Have you ever longed to explore a kingdom under the sea? Or aid a mysterious stranger who washes ashore? Perhaps embark on a high-seas cosy adventure with a singing shrub? If you’re eager to dive into such tales, I’ve gathered 28 sea-swept stories that brilliantly capture the power of the sea and will hook you from the first page.
Bring Me Your Midnight by Rachel Griffin
A tender, achingly romantic young adult (YA) fantasy of witches, duty, love, and forbidden magic.
Castle Swimmer: Volume 1 by Wendy Martin
A laugh-out-loud funny, wildly entertaining graphic novel featuring charismatic characters and stunning illustrations.
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
A cinematic, exhilarating YA fantasy with enemies-to-lovers romance and a hunt for a treasure map, perfect for fans of Pirates of the Caribbean.
Everything to the Sea by Alicia Upano
An evocative, propulsive debut novel of love, tragedy, heartache, community, nature, and youth set on Hawai’i.
Fable by Adrienne Young
An enchanting, immersive YA fantasy filled with adventure, found family, and romance.
Heiress of Nowhere by Stacey Lee
An immersive, eerie YA historical novel set on Orcas Island, Washington, in 1918, brimming with love, nature, orcas, and mystery.
House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
A haunting, enchanting YA fantasy retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, filled with sisterhood, magic, love, and dancing.
In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy
An enrapturing, haunting fantasy of sirens, love, and power, brimming with Puerto Rican lore and Greek mythology.
Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood
An achingly beautiful, tender YA fantasy filled with Greek mythology, queer love, and poetic prose.
Only Spell Deep by Ava Morgyn
A haunting, atmospheric urban fantasy with witches, cosmic horror, mythology, and tender prose.
Out of Air by Rachel Reiss
An addictive, atmospheric YA scuba thriller infused with horror, sea creatures, and mystery.
Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei
An emotional, propulsive sci-fi novel with a climate-fiction edge, filled with sisterhood and sailing.
Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst
A welcoming, heartwarming cosy fantasy brimming with wonderfully quirky characters, tender romance, scrumptious treats, and a singing shrub.
Shim Jung Takes the Dive by Julia Riew
A hopeful, magical middle-grade fantasy with Korean folklore and hilarious characters, set in a kingdom under the sea.
Tenderly, I am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone
A lyrical, romantic YA fantasy with breathtaking romance and a sweeping gothic atmosphere.
The Dark Tide by Alicia Jasinska
A thrilling, enchanting YA fantasy with sapphic love and witches, set on a magical island.
The Devourer by Alison Ames
A riveting, chilling YA fantasy with magic, gripping twists, and fascinating monsters.
The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray by Christine Calella
A fierce, powerful YA fantasy with sibling love, maritime adventure, and a brilliant cast of characters.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
A whimsical, entrancing YA fantasy complete with Korean mythology, romance, and a vibrant cast of characters.
The Palace Beneath the Sea by Lauren Wiesebron
A lush, spellbinding fantasy brimming with rich world-building and a captivating spin on mermaids.
The Sea at the End of Everything by Emily McCosh
A lyrical, heartfelt fantasy of sisterhood and secrets, set in a small village by the sea.
The Sirens by Emilia Hart
An eerie, twisty novel of sisterhood, the sea, womanhood, power, and pain, set in the 1800s and 2019.
The Siren’s Kiss by Leslie Vedder
An adventurous, romantic YA fantasy brimming with sapphic love, pirates, mermaids, and found family.
The Tear Collector by R. M. Romero
A touching, thoughtful middle-grade tale of monsters, love, and memories, set in a climate change-ravaged world.
The Trident and the Pearl by Sarah K. L. Wilson
A lush, lyrical fantasy with enchanting world-building, captivating characters, and slow-burn romance.
The Wild Beneath by Kelly Anderson
A cinematic, gripping debut novel of connection, grief, belonging, love, song, and the power of the natural world, set in the Pacific Northwest.
This Raging Sea by De Elizabeth
An addictive, atmospheric YA dark fantasy infused with chilling horror, eldritch secrets, witches, and time travel.
Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods
A spellbinding, fascinating historical fantasy of love, magic, seduction, and secrets, threaded with nods to The Little Mermaid and Cinderella.
From fairytale retellings to historical fiction to cosy fantasy, there’s a little something for every reader. Brimming with gripping adventure, touching love stories, tender sisterhood, lush world-building, and fascinating mythology, these sea-swept stories are spellbinding and irresistible. Happy reading!
