Year of the Mer is a dark bloody epic fantasy reimagining of The Little Mermaid that goes far beyond the fairy tale to explore family legacy, war, and what we will sacrifice for vengeance.
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In This Spotlight On Year of the Mer
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About The Novel
The fairy tale mermaid Arielle might have gotten her happily-ever-after, but her granddaughter Yemi is having a much harder time. Her father, the king of Ixia, was assassinated years ago, her mother is slowly dying of a poisoned wound, and she faces whispers and slights from her own people. Yemi has been raised as the shield of the kingdom and is soon to inherit the throne, but she cannot shake her fury at how Ixia has treated her family after all they’ve sacrificed. Only her patient mother and steadfast personal bodyguard (and fiancée), Nova, help Yemi rein in that fury…most of the time.
When the kingdom’s discontented rumblings reach a fever pitch, a coup erupts and Yemi’s throne is usurped, stripping her of her family and forcing her into exile. Now, only one being has the power to help her: Ursla.
Like her grandmother before her, Yemi is tempted by a deal with the sea-witch. With powerful and ancient magic behind her, Yemi could avenge her family, take back her throne, and protect the love of her life. But she should know more than anyone that there is always a price. As much as Yemi wants vengeance, Ursla has been waiting a very, very long time for her own—and it may take more fortune than Yemi possesses to keep her from losing everything all over again.
Praise for The Novel
“Year of the Mer transports readers beyond familiar waters to explore deeper issues of generational identity, trauma, revenge, and anger. The book has so much heart, and so many moments where my own heart was ready to crumble. I can’t wait see it out in the world, wrecking havoc. A fantastic, deeply moving story.”—Fran Wilde, Double Nebula Award-winning author of A Philosophy of Thieves
A phenomenal book that is transformational as much as it transports. L.D. Lewis solidifies herself as a master of story and character, with no punches pulled, and many thrown in. A book that kept me up night after night, whose turns left me in wonder with every surprise twist of phrase. Lewis knows how to keep the reader engaged, and how the ebbs and flow of tension should sink the reader into story.”—Jordan Kurella, NebulaNominated author of I Never Liked You Anyway
“Much like the sea, there are depths to L.D.’s writing that can’t be fathomed. You will walk away…heartbroken, pondering the nature of power and desperately ready for more. L.D.’s a true talent that deserves a generational audience. Be here at Yemi’s beginning.”—Brent Lambert, author of A Necessary Chaos
“Exhilarating… Lewis crafts a maelstrom of familial love, ancestral hurt, and alluring magic.”—Ladz, author of The Fealty of Monsters and The Cradle of Eternal Night
About L. D. Lewis, Author
L. D. Lewis is an editor, publisher, and Shirley Jackson Award–nominated writer of speculative fiction. She is the author of the novel Year of the Mer and the novellas A Ruin of Shadows and The Dead Withheld. Her published short fiction and poetry has appeared in several Neon Hemlock anthologies, numerous online publications, and Jordan Peele’s Out There Screaming.
Past lives include roles as a founding creator and project manager for the World Fantasy and Hugo Award–winning FIYAH Literary Magazine, the director of FIYAHCON, and researcher for the LeVar Burton Reads podcast. She pays the bills as a literary nonprofit administrator. She lives in Georgia on perpetual deadline with her partner, two cats, and an impressive LEGO build collection.
You can connect with L. D. Lewis on their website, and on X.
Source: Publisher
Publisher: S&S/Saga Press
ISBN Hardcover 9781668060957
Pub Date: Apr 7, 2026
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