Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.




Book: A Song Below Water




Author: Bethany C. Morrow




Book Series: Standalone




Rating: 4/5




Diversity: Black main character and side characters!




Recommended For...: mermaid lovers, people who want commentary on racism and discrimination




Publication Date: June 2, 2020




Genre: YA Fantasy




Recommended Age: 15+ (violence, death, slight gore, slight romance, fighting for justice, racism, police brutality)




Publisher: TorTeen




Pages: 288




Synopsis: Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Never mind she's also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she's also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either.




Review: I tried this book again and it was much better this time. I don't know if I'm just a mood reader now or not but it definitely effected my reading of this book on the first pass. The book was amazingly well detailed and I loved the world the author wove. The characters were also well done and developed. I also loved the incorporation of racism, police brutality, and the overall fight for justice!




However, I did think that there were some confusing moments and pacing issues. The pacing is a bit slow in places and it slows down randomly.




Verdict: I think it’s a good book, but it's hard to read in some spots.