so stick with it. The book would most appeal to the younger edge of young adult and has a refreshingly youthful feel about the writing in that Reed's characters act and speak as teenagers.

Whilst there's a fair chunk of plot here and some prodigious underwater world building, I felt that the love triangle romantic element of the story didn't quite work and that April's sister Kayla came across as the more interesting character. It is, however, unusual for problematic mother/daughter/sister relationships to be explored instead of drowning in the romance and the unfolding possibility of April's dark gifting was intriguing.

All in all, a fun filled and fishy 4 stars.

[Amy Voltaire]

Love mermaids? If so, I think you will enjoy this book. I have loved mermaids since I was a kid, so I really enjoyed reading all about the world Hannah Reed built in Tenebrasco. I especially liked that even though the main character is a mermaid (which really isn't what they like to be called, but I can't help myself), with the exception of wielding powers and being able to breathe underwater, (oh, and being the king's daughter) she's pretty much a regular teen, so it made her feel more real. I read this a while back and left a review on Amazon but then forgot to leave one here, so that's what I'm doing now.

This book was filled with magical people, places, and things, so if you're like me and love anything magical, give this one a go.

[paiges_prologue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Princess April is to be heir to the mer of the seven seas. With her emotions constantly out of control, her pearl powers are becoming more powerful and harder to wield. A long awaited peace treaty with the legged is finally here however a bomb explodes tearing the mer and leggeds from any reconciliation. It’s up to April to find her way home and uncover the truth behind the war.
.
This was the first book of the Pearl Wielder Trilogy. This is perfect for fans of YA fantasy worlds set in modern times. A lot of characters are involved which muddled some of the deeper plots and story development. I would have liked more description on the mer world as well as a more realistic interaction with the President and his role in everything. Overall a good read.

[Mellilla Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enticing Concept. Needs more editing.

I love the layered worldbuilding and most of the character arcs, but the actual writing is rife with grammar errors and downright confusing terms and phrases for things that aren't related to the mer-people and their life. I stuck it out since I got the ebook in a Goodreads contest, but I would have put the book down halfway through. With the lack of editing and the awkward writing, I kept getting dragged out of the narrative. It took me much longer to read than it should have. I recommend a thorough editing process for future editions.

[B00kish witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

my rate is between 3.75 and 4🌟🌟🌟🌟 out of 5.
Here's what I liked about this #book :
~ Little Mermaid atmosphere : as a child Ariel was one of my fav Disney princesses and now, more than 10 years later,  I had so much fun reading this story set underwater!
~ April: she's a young mer, daughter of the ruler of the seven seas, with a ton of duties to fulfill and a great power which she does not fully understand. I really appreciated that her changing is visibile throughout the entire book 😊
~ The secondary characters: there are so many (April's friends, her father and sister, for example) but each one gets its own chapter and I cannot wait ro read how these single stories will be intertwined!

[Skye Horn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts off with your classic little mermaid tale but grows into so much more. I loved the different ways the author exposed class differences through this fantasy tale. It was both heartbreaking at times and thrilling at others. One thing that I did struggle with was the switching of view points, especially when it came to the love triangle poor April was oblivious to happening right in front of her. However, I really look forward to reading the next book and seeing what will happen next for the princess and how the author will grow in her second novel! If you love tales of royalty, mermaids, and friendship, this is a great book for you. :)

[B.B. Palomo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

My review will not contain spoilers.

I really enjoyed this story. There are some cliches but I honestly like them. I felt like the pacing was well done and the dialogue was extremely believable, feeling very natural. I think the author has a real talent for story writing and I’m excited to see what she writes next!

[Luke Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book by an independent author I've ever read, and while different from my usual fare, it's a very distinctive and well-thought out story; the author, Hannah Reed has created a beautifully unique setting and a very interesting take on mermaids that will definitely intrigue people into that genre.

[Stephanie B. Whitfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun new concept. If you love mermaids and diving into their world this book is for you. I enjoyed this one and can’t wait to continue on with the next book in the series.

[Engel Dreizehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit it was tricky start an indie YA fantasy (found in a sharing library) at first but eventually settled down and found it a decent read especially in regards to the Mera's magical pearl system.

[K.M. Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute!

This is a such a cute story. It is very clear and appropriate for all ages. I can't wait to see where the story goes!

[The Indigo Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world building in this novel is phenomenal and the magic system is simple and consistent. The characters were also well developed. However, the P.O.V sometimes changed too abruptly, which was a bit disorienting.

Overall, the book was incredibly enthralling and I highly anticipate the next instalment of the series.

[Mariah (dragonsandquills) K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After being divided for centuries, the legged and mer are finally approaching a Peace Treaty in order to put aside their differences and unite once and for all...until it blew up (literally) in their faces.

Tenebrasco follows Princess April Meridia, a powerful pearl wielder with a shadowed past. Along with her best friend Ethan (probably my favorite character), Alex and Connor (her rescuers and...sigh...love triangle), Kayla (April’s sister), Setha (April’s best friend, although, her chapters felt unnecessary), and King Nathaniel (April’s dad). While April is written to be the main character, the narration also follows all these other characters throughout the book which at times makes it a little repetitive and difficult to follow.

My main criticism is the narration. It would be a chapter about April that in mid paragraph would begin voicing the thoughts and feelings of another character in the scene. This doesn’t make it particularly bad, it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

There were some things I wish were focused on more, such as, the origin of the pearls and their powers (it was talked about briefly), why Darius hated the mer enough to bomb the Peace Treaty (this is only book one, maybe this will come later), and the story behind the twins death along with April’s involvement.

Some things I enjoyed was the world-building, while I felt there was room for a little bit more, the concepts were interesting and how the worlds fit together. The plot-line was fast paced and interesting, I would enjoy to see where it goes. Also, April’s powers and the dark and mysterious power of the Tenebrasco pearl.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read that I believe if given a little bit of fine tuning it would be wonderful!