Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Kalie Cassidy
Publisher: Little Brown & Company
Release Date: July 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The monster is always slain…

Imogen Nel is in hiding. Hiding from a cruel kingdom that believes Sirens are monstrous, blood-hungry creatures. Hiding from a king and his captain who viciously hunt her kind. Hiding from her own alluring abilities. By keeping herself from the sea, Imogen’s bloodlust is dulled, and her black wings remain hidden beneath her skin.

When a neighboring king comes to visit, Imogen can no longer hide. He knows precisely what she is, and he believes she can save both their kingdoms from an even greater monster. But Imogen’s power threatens to violently reveal itself, and the two form a blood bond that protects them both. They flee the kingdom together, traversing waters teeming with the undead. As the lines between duty to their people and desire for each other begin to blur, Imogen worries her own ancestral powers may not be enough to kill what hunts her—the only way to defeat a monster may be to become one herself.

FANTASTIC DEBUT

This wasn’t initially on my radar but I’m so happy I read it!! I love a siren book and this was such an interesting concept and had a few siren aspects that I don’t think I’ve read before which made for an engaging listen an a book hard to put down.

The romance had an edge of insta-adjacent that was hard for me to get on bored with initially but I’m grateful that this grew on me. I loved the darker edge to the story, it made the chemistry all the more heated and ambiance immaculate. Mixed with complicated political moments and some intense action the writing style was beautifully executed. I will absolutely be back for book two.

Overall audience notes:

• Fantasy Romance
• Language: moderate
• Romance: 3ish open door
• Violence: moderate

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