#Review - Sea Witch Rising by Sarah Henning #YALIT #Fantasy

Series: Sea Witch # 2
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: August 6, 2019
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Wunderkind PR
Genre: Young Adult / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Adaptations

The Sea Witch and the Little Mermaid seek their hearts’ desires in this dark and twisty sequel to the origin story of the sea’s most iconic villainess.

“The Little Mermaid” takes a twisted turn in this thrilling sequel to villainess origin story Sea Witch, as the forces of land and sea clash in an epic battle for freedom, redemption, and true love. 

Runa will not let her twin sister die. Alia traded her voice to the Sea Witch for a shot at happiness with a prince who doesn’t love her. And his rejection will literally kill her—unless Runa intervenes.

Under the sea, Evie craves her own freedom—but liberation from her role as Sea Witch will require an exchange she may not be willing to make. With their hearts’ desires at odds, what will Runa and Evie be willing to sacrifice to save their worlds? 

Told from alternating perspectives, this epic fairy tale retelling is a romantic and heart-wrenching story about the complications of sisterhood, the uncompromising nature of magic, and the cost of redemption.

Sea Witch Rising is the second installment in author Sarah Henning's Sea Witch series. The story takes in 1914, 50 years after the original story, but there is a prologue that bridges the first book to this one. The story alternatives narratives between Evie, who is now the Sea Witch, and Runa, a mermaid princess nicknamed the Little Mermaid, whose twin sister Alia gave up her voice to the Sea Witch for the love of a human Prince. Evie has been tethered to her cave of darkness and avoided by the merpeople as per the Sea King. 

Her only companion is Anna who no longer has her own body. Evie craves freedom from her isolation. When Runa shows up demanding that she do something to save Alia, Evie decides that this could the moment that she breaks free from her captivity and the Sea King who appears to be itching for war with the landlubbers. She offers Runa a deal but not like Alia's. Runa will have to kill prince in 4 days, or she will remain human for the rest of her life. It’s not hard to feel for Evie because you realize that she’s become the witch she is for some many heartbreaking reasons. 

She tried her hardest to save the boy she loved, only to be imprisoned and transitioned into the dreaded Sea Witch with Octopus like tentacles. There are some rather pleasant and not so pleasant twists and turn of events for Evie in this book. Evie is not a bad person no matter how hard she has to suffer in silence while war is waging on the surface. I read where the author said that this is a story about being left behind. Runa was left behind by Alia. Evie was left behind because everyone she loves has now died. And it’s about the two of them, in their own way, coming into themselves.

Runa is upset that her twin sister went to Evie to make the forbidden bargain of turning her into a human for four days in an attempt to prove that Niklas, the grandson of the original Nik from Sea Witch, loves her. If she can get Niklas to love her, she will be human forever. If not, she will fade away. Runa can't allow this to happen. She pretty much bargains her own life to Evie in order to save Alia. 

“Alia, listen to me. I didn’t sacrifice my voice, no. But I did make a deal with the witch.”
She pulls back and points a finger to her chest.
For me.
“Always for you. Without you, there is no me.”

But, while Alia has been on her own, Runa actually finds allies during a time where World War I is imploding across Europe affecting the people of the sea, and the land. The heart of this story, is sisterly love and the bond between siblings. Runa and Alia are two halves to one whole, and Runa will do anything to save her sister. It's not surprising that Runa comes across as brave in the face of pretty steep odds. Runa also has magic which helps her get out of many twisted situations. 

The ending of Sea Witch wraps up the story pretty nicely. But, it also left open the possibilities for another book in this universe now that both Runa and Evie have found a voice and their own paths. A special thanks and gratitude goes out to Wunderkind PR for sending me a copy of this book! 

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