It starts with a common enough concept: a royal girl who is worried about her betrothal and about love. 'A fantastic addition to the genre of mermaids, this book will also appeal to readers of action and those who appreciate usurped leaders taking back their kingdom. There’s also plenty of romantic tension with handsome mermen, strife between merls (that’s girl mermaids) from rival regions, and some powerful female friendships amid the fast-paced plot, filled with wondrous magic.' 'Best-selling Donnelly (Revolution, 2010) builds an alluring mermaid civilization and history, filled with painterly descriptions of Sera’s underwater palace and its unearthly architecture, her sumptuous wardrobe, and the menagerie of half-human, half-marine animal denizens. Readers will eagerly await future volumes and the answers they will provide.' Quick-witted, loveable characters and a well-planned fantasy world make this an all-encompassing book. Friendship, trust, and responsibility are major themes as Sera struggles to grasp that she is really her kingdom’s only hope. Donnelly then adds layers of complexity to the tale and weaves her story into that of Atlantis. Despite the high stakes and a few frightening moments, the story is never over serious it’s just right for readers who have grown up with, but aged out of, The Little Mermaid and the Disney Fairies franchise.' Themes of conquering fear and believing in oneself are woven throughout, along with an acknowledgment of humans’ environmental impact on the sea and its inhabitants. Political intrigue, dangerous liaisons, and spine-tingling suspense swirl like a maelstrom in this penultimate book in the WaterFire saga. If Lucia's parents become suspicious, his life-and all of Sera's hopes-will be extinguished. And it is getting more and more difficult for Mahdi, Serafina's betrothed, to keep up the ruse that he is in love with Lucia Volerno. Ava can't return home, because death riders await her arrival. Becca meets up with Astrid and learns why the Ondalinian mermaid is always so angry: she is hiding a shameful secret. Ling is in the hold of Rafe Mfeme's giant trawler, on her way to a prison camp. While she works on sabotaging her enemy and enlisting allies for battle, her friends face challenges of their own.

Once a lost and confused princess, Serafina is now a confident leader of the Black Fin Resistance (BFR).

From award-winning author, Jennifer Donnelly, comes book 3 of the epic saga about six mermaids, Astrid struggles with a shameful secret, Ling discovers courage in a prison camp, and Serafina lines up allies to help fight the final battle for her underwater realm.

Dark tide by jennifer donnelly