Beneath the Haunting Sea by Joanna Ruth Meyer

Description from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Talia was born to a life of certainty and luxury, destined to become Empress of half the world. But when an ambitious rival seizes power, she and her mother are banished to a nowhere province on the far edge of the Northern Sea.

It is here, in the drafty halls of the Ruen-Dahr, that Talia discovers family secrets, a melancholy boy with a troubling vision of her future, and a relic that holds the power of an ancient Star. On these shores, the eerie melody of the sea is stronger than ever, revealing long-forgotten tales of the Goddess Rahn. The more dark truths that Talia unravels about the gods' history--and her own--the more the waves call to her, and it may be her destiny to answer.

---

My Review:

I was hesitant about this book at first as I wasn't the hugest fan of Talia in the beginning, but looking back I think so much just happened at once it was hard to connect with her right away. I ended up loving getting to see her go through her journey. Having her go from entertaining the idea of reclaiming her title of Empress to saving her mom and others from the Goddess Rahn.

I also really adored Wen. I absolutely loved how he gave Talia her space and never forced anything upon her and was there to support her when she needed it. It allowed Talia to come to her own conclusions which I liked. Even if there wasn't a romance between them, I just really loved Wen. I liked how gentle his personality was and how he was determined to make his own way even if his family doubted him for it. I honestly wish more male leads were like him.

While I enjoyed how heavily the plot relied on myths and legends, I do wish there were fewer readings of it in the book. I'm guessing the author was trying to contain the mystery or find a way to show us the answers without plainly telling them, but I honestly skipped a couple of the myths because it just slowed down the story for me.

Overall, this was a very pleasant read. This author is one of my favorites and this is the first book she published. While it isn't my favorite of hers, I am glad to add it to my collection. If you love fantasy, and slow romance I definitely recommend this for you.