Book Info
- Genre: Fantasy, Mermaid, Young Adult
- Length: 352 pages
- Published: July 2023
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/193667636-secrets-of-the-deep
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secrets-Deep-Forbidden-Retelling-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0CCF5G1D6/
Book Blurb
CORDELIA BLUE IS AFRAID OF WATER .
CORDELIA IS ALSO A MERMAID.
Determined to face her fear, Cordelia enters the ocean for the first time since her twin brother was killed and learns she is from the oldest bloodline of mermaids. Entrusted with a magical relic, it us up to her alone to break an ancient curse and free the mermaids from the water.
But the selachii – mysterious shark shapeshifters – also have their eyes on the relic. As tensions increase between the mermaids and selachii, Cordelia doesn’t know who to trust. Forced to choose between love and race, she doubts every decision and the intentions of those around her.
Trusting her head will lead to a path of betrayal, but she might just get her family back. If she chooses her heart, the mermaids may stay cursed to remain in the ocean forever.
About the Author
Marisa Noelle is the writer of middle grade & young adult novels in the genres of science-fiction, fantasy, horror & mental health including The Shadow Keepers, The Unadjusteds Trilogy (The Unadjusteds, The Rise of the Altereds, & The Reckoning), The Mermaid Chronicles – Secrets of the Deep, & The Unravelling of Luna Forester. She is a mentor for the Write Mentor program that helps aspiring MG & YA authors. With dual citizenship, Marisa has lived on both sides of the Atlantic and uses settings in both the USA and UK as inspiration for her novels. When she’s not writing or reading or watching movies, she enjoys swimming. In the pool she likes to imagine she could be a mermaid and become part of some of her make-believe worlds. Despite being an avid bookworm from the time she could hold a book, being an author came as a bit of a surprise to her as she was a bit of a science geek at school. She lives in Woking, UK with her husband and three children. You can find her on
- Twitter @MarisaNoelle77,
- TikTok @MarisaNoelle12,
- or her website www.MarisaNoelle.com
My Review
Secrets of the Deep by Marisa Noelle
- One-word review: fascinating
- Emojis: 🦈🧜♀️👨🏻🔬🤩
- Rating: 4 🌟s
My thoughts:
Secrets of the Deep is a unique YA fantasy that follows the journey of Cordy, a teenage girl who uncovers her true identity as a mermaid. What sets this story apart is that Cordy is not just any mermaid, but the prophesied chosen one destined to break a centuries-old curse that has confined most mermaids to the water.
The fast-paced plot of Secrets of the Deep, strategically peppered with reveals and action, kept me on the edge of my seat. However, this thrilling pace might have come at the cost of deeper character and world-building development, leaving me with lingering questions.
The lore in Secrets of the Deep is a fascinating fusion of the familiar and the new. Noelle’s incorporation of Atlantis and mermaid lore, coupled with her unique additions, was a constant source of intrigue throughout the narrative.
Lastly, the romance in Secrets of the Deep may not have fully convinced me, but the interactions between the characters were a delight. The development of their relationship could have been more substantial, which might have made their connection feel more authentic. However, the friendships in the story were truly heartwarming, and the unexpected events the friends experienced kept me pleasantly surprised from start to finish.
6 responses to “Secrets of the Deep by Marisa Noelle | #TheWriteReads #BlogTour #BookReview #YAFantasy #Mermaids”
I love fantasy novels and the title itself is so inviting in this one.
Fab review, glad you enjoyed it so much! Hope you’re okay? x
I’m good now. I was just having a very bad allergy attack last week and I ran out of the medicine that helps keep the symptoms under control – so I was pretty miserable until I could get the drs office and the pharmacy to communicate effectively with one another- that part was frustrating. 🤧
That does sound frustrating! I’m glad you’re okay. x
This sounds like a fun YA read and I like mermaids, though I also like deeply developed characters. The pace and action sound great, but I think I need to take a break from YA romance for a while so I can do some buddy reading with the hubs. Thanks for your thoughts and recommendation.
Sounds like a good start of the series. Amazing review, Tessa!