SYNOPSIS
Dark be the water, and darker still the creatures that lurk within…
Free-spirited Isla Blackwood has never accepted the shackles of her family’s nobility. Instead, she sails the open waters, searching for belonging on the waves.
But when tragedy calls Isla home, she realises she can no longer escape the duty she’s been running from. Selkie raiders have been terrorising the island’s coasts, and when they strike at Blackwood Estate, Isla is forced to flee with her hot-headed brother and brooding swordmaster.
To avenge her family and reclaim her home, Isla will have to set aside old grudges and join forces with an exiled selkie searching for a lost pelt. The heirloom might be the key to stopping the bloody conflict—but only if they can steal it from the island’s most notorious selkie hunter, the Grand Admiral himself.
Caught between a promise to the brother she once left behind and an unlikely friendship with the selkie who should have been her enemy, Isla soon realises the open seas aren’t the only treacherous waters she’ll need to navigate.
As enemies close in on all sides, she must decide once and for all where her loyalties lie if she wants to save what’s left of her family—and find the belonging she’s been searching for.
Sea of Souls is a dark fantasy filled with Scottish folklore and ancient magic. Perfect for fans of The Witcher’s mythical creatures and monsters mixed with the high-seas adventure of Pirates of the Carribean.
REVIEW
Talk about getting sucked into a book and struggling to come out for a breath. Sea of Souls drags you down underneath the waves of intrigue and they won’t let you come up for air until the last page is turned.
Set in a world steeped in Scottish mythology, the main conflict centers around the selkies, bloodthirsty monsters that can shift between an aquatic form and human form. But are they just bloodthirsty monsters, or is there more to the story? I was endlessly fascinated by these creatures as my knowledge of selkies and their mainstream counterpart, mermaids, is very limited. Like, The Little Mermaid and The Lighthouse limited.
Scrimgeour weaves a tight web of twists and turns fueled by fantastic characters and believable conflicts. Unpredictable and fast-paced, Sea of Souls will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final shocking reveal, setting up what should be a very exciting sequel.
Sea of Souls is a dark fantasy, with lots of bloody violence, betrayal, prejudice and redemption. No matter how dark things get, Scrimgeour never loses sight of the hope that drives the narrative. Hope for a better future for human-kind and selkie alike. With a dash of romance and some sly humor, Sea of Souls has everything you could want in an epic fantasy.
With likable leads, memorable side-characters and terrifying villains, Scrimgeour has crafted an incredible story of love, hate, moving on and growing up. Sea of Souls pulls no punches and will rip your heart out before assuring you things will get better.
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