The seas are no match for his fury.Trapped in his human form for one hundred and sixty years, Lev has let the world pass him by. He can’t remember what happened to his family, but he mourns for them anyway.Someday he will remember. Someday he will find out what happened to his son. But he fears he will never answer the call of the sea again. Lev might be stuck as a human until the end of his days. human until the end of his days.
Then a beautiful woman who reminds him of his long lost wife appears on the doorstep to the church, bearing a clue about his missing son. Lev’s boy might still be alive, and this woman Mara could help find him. All his inertia vanishes, and he feels like a young whale again. A whale in love, despite how little he knows about Mara or her past.
Mara’s fins are stolen, bound by malevolent magic. The sea calls for her, but she only has human legs. She is a slave, manipulated into drawing Lev out of his self-imposed house arrest. If she doesn’t complete her task, her beloved sister will die. Mara just has to spring the trap, and then her sister will be free.
But once she meets Lev, she cannot stop the feelings the kind old shifter stirs inside her.
Will Lev uncover Mara’s secrets? Will Mara find the strength to shatter her bonds and regain her fins?
Will either of them ever return to the sea?
All the quirky and fantastical characters from Woe for A Faerie return in the second book in the Keepers of New Haven series. Find out what happens to them in Bokerah Brumley’s imaginative sequel that takes readers under the sea and beyond.
Lev swears to drain the seven seas to find his family again. Mara will lie to save hers. Can either one of them succeed, or will their love drown in the darkness of the ocean? Read Leviathan’s Rise today to find out!more
(I received this as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)
‘Leviathan’s Rise’ is the second book in the Keepers of Haven series by Bokerah Brumley. I hadn’t read the first, and though this one seemed like it might be a good story, I was worried about one thing.
I just didn’t think I could wrap my mind around the idea of a whale shifter. I mean, I’m used to the others– the wolves, the big cats, even the dragons, but whales? *blinks* I genuinely believed this would detract from the story so much, especially as I tried to picture the logistics of that transformation.
Well, I was wrong. I mean, the transformation was awkward for me. Not only the physical descriptions of how it felt, also the psychological shift that took place, leading to the change in actions was jarring. However, Brumley is a good writer with sharp instincts. She got it over with quickly the first time and that enabled me to brush it off and just focus on the rest of the book. By the time it happened again, well it still felt a little weird, but it was easier to roll with it.
Mostly this novel is just really well done. The cast of characters is diverse, she’s taken time to build deep backstories for them, and they’re complex. There are loves and hates, prejudices and fears, complicated friendships and mournful decisions that are made.
Her idea of the world in their immediate vicinity, feels like it’s right outside this one. Geographically, of course.. but also conceptually. As you get through the story, that world does get bigger and more fantastical, though again.. by the time you’re there.. you just accept it with wide-eyed wonder.
You want nothing more in one moment, for someone to be taught a lesson, but in the next.. it’s very possible you’ll find yourself feeling guilty about those feelings. There are deceptions stacked atop betrayals hidden under loyalties, and until the end, you don’t quite know what you’re getting.
My only complaint, and it’s a small one, is that the ends being wrapped up as this story comes to a close, are almost a quick, easy clean-up. All except of course for the cliffhanger. Now normally I hate those, but it really didn’t hurt this story, as the issue hadn’t been dealt with at all throughout the book.
This one’s fun, definitely push aside those biases (if you have them) and give it a read.
Bokerah Bromely has a way of breathing life to her characters. My teachers has always tell me that I need to walk in someone’s skin before i can understand the person well. With Leviathan’s Rise, I fell like I did just that!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Got a cramp in my index flipping finger, nicely done! Lev, living in self imposed grief mourning the loss of his wife and son. He isolates himself stuck in his own head. Mara’s quest is to lure Lev out in order to save her sister. Arun and Woe make an appearance and we get new perspectives of them and what’s going on in their world. The story is so descriptive you can see, smell and feel the action. Does Lev find his family? Can Mara save her sister? Does Lev open himself to new possibilities? Good story! I received an ARC from Booksprout for a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is the second book in the Keepers of New Haven series and it was just such a great read. I just didn’t want it to end. I just fell in love with these characters and getting to go along on their journey. I can’t wait to read more wonderful stories from this author.
Fun read but a bit sad.
Story was great and the characters are well written.
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ONE INTENSE ADVENTURE!!!
OMG! Talk about living on edge. A whirlwind of activities and events that keep you flipping page after page. One rollercoaster ride with a plethora of emotions to sort through. One amazing storyline and strong plot bring this read roaring to life beautifully. The characters were realistic with personalities and depth that drew you in. Sparks fly as suspense and intrigue ensues in epic proportions. All the drama, heart pounding, uncertainty and hard hitting, smooth flowing tale brings all the pieces together for one wild ride. The scenes were so vividly detailed and descriptive that it gives the illusion you were right there in the middle of ground zero with them. Remarkable job Bokerah, thanks for sharing this little gem with us.