I'm not usually a fan of short stories, but this book blew me away! Each story was unique and I found myself wanting more from most of the chapters' end.

It's pretty hard to judge the writing in this book as there are so many authors who contributed and they all have their own writing style, but the flow while reading was quite undisrupted. There are stories from a variety of time periods, romances including LGBT, and cultures, which I very much appreciated. Representation is important, even for mermaids.

Alright so this is a set of short stories that focus on mermaids or creatures like mermaids. Some of these stories were so intriguing, but most of them, if I'm being honest, just made me sad. So many mermaids turning into humans and being unhappy just to turn around and have their children become mermaids again. Very odd and a bit of a bummer!

The only stories I enjoyed were ones where the mermaids have power and bring shitty people down. I felt vindicated about their revenge, which I'm not sure what that says about me lol. Overall, some of these were great, and others fell flat. Probably the best part of short stories is that each one can be unique!

Again, I think short story collections are always a difficult thing to review. I always really enjoy a few of them and then dislike some others. I really liked getting into some of the legends behind mermaids and really dive (pun intended) into the mythology.

I am absolutely obsessed with this book! The variety of diverse stories is phenomenal. And anthologies in general do well in my classroom (shorter stories for students with shorter attention spans). I need 100 copies of this book ASAP.

Although I don't typically enjoy reading anthologies, I decided to give this one a chance. To my surprise, I was thoroughly impressed by all fourteen stories included in this collection. Each author did an incredible job portraying the mythicals of the sea world that make our imagination fly with the everyday reality that comes with all human problems.
I appreciated the perfect blend of fantasy and realism that left me with a lot to contemplate even after finishing the book. While some of the stories weren't to my personal taste, I still want to congratulate all of the authors on their bravery in sharing their art with the world.

Storm Song by Rebecca Coffindaffer
This short story describes a gathering of sirens, led by the main character (you), who are about to lure a cruise full of wealthy humans to their deaths in order to appease Mother Nature and maintain balance. Personally, I did not enjoy the story, primarily due to its second-person narration style, which reminded me of the fan-fictions about One Direction, Justin Bieber, etc. that were all over Wattpad in 2015. I was hoping for a greater something, especially considering the story's potential. There is not much to say to avoid spoilers because it truly is very short and to the point.

We'll Always Have June by Julia Winters ⭐️
This short story is the cutest one I've ever read! I particularly enjoyed how the author introduced the main characters and how the story ended without feeling rushed or awkward. I was impressed by how well the characters were developed, and I appreciated the representation of the LGBTQ+ community. Overall, it was a fantastic read, second part, please!!

The Story of a Knife by Gretchen Schreiber ⭐️
What would happen if instead of wishing to be part of our world, the wish was to be part of under the sea? This is my favorite of the whole compilation which makes me don't want to give too much away, as I want everyone to experience the same surprise I did when the secret was revealed.

The Dark Calls by Preeti Chhibber
The story has a lot of potential, but unfortunately, it was not developed in a way that would make the reader crave more. The ending was very confusing, and I believe that the author's intended message got lost among all the unanswered questions that arose within the short number of pages.

Return to the Sea by Kalyn Bayron
While the main character was not my favorite, I found this story to be one of the sweetest I have ever read. I know I said that about the second one too, but the emotions I felt when I reached the final page were too intense to ignore. The author delivers a powerful message about love, tolerance, and the importance of coexisting with all forms of life.

The Deepwater Van-Dal by Darcie Little Badger ⭐️
Sometimes, it's heartbreaking to realize that appreciating the wrong thing can turn you into a monster, while in other cases, becoming a monster is what ultimately makes you a hero. This wonderful tale deserves no criticism whatsoever. Although it lacks any romantic element, love is omnipresent throughout the story. It could have easily been a fantastic book on its own, rather than just a short story in a compilation. Therefore, if you happen to be reading this, Ms. Darcie, please consider expanding this universe.

The Nightingale's Lament by Kerri Maniscalco
Ms. Maniscalco brings to this anthology her distinctive mystery with a spoon of romance that never abandons her writing. In this anthology, she treats us to a spicy battle between mermaids and a descendant of Poseidon, who is going to be the winner? Guess we will never know who the winner is, but I hope it's love.

Sea Wolf in Prince's Clothing by Adriana Herrera,
What I loved about this story is that you can feel the Latino heritage of Ms. Herrera, the Caribbean mermaid vibes, and the female empowerment that I was looking for; it made me feel included and that's always important. Overall, it was a great short story that combined cultural representation and powerful storytelling.

Nor'easter by Katherin Locke
This story is based on the great storm that devastated the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. I dare to say that Ms. Lacke's writing gave us a beautiful story with an even more beautiful ending, compensating for the absence of beauty that occurred in reality.

The First and Last Kiss by Julie Murphy
I thoroughly enjoyed this story until the conclusion. Unfortunately, the ending was abrupt and unsatisfying, causing the entire story to fall apart. Despite this, Julia Murphy has once again proven her ability to captivate her readers.

The Merrow by Zoraida Córdova & Natalie C. Parker
It is worth noting that the only flaw of this short story is the tendency to always incorporate a romantic angle into every narrative. However, sometimes omitting romance from the equation is not necessarily a negative aspect, particularly when your story already stirs up a variety of emotions, including human compassion, which is arguably the most important one. Even so, I loved it, and now I have to read the first part found in "Vampires Never Get Old" to learn about the discovery of the first weird creatures.

Shark Week by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
I want to make it clear that this story is not for me. Although it is different from the others and I appreciate that, I cannot say that I like it. Despite knowing that there are worse things out there, there is a part of me that makes it impossible to enjoy this story. In fact, I dislike it so much that if I had to rate the entire anthology based on this story alone, I would have to give it a zero.

Jinju's Pearls by June Hur ⭐️
June Hur, wherever you are, I just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the short masterpiece you've created. Thank you so much for writing it. I truly enjoyed reading it and I hope that you continue to write more. Your talent is incredible and your writing style is unique. Furthermore, I'm grateful that this anthology introduced me to your work. I feel like your writing was missing from my life and I'm excited to read more of your work in the future. Lastly, I would love to see you collaborate with Darcie Little Badger and create something out of this world. Together, I believe that you two could create something truly amazing. Thank you again for sharing your talent with the world.

Six Thousand Miles by Julie C. Dao
I'm not entirely certain if I fully understood the overall message, but I can say for certain that this type of representation is my favorite and I adore this kind of message. Being an immigrant and struggling to fit in between the old and new culture is a challenging task, but this story portrays the struggle beautifully. I'm happy that Ms. Dao concluded this wonderful anthology with an impressive ending.

I really enjoyed all the various stories that are included in this anthology and how much I learned about the different types of mermaid lore there is. I wasn't familiar with the stories behind mermaids so I was pleased to learn more and found myself wrapped in each of the stories in this book.

I love mermaids and I loved this collection of mermaid stories! Each story had its own unique take on mermaids, whether that was based on different cultures or just new ideas. There was a continuing theme of learning to be yourself and (for the most part) taking that first step into a new adventure. And there were so many queer mermaids!

Usually when I read something like this there's at least one story I'm not a huge fan of, but all of these were wonderful. I particularly enjoyed Nor'Easter by Katherine Locke and The Merrow by Zoraida Cordova and Natalie C Parker (this one especially because I've been to the Sea Life Aquarium in Kansas City and was having fun thinking about the story taking place somewhere I know).

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for this arc.

I'm starting to realize that anthologies and I don't always mix. And this was one of those cases. I read a few of these stories, and they quickly became too similar for me. Most of the ones I finished all had the common theme of "going home" which usually meant being back to the water and I felt like I wanted more. But what I did appreciate was the diversity of the anthology and therefore the stories.

There’s a pretty large range of stories in this collection, some exploring romance and others the power of family. Some also explore the way they merfolk could be treated as other and denied basic rights. I enjoyed the range of topics and interpretations probably as much as any single story. I think my favorite was the opening story, which is told in second-person point-of-view. That would usually be a hard sell for me, but it worked so beautifully in the powerful story. I easily lost myself in the tale. I also enjoyed the stories that focused on romance and celebrated finding someone who loves you as you are. The stories that centered around family were also really impactful. I hadn't thought of that as being a strong theme in mermaid stories, but as I read the ones in this book and thought about classic mermaid tales, I realized they're often about family and the power of those familial bonds. The collection captured all of those themes really well. I very much enjoyed reading this book.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

#NetGalleyARC This was a fun read. I’m not unusually a fan of short story collections like this but I did enjoy this one. I was familiar with a few of the authors and found some new ones I’d read an again. Overall a fun fantasy read.

I love an anthology. Why? Because not only do you get multiple stories in one book, and you get to explore so many more characters than you ever could in a novel, but you also get to discover many authors at once. And if you find a new author you like, you then get to buy all the other books they’ve authored! But that’s only one of the reasons I loved Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For.

The Mermaid anthology was edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker and includes the following authors: Rebecca Coffindaffer, Julian Winters, Gretchen Scheiber, Preeti Chhiber, Kalynn Bayron, Darcie Little Badger, Kerri Maniscalco, Adrianna Herrera, Julie Murphy, Maggie Tokuda-Hall, June Hur, and Julie C. Dao. There is also a story by the two editors as well.

...

Nothing against the authors or even the stories in this book, but I think there just isn't a ton of mermaid/siren lore to draw on because these stories started feeling repetitive almost immediately.

A fun anthology welcome to all mermaids! The representation of the authors genres is quite vast so too are the tales within. An easy quick read though for if you do not completely vibe with one author it will change to another. There are hints to familiar themes/stories but also lots of new ideas!

Mermaids Never Drown is a brilliantly executed anthology reinventing the myth of mermaids. It’s full of heart, it’s refreshing, and it’s impressive in its entirety.

This whole anthology was just brilliant. From start to finish, all the stories captured the essence of a mermaid’s beauty, power, and danger as the myth we always hear about. But apart from this, all the stories also bring a new twist or significance from the authors’ various perspectives. We see queer identity, a dash of romance, environmental issues, racism, self-discovery, and so much more. I loved reading each one of these stories, and they were able to grab my attention. Of course, there were also those stories that just blew me away.

My personal favorites are Return to the Sea (Kalynn Bayron), The Deepwater Vandal (Darcie Little Badger), The First and Last Kiss (Julie Murphy), The Merrow (Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker), Shark Week (Maggie Tokuda-Hall), Jinju’s Pearls (June Hur), and Six Thousand Miles (Julie C. Dao).

Here’s a short review of every short story in the book:

1. Storm Song by Rebecca Coffindaffer

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This was just perfection, and this is only the first story in this anthology! I think the author did a really good job utilizing that second-person POV. The writing was just compelling and poetic, and I love that I found myself relating to the MC. What a way to start this anthology.

2. We’ll Always Have June by Julian Winters

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
I know I can always count on Julian Winters for some sweet, wholesome romance, and this story delivered. Apart from the lovely romance aspect, this also showed the process of gaining self-worth and self-confidence in the most tender way. And I just really like that.

3. The Story of a Knife by Gretchen Schreiber

⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
This one was really interesting, but I feel like it lacked a little bit for me. It was good and it kept me interested, but I wanted more backstory. Also, that ending just left more questions for me.

4. The Dark Calls by Preeti Chhibber

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
There’s something deliciously dark and electric about this story and I love it! I think it’s a shame it ends abruptly. It managed to catch my attention, and just when I was at the edge of my seat, it ended. It left me aching for more.

5. Return to the Sea by Kalynn Bayron

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
This was just beautiful. Wow. This was tender and profound from start to finish, and it’s amazing how the author was able to impart such tenderness in just a few pages. I also like how the topic of racism and cultural appropriation was subtly injected into this story. (Also, this really convinced me that I need to read full-length novel work from Kalynn Bayron because I liked her work in the anthology Night of the Living Queers as well!)

6. The Deepwater Vandal by Darcie Little Badger

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Okay, I think I’m going to need a full-length novel version of this. This was so good. Somehow the plot felt fleshed out, the world-building was good, and the overall story was profound on its own. But now, I want to dive more into the characters and their own backstories because they were that compelling, even though I only knew them for a few pages.

7. The Nightingale’s Lament by Kerri Maniscalco

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This just gave me a lot of feelings. I’ve never read anything from this popular author yet, and I think I was pleasantly surprised! Forbidden love? Enemies to lovers? Myths and legends? Good world-building?? Sexual tension?! This was deliciously good, and it’s a shame it had to end that way!

8. Sea Wolf in Prince’s Clothing by Adriana Herrera

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
This was almost perfect… if it weren’t for the main character. Listen, I loved the world-building, the magic, and the plot (which was just suspenseful enough, even though it was only a few pages). And I liked the main character at first, but I got disappointed with her near the end and with how the ending turned out. Nevertheless, this was a really good one. Would have been a good full-length novel!

9. Nor’Easter by Katherine Locke

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This is just all kinds of suspenseful and incredible. As someone who lives in a country that experiences terrible storms and floods, I could relate to everything the main characters are going through. Also, this short story being inspired by a real-life natural disaster just gave it more profoundness. It makes you think about how nature can be so dangerous and merciless, even when it’s beautiful.

10. The First and Last Kiss by Julie Murphy

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
This was too good and too painful, and yet I love it so much. There’s something so simple and tender about this, you can’t help but root for the main character. Longing for a love you’ve never experienced, and longing for a life you want to have are so good together in this story. And yes, that ending broke me! I feel like I did not expect this from Julie Murphy. I’m used to happy endings from her books, but this was just as good.

11. The Merrow by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
This was so, so good. Somehow this reminds me of Into the Drowning Deep. Either that or I just really like those stories where nature is a prominent theme, as well as the ethics and morality of “studying” and treating sentient creatures. This was so well done and I just really love it.

12. Shark Week by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Listen, I would easily give this story five stars for two things. One, the title is Shark Week… I see what the author did there (If you read this, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about). And two, for featuring the manananggal, because I did not see that coming! (For context, manananggal is a Filipino mythological vampire-like creature with bat wings that can separate its upper torso and bottom half). This was just fun and entertaining, and yet it still featured themes of parenthood, self-discovery, and self-confidence.

13. Jinju’s Pearls by June Hur

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I think this one broke me. This was by far the most devastating story here I think. It was filled with mythology, longing, and the need to find yourself and your identity. I also think the author did a great job creating the backdrop/setting for this story, as well as highlighting the classism rooted in their society.

14. Six Thousand Miles by Julie C. Dao

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
This one was a beautiful and heart-wrenching story of identity, and immigrant experiences and struggles. I particularly loved the journey of the main character here, even though this story was only a few pages long. I thought this was just brilliant from start to finish. And such a beautiful way to end this anthology.

And there you have it! Overall, the stories here in Mermaids Never Drown just worked so well together, and this anthology is one for the books. I can’t wait to see a third installment in this series!

I adored this anthology. I loved how each author had a different take on mer lore, weaving in different folklore, some of the stories existing in our world and looking at how society and technology would meld with a world with merpeople, some written like folktales, some the stuff of a five book epic fantasy series.

I had a great time with all of the stories, but some of the standouts for me were: Sea Wolf in Prince’s Clothing by Adriana Herrera, The Deep Water Vandal by Darcy Little Badger, Six Thousand Miles by Julie C. Dao and The Merrow by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker. Return to the Sea by Kalynn Bayron and Jinju’s Pearls by June Hur made me cry. Shark Week by Maggie Tokuda-Hall was amazing. I know I've listed most of the book at this point, but so many of them I wanted a full length book or series or movie out of.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this e-arc!

Prepare to be enchanted as you embark on a journey through the depths of these siren songs, expertly composed to leave you spellbound. Each story promises to transport you to a realm where mermaids defy the perils of drowning, their ethereal existence defying the laws of nature.

Immerse yourself in the mesmerizing narratives penned by these talented authors, as they skillfully bring to life the allure and mystery of these mythical beings. With their imaginative storytelling and vivid descriptions, you will find yourself irresistibly drawn into a world where the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur.

Mermaids Never Drown is an anthology collection of 14 short stories about mermaids. I find it hard to review anthologies as a whole because they can vary so much from story to story.

I will say almost all of these stories were fun. There was some great queer representation throughout a lot of the stories that was nice to see. My biggest complaint is that some of the stories felt more like samplers to larger novels. I’m not left with an incomplete feeling from short story collection very often but a handful of stories just felt like they were missing the last half of the story and ended very abruptly.

I do think this was overall a fun collection and a great way to try our several different authors. Some of the stories were sweet and some were a little more sad. But if any of these authors decided to expand and turn their short story into a full length novel, I would definitely not complain.

As with most anthologies, there were some hits and some misses. Overall, I think this collection was fun and enjoyable, especially as someone who enjoys mermaid stories in general which is why I sought out this book. The problem with some short stories for me, and I found this to be true for quite a few in this anthology, most notably Kerri Maniscalco's story, is that they just feel unfinished. I would find myself wondering where the rest of the story is because it just ends so abruptly and doesn't feel like it actually finished the story it set out to tell. But it is still just a good time to read about mermaids. I was more drawn to the stories with the murderous siren side of mermaid stories rather than the YA romance heavy stories. I think some teens will enjoy this but I've always struggled with anthologies in my library so I know that for me at least, these kind of books don't always get a lot of interest for whatever reason.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an e arc of this one!

What a great anthology of diverse mermaid/siren stories!

Some of these stories had me in an absolute chokehold I loved them so much! A few others were just okay and there was one that I DNF'd because it seemed incredibly boring and predictable after the first four pages lol.

I really did love this as a whole even more than Vampires Never Grow Old and I look forward to more anthologies like this!

CW: death, racism, fatphobia, queerphobia

Okay I’m going to be honest. I went into this thinking “am I going to get bored? How different can we make mermaid stories?” But I went for it anyone and I am so happy to say that I was wrong. This collection was diverse, haunting, romantic, and exciting. I have to hope that Kalynn Bayron’s story is inspired by the Hey Arnold episode (if you know you know), I loved Cordova & Parker’s collab, and each story carried on its own. This is a wonderful take on mermaids and I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology.