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A Song Below Water (A Song Below Water #1) by Bethany C. Morrow Book Review
Title: A Song Below Water
Author: Bethany C. Morrow
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: June 2, 2020
Pages: 288
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. Nevermind 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.
My Thoughts
**Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Teen for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!**
Mythical creatures exist in the world in Portland, but they must keep their identity a secret. Tavia belongs to this group of people. She's a siren and must keep her voice hidden at all costs but this gets harder as a murder victim is suspected of a siren.
Sirens, they say, and anyone listening knows it's a dirty word.
Her best friend and sister, Effie, also has the fear of being discovered for she doesn't know what powers she has. Together the two girls stay strong side by side as they tackle school, family, and social troubles.
I don't know how, but it doesn't matter. Nothing's gonna keep us apart.
Star Review: ★★★☆☆ (3)
I loved the friendship between Effie and Tavia. Though one of them is adopted, they are like real sisters and support each other either way. Effie comes from an extraordinary family and it was fun to read about.
There were some intense and exciting chapters but most of the book felt a little slow to me. I almost DNF it but I'm glad I didn't because I actually thought the ending was really interesting.
Overall, A Song Below Water was an important read about many different troubles that Effie and Tavia faced as well as many others. Even if the beginning was a little slow, the ending was pretty good and if you can keep reading until then, it becomes a good read.
About the Author
Bethany C. Morrow is a recovering expat recently returning from six years in Montreal, Quebec, to live and write in north country New York. A California native, Bethany graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BA in Sociology. Following undergrad, she studied Clinical Psychological Research at the University of Wales, Bangor, in Great Britain before returning to North America to focus on her literary work. She is the author of the adult novel Mem (Unnamed Press) and the editor of the young adult anthology Take the Mic (Arthur A. Levine Books).
Title: A Song Below Water
Bethany C. Morrow is a recovering expat recently returning from six years in Montreal, Quebec, to live and write in north country New York. A California native, Bethany graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BA in Sociology. Following undergrad, she studied Clinical Psychological Research at the University of Wales, Bangor, in Great Britain before returning to North America to focus on her literary work. She is the author of the adult novel Mem (Unnamed Press) and the editor of the young adult anthology Take the Mic (Arthur A. Levine Books).
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