This is the first book the author has published and it's basically based on the little mermaid.

I really enjoyed reading the book, seeing both the world above and under the sea and feeling so much together with Celeste.
We follow her on her journey from the ocean to the top of a ship and take on an urgent quest with her.

This book is for everyone who liked the little mermaid, sirens, intrigues and books that play on the sea.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown UK for the arc.

Voice of the Ocean is a reimagining of The Little Mermaid, with a really interesting magic system, forbidden love and great world building. Celeste the mmc is a siren, who is young, strong willed, passionate and rebellious. She has been trained as a Siren soldier, but she is struggling with her role within this. I loved the themes of forbidden romance, magic, politics and fighting for your place in the world. Thank you very much LBBG for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!!

Voice of the Ocean is Kelsey Impicciche’s debut fantasy book- it is full of ancient magic, tense family relationships and forbidden love. This book follows Celeste, a siren and a princess who wants to become an elite warrior. As one of the ‘Chorus’, she would use her ‘Song’ and deadly skills to kill murderous sailors. But, when she saves the life of a young man, she is given a simple choice- kill him or be killed.

A darker version of the Little Mermaid, this is a compelling story about a girl from the ocean who must navigate land for the first time. It is at times tense, romantic and full of action. However, I thought that the pacing of the novel was quite slow at the start and then far too quick at the end. This may be because the author wanted to get to the climax of the story and (minor spoiler) the big cliffhanger at the end.

Nonetheless, I liked the world building and the relationship between the FMC and MMC. I also think there is definite potential in the storyline. My hope is that Impicciche’s writing and narrative style will just get better and better as she continue to hone her craft.

This is the book to read if you loved Daughter of the Pirate King and To Kill a Kingdom!

Voice of the Ocean is a captivating reimagining of The Little Mermaid. Impicciche crafts an immersive world in her debut novel by taking one of the most iconic fairy tales—one that has influenced generations—and reinventing it with fresh perspective and creativity. Retellings have become increasingly popular, and there’s always something delightful about revisiting a childhood fairytale through a modern and imaginative lens.

Celeste, our protagonist, is a young and impulsive siren with an unquenchable longing to live on land, despite the stern warnings of her people. Trained as a siren soldier—part of a deadly choir with an irresistible, lethal song—she stands apart with her kind heart. When confronted with cruelty she cannot abide, she defies siren law to rescue a ship captain, his first mate, and the capitain's loyal dog.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a YA novel with a protagonist who is simply a determined young girl trying to carve out her own place in the world. I rooted for Celeste the entire way—even when her decisions seemed reckless—because she consistently justified her choices, not only to the reader but, more importantly, to herself. That said, there were moments when her logic faltered, though, in fairness, teenagers aren’t exactly known for flawless reasoning.

While I would have appreciated more world-building and context, that’s likely a reflection of my penchant for epic fantasy, where intricate world-building is the norm. Still, a few interactions felt implausible (and yes, I realize I’m reading a book about sirens, but bear with me). For example, when the ship captain is rescued, his first words are a witty and somewhat flirtatious remark. In reality, adrenaline and the sheer terror of nearly dying—let alone being face-to-face with a species known for its lethal songs—would hardly allow for such casual banter.

At times, the pacing felt uneven, shifting between moments of intensity and slower stretches. However, this did not detract from my enjoyment overall. Once the story gained momentum, readers are treated to a lovable, wholesome pirate crew, entertaining antics, and heartfelt relationships aboard the ship.

I particularly loved experiencing the world through Celeste’s perspective—watching her learn from new people, forge a genuine friendship with humans, and step into an entirely unknown world, despite her fears.

Ultimately, Voice of the Ocean is an impressive debut (and an exciting return to romantasy for me) filled with lighthearted moments, sharp banter, and enough twists and turns to keep you invested until the very last page—and beyond. It has certainly left a lasting impression, and I’m eager to see where the story goes from here.

Thank you so much to Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a young adult book, on the younger side of YA, for fans of The Little Mermaid and atmospheric fairy-tale based novels. The synopsis was promising and I hoped/assumed the designation of YA might be like a lot of YA Romantasy books that are popular at the moment, more of a “New Adult” (roughly 17-21) target than “Young Adult” (roughly 12-16). Unfortunately for me, it became clear from the start, this is for the younger demographic. That is a ‘me’ problem though and not an issue with the book, just something to be aware of if you are thinking of picking it up.

As for the story itself, if I have my younger self in mind, I think I would have really loved this. The writing is good, particularly in setting the scene and atmosphere. It is very immersive, well paced and easy to follow. There is adventure, romance, friendship and found family themes throughout that are well balanced. Although there is romance in this book, I would hesitate to put it squarely in the Romantasy bucket because it is not the central storyline, instead it is more of an adventure fantasy, focused on a mission-oriented journey with a romance plotline within. All in all, I think the ship has sailed (pun intended) on this being a favorite for me and my demographic, but I can absolutely recommend it to a younger audience looking for a fun and fast-paced Fantasy/Romantasy.

Firstly, thank you to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for giving me the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really had to convince myself to keep picking this up, and don’t think I’m the intended reader.
I was really drawn in by the Siren x Prince and little mermaid inspiration but it just fell a little flat for me personally, and I found myself quite bored. I lacked connection with Celeste and couldn’t find myself caring about the plot or her relationship with Raiden.

The pacing was difficult to get into, being drawn out in odd places and rushed in others. I just felt that the writing style as a whole wasn’t for me. Although YA, it felt more like it was written for someone much younger than me, personally.

I do think my sister (14) would absolutely eat this up, though. I just personally rate it 1⭐️ and wish I had been able to love it.

Unusual fantasy. Celeste is a siren princess. A siren is like a mermaid whose song mesmerised men and lures them into the sea. She wants to be part of the Chorus whose songs are powerful as any weapon. They are also taught fighting skills.
After her first real mission to bring down a ship carrying a Prince and his crew, she is intrigued by the Prince and saves him and his friend from drowning and is banished as a punishment.
A witch helps her to have legs and to breathe on land so she can look for the Prince and she becomes part of his crew - so her adventures begin.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read the e-arc.

Voice of the ocean is about a siren named Celeste, who is told humans are evil. Of course she is going to believe other sirens and not want to be in contact with any, but she’s always wanted to go to the surface. Going to the surface shows what she was about to partake in, was something morally wrong. She saves a human prince, unraveling a whole other world.

If the little mermaid is a favourite of yours, I’d definitely say to try this!

One of my favourite characters has to be Kiyami. I loved the friendship between her and Celeste. Raidan was faint worthy at times, with the way his hair and smiles were described. Admiral was the cutest little support dog.

It was a slow read for the first half and felt a little rushed at the end.

But I loved the story and I’m excited for the next book when one’s announced.

Obviously this book is a Huge 5⭐️. I honestly believe that Kelsey couldn’t have written this book any better. From the start I was absolutely obsessed with the thought of pirates of the Caribbean mixed with the little mermaid! This book is the idea of perfection! I could not put the book down! The absolute beauty of Celeste is amazing and seeing the concept art on Kelsey’s page is exactly how I imagined Celeste to be! I can’t wait for Kelsey’s next book.Huge congratulations❤️

Thank you for the ARC NetGalley!
4 stars from me. I adore anything Mermaid and Siren related so this book was somewhat perfect for me. It's a somewhat slow start but I think it is a much needed start. I loved how the world was described, the characters were described so perfectly. This is a YA Fantasy Romance, no spice, and I love that. YA Fantasy Romance always has that yearning I love!

For a debut novel, I would say this is a fantastic start. There's not much I can say that others on GR and on here haven't in all honesty!

I was intrigued straight away by the fact that this book is inspired by The Little Mermaid. MC Celeste, daughter of the Siren Queen, is constantly told that she is being too emotional and too human by everyone in her life. To prove herself to her family, Celeste joins the Chorus, a group of siren warriors tasked with protecting their realm from humans. However, on Celeste’s first mission she goes against orders and saves the human Prince, his friend and his adorable dog Admiral.

I loved that this book took elements from The Little Mermaid and while also giving the story a new and original twist. I’m really into pirate books at the moment and I loved how much time Celeste spent on pirate ships in this one. The tension and banter between Celeste and Prince Raiden really drew me in, as well as the friendships that Celeste forged with the rest of the crew. Found family is one of my favourite tropes and it was executed perfectly!

I didn’t realise this isn’t a stand along and now I really want to know what happens next!

I would definitely recommend if you love YA fantasy with:
🧜‍♀️ Sirens and pirates
🧜‍♀️ Found family
🧜‍♀️ Forbidden love
🧜‍♀️ Adorable animal companions
🧜‍♀️ Swashbuckling adventure
🧜‍♀️ Warriors in training

The story was incredibly engaging and so much fun to read.
I’m already looking forward to diving into more books by this author.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I have one very big weakness when it comes to stories connected to the sea and the ocean: Sirens! I love sirens. I love the thought of a voice being so powerful that sailors drown themselves happily. When I came across this book I immediately had to pre-order and I was really looking forward to reading it. And then I discovered that the book was available to request via Netgalley. I was very happy that Little Brown Bookgroup granted me a digital review copy.

It took some time before this story really caught my attention. That's mostly because the beginning of the story follows the little mermaid fairytale quite closely. Of course, some world building was added and we got the chance to get to know the characters and their history a little, but everything still felt very familiar. However, once our siren had legs and ended on land to search for her prince things got more interesting.

This book mostly focuses on the character dynamics. The prince collects a crew of misfits and former criminals and slowly we watch them becoming friends and a family. Therefore our siren is also forced to look at everything she learned when growing up. Yes, there are bad humans in this world, but there are also a lot of good humans. And despite everything that happened, the author made sure that the bond forced during the story was never harmed.

The finale of the book was also quite exciting. There were a few really nice plot-twists I didn't see coming and the premise for the next book is also quite nice. I have to admit that I'm not entirely sold on the romance between the siren and the prince yet, but considering everything that happened in this book, maybe it's not so weird that it feels slightly off at times. Luckily that means that there is a lot more exciting tension to come in the sequel!

Spellbound is a darkly magical retelling with a fierce feminist edge, diverging from the traditional Sleeping Beauty story. Instead of relying on a saviour narrative, this story delves into how women save themselves and each other.
The book weaves together the lives of fierce women in a kingdom where magic is banned and secrets are everything. Sel was a standout for me, her emotional arc hit hard, and she’s the kind of character that stays with you. Talia and Briar’s mirrored paths were super compelling too, and I loved the nature vs. nurture vibe between them. It really made you think about how much our lives are shaped by how/where we are raised versus who we are at the core. Each character is unique, and their individual journeys make the familiar story even more interesting and complex.
The writing is lush and atmospheric, evoking a fairy-tale-like quality with a dark twist. Told through five female POVs, the shifting viewpoints let you see the world, and the curse, from completely different angles. The story spans 17 years, so the narrative doesn’t always move in a straight line. Some chapters flash back, others jump ahead slightly, creating a broader picture of how the curse affects not just one girl, but an entire kingdom of women. Early chapters are strong and atmospheric, and the character switching keeps things intriguing. The pacing slows a bit in the middle bit but the tension ramps back up toward the end, especially as the characters’ arcs start to collide.
Spellbound is a unique take on the classic Sleeping Beauty, weaving magic, destiny, and empowerment into a captivating story. A must-read for anyone who loves darker fairy-tale retellings.

What if the little mermaid became a human, not to marry the prince, but to kill him?

This book has everything you want from a fantasy novel:
~ Relatable FMC that’s not afraid to show her emotions
~ Witty banter between all the characters
~ Wonderful world building that leaves room for expansion
~ Plenty of secrets to uncover

The author does such a great job of describing details and bringing her characters to life! I loved learning about the world that she created and the storyline was so intriguing and easy to follow. If you are a huge fan of the Little Mermaid and Pirates of the Caribbean, you’ll love this book!

I don't know who this book was targeted for but I found the writing very juvenile, genuinely that's all I can think of to describe the book. I still appreciate the spins to the original story.

2.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone publishing for this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly, this book was a struggle. I was so excited because the concept is so fun and I’m always looking for new mermaid related books but this one wasn’t for me.

The pacing was a huge struggle at the beginning. I felt that there was far too much detail and it took almost half the book to set up the story. I’m not certain I needed so much insignificant things described to me in such detail when most of it was never mentioned in the book again. Then there were massive chunks of time that got skipped over and it was quite jarring to read.

I didn’t actually realise this was being sold as a book for fans of The Little Mermaid and Pirates of the Caribbean and in all honesty The Little Mermaid element was too similar to the point where I was bored.

I’m very torn however, because I really wasn’t enjoying this book and really wanted to dnf at the 30% mark but I soldiered on and once I hit 70% the characters suddenly felt different somehow and the relationship between Celeste and Raiden was actually likeable where before I really disliked how toxic the air between them seemed. There were other characters I liked but not enough to carry the book for me.

Let me just say I loved that she made the prince a pirate! It changes the entire dynamic, making them at sea (a place where Celeste the little mermaid) is comfortable and experienced as well as adding extra to the tensions between the two kingdoms! I have read a lot of Little Mermaid retellings that don’t make sufficient changes from the original fairytale that the plot is still entertaining to follow but the reveal at the end (even though there were clues!) I was still surprised by.
I mentioned that it was at sea, we get to see a little bit of the palace as well as generally her on the ship and then on the land for a brief amount of time. There isn’t much word building, the focus is Celeste and her personal relationships
also really liked that Celeste was able to speak and just didn’t because she knew her accent would stand out.
Damsel Reader Recommendation: 13+, for lovers of fairytale retellings!
Violence Rating: Level 3
Romance Rating: Sweet
Content Warnings: she is stripped at one point, I was worried it would lean into SA but it balanced on the edge.

Voice of the Ocean is a captivating blend of fantasy, romance, and adventure. I found it slow in parts, and then fast paced at the end. Great easy read with fairy tale like story.

Voice of the Ocean is a compelling YA fantasy debut that blends The Little Mermaid with political intrigue, moral conflict, and a dash of slow-burn romance. While the pacing had its uneven moments, the imaginative world-building and emotional character journey pulled me in—and by the final third, I could not put it down. I was up reading through 2 a.m. and audibly gasped when I turned the page and hit the acknowledgments!

Celeste is a layered and relatable protagonist. Her struggle to reconcile her loyalty to the sirens with her growing understanding of the human world felt genuine and earned. The emotional complexity of her journey, along with some truly standout supporting characters aboard the ship, made for a cast I really enjoyed following.

The first part of the book did feel slower at times, and I occasionally found myself wanting more development around major plot points, especially since some of the descriptive sections felt overly long. The meaning behind the title itself was also introduced fairly late, which threw me off just a little. But those concerns were outweighed by how satisfying and emotionally charged the final chapters were.

Retellings can be hit or miss, but this one hit the mark for me. Kelsey did an excellent job creating a fresh, morally rich twist on the classic story, and I am so ready for the sequel!

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.