You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
This felt half like a Greek mythology retelling and half a Disney villain origin story. I enjoyed the tragic tale of Sereia
Sereia is a magical mermaid. One day her brother casts her out of the kingdom and curses her – if she ever returns, she will be a monster, and she is turned into a human. Left for dead, Sereia washes ashore in Atlantis. She is discovered by a merchant with a tragic past. He helps her build a new life on land and amongst the Atlantean army. It is during her training that she learns the legend of a trident. With a way back to the sea and an army at her ranks, she is faced with a hard decision – be burned at the stake as a witch or turn into a monster and return to the sea. Which will she choose?
What a beautiful story of empowerment! Just beautiful. I had all the feels for Sereia in this one. I can’t imagine being a sibling that was only created as a spare. That would just be heart wrenching. This book is a slow burn, but it really pulls you into the unique world that the author has created. I loved the adventure and the romance. Even though this is a slow burn, it did keep me engaged and it was a rather quick read.
If you are looking for a beautifully written retelling of the little mermaid with some mythology added in, then check this one out.
If you would love the full experience that Once Upon a Book Club Box provides, then grab yourself a box. This book is gorgeous too. It has wonderful, sprayed edges and the cover is so shimmery. It’s just a stunning edition.
This was the June YA Box called Ursula Awakens. Use my code SPEEDREAD to save yourself some money. I do the monthly subscription and think of it as a monthly treat.
Thank you to @OnceUponABookClubBox for sending me this box in exchange for featuring on my page. All thoughts are my own.
What a beautiful story of empowerment! Just beautiful. I had all the feels for Sereia in this one. I can’t imagine being a sibling that was only created as a spare. That would just be heart wrenching. This book is a slow burn, but it really pulls you into the unique world that the author has created. I loved the adventure and the romance. Even though this is a slow burn, it did keep me engaged and it was a rather quick read.
If you are looking for a beautifully written retelling of the little mermaid with some mythology added in, then check this one out.
If you would love the full experience that Once Upon a Book Club Box provides, then grab yourself a box. This book is gorgeous too. It has wonderful, sprayed edges and the cover is so shimmery. It’s just a stunning edition.
This was the June YA Box called Ursula Awakens. Use my code SPEEDREAD to save yourself some money. I do the monthly subscription and think of it as a monthly treat.
Thank you to @OnceUponABookClubBox for sending me this box in exchange for featuring on my page. All thoughts are my own.
Firstly Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC of this book. Please note this gift has not affected the way in which I have reviewed this book.
I do love myself a good villain origin story, and Our Vengeful Souls did not disappoint.
The story gave me all the things I look for in a good fairytale, love, family, betrayal, friendships and most of all revenge!
It’s a must read!
I do love myself a good villain origin story, and Our Vengeful Souls did not disappoint.
The story gave me all the things I look for in a good fairytale, love, family, betrayal, friendships and most of all revenge!
It’s a must read!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
.png)
3.5/5 Stars
General Thoughts:
‘Our Vengeful Souls’ blends the legends of Atlantis with a backstory to Disney’s Ursula in ‘The Little Mermaid,’ aiming to offer a sympathetic backstory to the sea witch. The concept is intriguing, and the story is captivating, but the ending feels a little inconsistent (motivation/morals wise) and somewhat rushed. Knowing this is a backstory for Ursula, you know the ending wasn't going to be an HEA, though. Despite this nit-pick, the novel presents an engaging twist on what could have been a flat backstory.
Story Summary:
Sereia, a mermaid with extraordinary magic powers, becomes entangled in a family feud for her father’s throne with her brother Triton (hate that guy). When Triton curses Sereia to live as a human and threatens her with transformation into a monster upon returning to the sea, her journey takes her to Atlantis. There, she must adapt to life on land, navigate human relationships, and uncover secrets to break her curse. As Sereia goes deeper into her quest for revenge and identity, she faces consequences that challenge her perceptions of love, loyalty, and vengeance.
Final Thoughts:
The book starts strong with its imaginative blend of Atlantic mythology and Little Mermaid fairy tale elements. However, the sudden unfeelingness of formerly friendly people and Sereia’s abrupt descent into murderous rage at the conclusion feels forced and disproportionate, detracting from the sympathy we have built up. Despite this criticism, the novel shows a fresh perspective on familiar tales and explores complex themes of identity, justice, and destiny. 'Our Vengeful Souls’ will appeal to readers intrigued by mythological retellings, and villain backstories.
General Thoughts:
‘Our Vengeful Souls’ blends the legends of Atlantis with a backstory to Disney’s Ursula in ‘The Little Mermaid,’ aiming to offer a sympathetic backstory to the sea witch. The concept is intriguing, and the story is captivating, but the ending feels a little inconsistent (motivation/morals wise) and somewhat rushed. Knowing this is a backstory for Ursula, you know the ending wasn't going to be an HEA, though. Despite this nit-pick, the novel presents an engaging twist on what could have been a flat backstory.
Story Summary:
Sereia, a mermaid with extraordinary magic powers, becomes entangled in a family feud for her father’s throne with her brother Triton (hate that guy). When Triton curses Sereia to live as a human and threatens her with transformation into a monster upon returning to the sea, her journey takes her to Atlantis. There, she must adapt to life on land, navigate human relationships, and uncover secrets to break her curse. As Sereia goes deeper into her quest for revenge and identity, she faces consequences that challenge her perceptions of love, loyalty, and vengeance.
Final Thoughts:
The book starts strong with its imaginative blend of Atlantic mythology and Little Mermaid fairy tale elements. However, the sudden unfeelingness of formerly friendly people and Sereia’s abrupt descent into murderous rage at the conclusion feels forced and disproportionate, detracting from the sympathy we have built up. Despite this criticism, the novel shows a fresh perspective on familiar tales and explores complex themes of identity, justice, and destiny. 'Our Vengeful Souls’ will appeal to readers intrigued by mythological retellings, and villain backstories.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Okay, so this is a retelling of the famous Little Mermaid, but it's also a villain origin story for Ursula. I liked it a lot; it's super original. We follow Sereia, daughter of Poseidon and sister to Triton, who is extremely envious of her and her power. So he decides to strip her of it before she may claim "his" throne. She is sent to an island to live among the humans and discovers that what she was told about them is not true—and finds a place among them. She wants to return to the sea, but her curse is bound to turn her into a monster if she does, so she spends her days discovering how to fit in, while still searching for a way to get back home and get her revenge.
The story is built really nicely; it makes sense and develops in a great way. I listened to the audiobook and had a really good time!
*Audiobook Review*
This was an interesting take on an origin story. As a whole, I thought the story was compelling and the plot was enjoyable, even if the end was a bit dissatisfying by nature.
What worked for me:
- The story was interesting with a lot of different plot elements to keep things entertaining.
- I liked most of the main characters.
- The narrator did an excellent job! I really enjoyed the way she read and the character voices!
What didn't work for me:
- The writing style was way too wordy for my preference. The author used so many verbs and adjectives and additional clauses to say everything, and it got tedious and repetitive, especially in the audiobook format. This book really could have benefitted from a bit more editing.
- Aspects of the ending were, while to be expected due to the nature of the story, frustrating and dissatisfying.
- There were a lot of odd inconsistencies in this book that bothered me. Things like Sereia not knowing the word for "feet", but knowing things like "thighs", "linen", "spice", etc. I get what the author was going for, but there was a lack of logic to what she did and didn't know, and it got a bit annoying, and I feel like an editor catching this would have made for a stronger book.
This was an interesting take on an origin story. As a whole, I thought the story was compelling and the plot was enjoyable, even if the end was a bit dissatisfying by nature.
What worked for me:
- The story was interesting with a lot of different plot elements to keep things entertaining.
- I liked most of the main characters.
- The narrator did an excellent job! I really enjoyed the way she read and the character voices!
What didn't work for me:
- The writing style was way too wordy for my preference. The author used so many verbs and adjectives and additional clauses to say everything, and it got tedious and repetitive, especially in the audiobook format. This book really could have benefitted from a bit more editing.
- Aspects of the ending were, while to be expected due to the nature of the story, frustrating and dissatisfying.
Spoiler
Sereia's spiral to insanity at the end made it all feel pointless since she doesn't even get to enjoy her revenge.- There were a lot of odd inconsistencies in this book that bothered me. Things like Sereia not knowing the word for "feet", but knowing things like "thighs", "linen", "spice", etc. I get what the author was going for, but there was a lack of logic to what she did and didn't know, and it got a bit annoying, and I feel like an editor catching this would have made for a stronger book.
Sereia is a mermaid with extraordinary magical powers. Powers that surpass her brother’s, Triton. He is in the hopes to rule the kingdom when their father’s trident is passed down to him. But when Sereia’s younger sister is captured by humans it is up to her to destroy them with all that she has. This incident will forever change her fate. When Triton is outmatched by Sereia he curses her to live life as a human hoping she will never return.
Washing up on the shore of Atlantis, Sereia finds she must adapt to her new life and new found legs. She must find a way back home to exact her revenge. Can she find the twin to her father’s trident and undo her curse? Or will she find love that will make her forget about all who have wronged her?
Overall rating 3 /5
I liked the prequel feeling of this book to the Little Mermaid, and to add the conspiracy of Atlantis. I love a story about a strong willed woman character, and especially if they get their revenge. I do feel like the story lagged a bit in some spots and could have been supplemented with a little more of a slow burn romance. I would also not classify this as a Children’s book, which I thought this was, but more of a YA.
*Thank you to Kristi McManus, Netgalley and CamCat Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for the audio book copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.
Washing up on the shore of Atlantis, Sereia finds she must adapt to her new life and new found legs. She must find a way back home to exact her revenge. Can she find the twin to her father’s trident and undo her curse? Or will she find love that will make her forget about all who have wronged her?
Overall rating 3 /5
I liked the prequel feeling of this book to the Little Mermaid, and to add the conspiracy of Atlantis. I love a story about a strong willed woman character, and especially if they get their revenge. I do feel like the story lagged a bit in some spots and could have been supplemented with a little more of a slow burn romance. I would also not classify this as a Children’s book, which I thought this was, but more of a YA.
*Thank you to Kristi McManus, Netgalley and CamCat Books | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks for the audio book copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.