Hello, reader!

I’ve got yet another blog tour for you today, this one featuring one of the 10 finalists from last year’s Book Bloggers Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA)! I got to read Our Bloody Pearl by D.N. Bryn as a 2021 panelist and absolutely fell in love with the book! Finding new favorites is one of the many reasons I love being a BBNYA panelist. This diverse fantasy was fast-paced, spell-binding, and so much fun. But, before I get into my tour stop, let me tell you more about BBNYA.

BBNYA is a yearly competition where Book Bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website www.bbnya.com or twitter @bbnya_official.

The sign-ups will soon be open for the 2022 BBNYA competition, be it for authors to enter their books, or for bloggers wanting to be part of the new panel, so keep your eyes peeled!!

As a note, I received this book to read and review as part of the 2021 BBNYA tours organised by the TWR Tour team. All opinions are my own, unbiased and honest. Now, let’s get into the post!

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The ocean is uncontrollable and dangerous. But to the sirens who swim the warm island waters, it’s a home more than worth protecting from the humans and their steam-propelled ships. Between their hypnotic voices and the strength of their powerful tails, sirens have little to fear.

That is, until the ruthless pirate captain, Kian, creates a device to cancel out their songs.

Perle was the first siren captured, and while all since have either been sold or killed, Kian still keeps them prisoner. Though their song is muted and their tail paralyzed, Perle’s hope for escape rekindles as another pirating vessel seizes Kian’s ship. This new captain seems different, with his brilliant smile and his promises that Kian will never again be Perle’s master. But he’s still a human, and a captor in his own way. The compassion he and his rag-tag human family show can’t be sincere… or can it?

Soon it becomes clear that Kian will hunt Perle relentlessly, taking down any siren in her path. As the tides turn, Perle must decide whether to run from Kian forever, or ride the forming wave into battle, hoping their newfound human companions will fight with them.

This adult fantasy novel featuring an nonbinary disabled protagonist is a voyage of laughter and danger where friendships and love abound and sirens are sure to steal—or eat—your heart.  

Trigger warnings: mild gore due to carnivorous sirens and sensations of drowning.

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Author Links

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D.N. Bryn began writing short stories in middle school and has yet to stop. They received their bachelors degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from UCSD, and enjoy a day job involving respiratory disease research. They bring their love for animals, science, and mythology into all their writing, and are passionate about creating inclusive worlds where a diverse array of characters can go on grand adventures without being hindered by social misconceptions based on their appearance, sexuality, or gender.

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You know that experience when you’re in the first few pages of a book and you just know you’re going to love it? When you find yourself completely and utterly transported to the world that the author has created? That is what happened to me as I read Our Bloody Pearl!

This beautiful story follows a siren named Perle, a creature of the sea who has been captured by the ruthless Captain Kian. Kian considers Perle to be their own personal prize, but Perle dreams of escape. One day, when a new captain boards Kian’s ship and steals Perle away, they think that they might be one step closer to achieving their dream and finding their way back to the sea. What Perle doesn’t expect to find… is a family.

We all know how much I love found family, right? Well, if you don’t, hi, I’m Kerri and I’m a sucker for a book with a good found family trope. This book delivers that in spades! I adore Perle and DeJean and all the members of their weird, wonderful little family. I love that we have a diverse cast of characters that are all nuanced and complex. None of the characters in this story felt one-dimensional or like they were simply there to fit a role. I loved that we have a main character with a disability and how the author shows them adapting to life. I’m not a part of the disabled community, so my voice is not the one to turn to to say “Yes, this is good rep!” Personally, I thought the author did an excellent job, though, and it was great to see a disabled character in the spotlight. I feel like we need that more in fantasy! I also loved all the casual LGBTQIA+ rep. More of that, please!

Beyond the amazing characters and the perfect use of one of my favorite tropes, the writing in this is simply stunning. It transported me to the sea-drenched world of Perle and her fellow sirens, to the world of the sun-soaked islands of DeJean and his little family of sailors. I felt like I was right there with them as they learned and grew together! D.N. Bryn has a way with words that absolutely pulls you into the story and doesn’t let go until you’ve found yourself at the end. This book is intensely readable… I promise, once you start, you won’t want to put it down!

I also enjoyed the various story arcs we follow throughout the book and I thought this was perfectly paced. There was never a moment where I felt like the story wasn’t advancing or where I got bored. I was engaged throughout the book and was honestly kind of sad when it was over, haha. Suffice it to say, I am hooked into this world and I cannot wait to read more!

Final thoughts: This was an absolute stunner of a book! If you like your fantasy to be atmospheric, you’ll love this. You can practically hear the ocean calling as you flip through the pages. You like character-driven stories? This book is for you! It has a wealth of complex and intriguing characters that will steal your heart. And possibly eat it, but Perle is working on their impulse control. If you’re a fan of high stakes adventures, found family, and excellent rep, I think you should give Our Bloody Pearl a try!

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