I received this book through the Making Connections ARR Group for an honest review, thank you.



I enjoyed this book. I hadn’t read a story about selkies before and this one held my attention. The book blurb pretty much tells what the story is about so I won’t give details about that.

First thing, I like the cover. It has a nice historic look to it like an old map. I do wonder about the corset that El is wearing however because it’s stated in the book that she only wore one for her wedding day. She never wore it when she was pretending to be a boy. So the cover is a bit misleading.

I liked the characters but not all of them developed through the story. My favorite was Daniel. He was a young boy when the book starts and grows to be a strong young man, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally also. Elysandra was a different matter. She also started the story as a young girl that wanted to go to sea with her father. She ends up disguising herself as a boy to serve on a ship. El grows in her knowledge of ship life, and also physically but she doesn’t really grow up emotionally even at the end of the book. At the beginning of the book I didn’t find her personality annoying because she was just a child. But by the end, I wanted to smack her because she still acted like a selfish child who, if she didn’t get her way, thru a fit. She also rushes off impulsively at the end of the story and kills a high ranking individual that I’m surprised she killed. Yes, the person was obnoxious, but this person is not the one who killed her father.

I also didn’t care for the ending where Daniel just shrugs it off when he finds out El has killed this person because it made the ending seem abrupt, and the killing not that important.

Other than that, the book was easy to read and moved along at a decent pace. I give Call of the Sea, 3 stars because of the lack of character development for one of the main characters and the not completely satisfying ending.


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Author: Rebecca Hart
Published By: InkSpell Publishing
Age Recommended: Adult
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 4
Blog For: GMTA
Review:

"Call of the Sea" by Rebecca Hart was a very enjoyable fantasy, romance read. This author did a wonderful job with the mythological of the selkie...with pirates, sailors, romance and murder. This novel was of two different people who are brought together from childhood to adulthood by their love of the sea. The novel starts may start out a little slow however, it picks up and wow...what good read the "Call of the Sea" turns out.

This author wrote a very intriguing story that will draw you in and keep you hanging for then shoe to drop. With the heroine..Elysandra "Ellie" Winters who was some character...independent..stubborn ..strong-headed...sometimes even selfish however, by the end of the novel some maturity was seen. The hero.. Daniel was so sweet, kind, loving, hard worker and simply loved Ellie. Now, just how these two were able to come together .... you will have to pick up "Call of the Sea" to find out how this story will end. All of the characters were off the chart good that really kept the story moving along.

With the author taking her setting for the "Call of the Sea from the Newquay, England area really helped with the descriptions that showed up in this read. You were really made to feel like you could hear the bustle of the wharf as the captains prepared to go to sea.

If you are in for a good fantasy read with some romance and mythology, the "Call of the Sea" would be recommended to you. ( )

This review appears on my blog, Starting the Next Chapter.

The seas often hold more than meets the eye. Elysandra Winters is about to learn this first-hand thanks to Daniel, a young man with a surprising secret: he's a selkie, and he has just signed on to work for Elysandra's father, Captain Winters. As the two come into and out of each other's lives thanks to Elysandra's determination to go out to sea, the foundation is laid for a surprising future. When Ellie disguises herself as a boy and takes on a job as a cabin boy for a rival captain, it is up to Captain Winters and Daniel to find her. However, tragedy strikes, leaving Ellie and Daniel to come to an accord... one that Captain Winters may have wanted all along. In this romance set on the high seas, fantasy becomes reality in many ways as love takes sail and the mysteries of the sea wash up on the tide. Get ready, for you'll never look at the ocean the same way again.

Elysandra is a character with one driving force that influences everything. Her need to live a life of freedom on the sea is her biggest motivator and, as such, pushes her toward both some beneficial events and huge mistakes. She is a stubborn girl with a fiery temper who won't back down no matter what. Her indomitable spirit makes her an interesting character to follow, even in her most frustrating moments. Daniel, on the other hand, complements her very well. While he possesses a temper of his own, he also has a knack for being levelheaded that is a great boon to Elysandra when she is at her most temperamental. These characters just played off of each other very well and made for an engaging dialog that kept the story moving along at a great clip.

The premise for Call of the Sea is very appealing in both its setting and plot. The descriptions of the surroundings and the workings of the ships were so vivid and easily pictured and the storyline was engaging. However, I did find that the timing was a bit rushed at times, especially at the beginning of the book as the years of Elysandra's childhood fly by rapidly, and nearing the end of the story when the big conflict takes place and then is over in what seems like the blink of an eye. While it is great that the story isn't overly bogged down by unneeded details, a slower pacing and more set-up for major events would have gone a long way toward making the story feel less like I skimmed over integral parts.

It is always wonderful to come across a story of romance with such a novel perspective as Call of the Sea. Having only ever read two books that feature selkies, it's very refreshing to have had the chance to read a new offering. Call of the Sea is a fun, romantic, whimsical novel that made for a very enjoyable experience. Though it has been a long time since I read a romance novel, I'm glad to have read this one, as I found its premise to be very appealing. If you're interested in fantasy with nice helpings of romance and hints of mythology and folklore, Call of the Sea could be the book for you. It makes for a great summertime read thanks to its imaginative storyline and nautical adventures.

Obligatory legal statement: This advance review copy was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review. ( )