Hello everyone!
Today The Reading Corner for All is on tour for Sarah Henning's latest work Sea Witch Rising with the Fantastic Flying Book Club. While this is the second installment in the Sea Witch series, I will be reviewing Sea Witch Rising as a standalone book.
Sarah Henning's retelling of The Little Mermaid rang with the chords of Hans Christian Andersen's tale. It was interesting to see Henning's integration of The Little Mermaid's original elements such as the importance of the princess' hair, the multifaceted dagger, and the overall 'curse' tied with being a creature of the sea.
Sea Witch Rising's held a promising narrative that shifted between Evie (the sea witch) and Alia (a mermaid princess). Alia's yearning for her beloved prince, Niklas, is piercing, and Evie's persona is equally impactful. Both Alia and Evie yearn for their own happy endings and, as a reader, you find yourself cheering for both characters. I enjoyed Henning's concept that being considered a villain is merely about who is narrating the story. I found the predominant theme of the book to be summed by:
"I was a princess. A mermaid. A twin. I am a witch. A human. A rebel. And I have only just begun."
Dreamcast
Evie by Gabrielle Union
Alia by Zendaya
Runa by Jaylen Barron
Niklas by Harry Styles
Sea King by Will Smith
Favorite Quotes
"...this girl doesn't crave revenge. She wants a happily ever after."
"The sharpest of things keep their edge even in the dullest of settings."
"The light filters in slowly, my world going from a sky with no stars to one with a rising sliver of moon."
"I still believe in happy endings, even when I’m a nightmare."
“Love is worth nothing to a life if you aren’t around to live it!”
"I was a princess. A mermaid. A twin. I am a witch. A human. A rebel. And I have only just begun."
About the Book
Sea Witch Rising (Sea Witch #2)
by Sarah Henning
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books Release Date: August 6th 2019
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings
Synopsis:
“The Little Mermaid” takes a twisted turn in this thrilling sequel to villainess origin story Sea Witch, as the forces of land and sea clash in an epic battle for freedom, redemption, and true love.
Runa will not let her twin sister die. Alia traded her voice to the Sea Witch for a shot at happiness with a prince who doesn’t love her. And his rejection will literally kill her—unless Runa intervenes.
Under the sea, Evie craves her own freedom—but liberation from her role as Sea Witch will require an exchange she may not be willing to make. With their hearts’ desires at odds, what will Runa and Evie be willing to sacrifice to save their worlds?
Told from alternating perspectives, this epic fairy tale retelling is a romantic and heart-wrenching story about the complications of sisterhood, the uncompromising nature of magic, and the cost of redemption.
Book Links
About the Author
Sarah Henning is a recovering journalist who has worked for the Palm Beach Post, Kansas City Star and Associated Press, among others. While in South Florida, Sarah lived and worked through five hurricanes, which gave her an extreme respect for the ocean. When not writing, she runs ultramarathons, hits the playground with her two kids and hangs out with her husband Justin, who doubles as her long-suffering IT department. Sarah lives in Lawrence, Kansas, which, despite being extremely far from the beach, happens to be pretty cool.
Author Links
Tour Schedule
Giveaway
Prize:
1 copy of Sea Witch
and 1 copy of Sea Witch Rising
by Sarah Henning (US Only)
Starts: 16th July 2019
Ends: 30th July 2019
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