Review: Serenade by Emily Kiebel

Serenade

by Emily Kiebel

Pages: 358

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Suddenly the voice she prized is now dangerously seductive...

Lorelei Clark's only concern was her future as a classically trained soprano, that is, until the day her father was tragically killed. Shattered by his death, she hesitantly accepts an invitation from a mysterious aunt to visit her lavish oceanside home in Cape Cod. She quickly discovers that her aunt and the two women who live with her are harboring a frightening secret they are sirens, terrifying mythical creatures responsible for singing doomed sailors to their deaths. Even more astounding, Lorelei is one of them. In this new world where water comes alive at her touch and an ancient power pulses beneath the tide, the most important rule Lorelei must learn is that a siren never interferes with fate. When she breaks this rule by rescuing a handsome sailor who should have died at sea, the sirens vow she must finish the job or face grave consequences. Finding herself inexplicably attracted to him, she must fight to keep him safe from the others, even if it means risking her own life, and her heart, in the process.


Kritters Thoughts:  What could be categorized as a little fantastical or a little magic realism, this book was out of my wheelhouse, but I loved it!  Lorelei Clark is a young girl who is testing the limits of her parents by going to a school for voice far away from her home town.  Her father comes to visit and through an accident Lorelei is struck with tragedy and doesn't know what her future looks like for herself.  In walks a great-aunt, an aunt and a cousin who take her in and show her her family's past to maybe inspire her for her future.

As the back of the book spoils it, I will give the news that Lorelei learns she is from a long family line of sirens.  As I haven't read a book about sirens and don't know much about "fantastical" characters, I really enjoyed learning with Lorelei what good sirens are really about.  The reader also learns about when sirens go rogue!  I am not usually a fantasy fan, but I enjoyed that at the heart of the story is a real human girl who is trying to decide what kind of future she wants for herself.  It was a coming of age with a bit of a twist!

I would recommend this to young readers as it is a great book about family and self discovery.  There may be a little bit of a romance, but nothing in the steamy realm which keeps this book focused on its true themes.  


Rating: perfect YA read

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from BookSparks PR.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.