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Secrets of the Sea: The Prophecy
Amanda L. Vasquez’s Secrets of the Sea: The Prophecy is a heartfelt underwater fantasy about duty, healing, and the difficult work of becoming the person you’re called to be. The story follows Kalama as she moves closer to becoming a Guardian, a protector of the reefs, while also facing the pain she’s carried from her childhood on O’ahu. Around her, kingdoms gather, old romances return, prophecies awaken, and a dangerous creature named Taniwha rises from the deep. It’s a big, ocean-spanning story, but at its center is Kalama trying to understand what protection really means.
The book works best as a character-driven fantasy with strong family and friendship bonds. Kalama’s relationships with Tai, Tamatoa, Cornelius, Kane, Ona, and her royal family give the story warmth, especially when the plot grows heavier. Tai’s early transformation into a Guardian sets the tone beautifully, especially when he says, “I feel complete.” That line captures what so many characters are searching for in this book: a sense of purpose, belonging, and peace with the path ahead.
Kalama’s journey is the emotional core of the novel. Her trial isn’t just about power or bravery but about returning to the place that hurt her and learning how to protect it without denying what happened there. The book treats forgiveness as something complicated and active, not something easy or instant. That gives Kalama’s growth real weight, especially as her personal healing connects to the larger need to restore balance between land, sea, humans, merpeople, and the reefs.
The worldbuilding is generous and colorful, filled with royal courts, sea creatures, Guardians, Oceanriders, ancient songs, and cultural ties to Pacific island settings. The Jellyfish Celebration is one of the most memorable sections, and Kane’s vision gives the story a sense of urgency that reaches beyond one kingdom. The Hawaiian proverb Kalama remembers, “Pūpū Kāhi i Holomua,” translated in the book as “Unite in order to progress,” fits the whole novel well. This is a story about kingdoms learning that survival depends on trust, cooperation, and shared responsibility.
The Prophecy is an earnest and faith-touched fantasy adventure with a strong environmental heart. It blends mermaid lore, royal drama, prophecy, romance, and coming-of-age themes into a story that cares deeply about the ocean and the people connected to it. Readers who enjoy sincere fantasy with big emotions, brave young leaders, family loyalty, and a clear moral center will find a lot to appreciate here.
The Depth of Darkness
The Depth of Darkness, by Alisse Lee Goldenberg, is a young adult fantasy novel and the fourth book in The Children of Colonodona series. The story returns to Colonodona after the death of King Navor, where Queen Sitnalta is drowning in grief, Princess Audrina is carrying guilt and the pressure of her future crown, and strange attacks across the kingdom hint at something far more painful than an ordinary monster. What begins as a mystery about a creature in the dark slowly becomes a story about grief, family, identity, and the hard work of choosing love even after terrible loss.
I was impressed with how personal this fantasy feels. Yes, there are trolls, magic, cursed wishes, royal politics, and old secrets, but the heart of the book is quieter than that. It sits with people who are trying to keep going after being broken. Sitnalta’s sorrow feels heavy and lived in, and Audrina’s frustration with the crown gives the story a strong emotional center. I liked that the author doesn’t treat grief as something neat or noble. It’s messy. It makes people withdraw, snap, doubt themselves, and miss what is right in front of them.
I also liked the way Goldenberg uses fantasy not just for spectacle, but for emotional questions. What makes someone a monster? What does it mean to be yourself when magic, duty, and other people’s fear keep trying to define you? Those ideas run through the book without turning it into a lecture. The writing is direct and often very tender, especially in scenes between Audrina, Gertrude, Sitnalta, Lucas, and Najort. The story leans on dialogue and recap, especially for readers who may not remember the earlier books, but I didn’t mind that because the relationships are the real engine here. The book cares deeply about its characters, and you can feel that on the page.
The Depth of Darkness will probably mean the most to readers who enjoy character-driven series with fairy-tale roots, found family, royal drama, and magic tied closely to emotion. I would especially recommend it to readers who have followed The Children of Colonodona from the beginning. It’s not just about fighting the darkness outside the castle. It’s about facing the darkness that grief leaves behind, and finding, slowly and imperfectly, a way back into the light.
Pages: 266 | ASIN : B0H42CLHBZ
