Hello, reader!

Today is my stop on yet another book tour hosted by the wonderful people at TBR & Beyond Tours! Today’s featured book is Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen and it caught my interest as soon as I saw the cover. It’s a YA fantasy inspired by West African mythology and, y’all, there are Black mermaids. How could I not want to read it?

Before we get to my post, I want to thank the wonderful team at TBR & Beyond Tours for allowing me a spot on this tour. Don’t forget that there are other incredible bloggers and bookstagrammers participating along the way! You can check out the full schedule HERE. I also want to thank the publisher, Random House Books, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my participation with this tour and an honest review. It is, as always, much appreciated!

Alright, now let’s get into the post!

---

---

---

“An unforgettable fantasy debut inspired by West African mythology, this is Children of Blood and Bone meets The Little Mermaid, in which a mermaid takes on the gods themselves.

A way to survive.
A way to serve.
A way to save.

Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata–a mermaid–collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home.

But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi does the unthinkable–she saves his life, going against an ancient decree. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy it.

To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But all is not as it seems. There’s the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. . . . Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she doesn’t, then she risks not only the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.”

Read More »