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Amazing Mermaid Books to Read All Year Round
Published on 24th March 2026 | Updated on 13th August 2026
Read on to discover some amazing mermaid books featuring underwater worlds, dark romance, and enchanting characters…
Stories featuring mermaids are some of the most complex and multi-layered books ever published.
What often lies beneath the lyrical prose and beautiful imagery are bleak stories featuring horror, tragedy, and psychological terror. However, mermaid stories can also be soft, gentle, and full of whimsy.
This versatility means there is a mermaid book to suit every kind of reader. In this post, we’ll explore some great mermaid books that span different genres, themes, aesthetics, and tropes, all of which can be enjoyed year-round.
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
In To Kill a Kingdom, we follow the lethal siren Lira as she is transformed by the Sea Queen into a human. In order to break the curse placed upon her for killing one of her own kind, Lira must present to her mother the Siren Killer’s heart before the winter solstice commences.
This young adult mermaid book is a dark retelling of The Little Mermaid and part of the Hundred Kingdoms duology series. The author explores a number of common topics throughout the novel including identity, power, transformation, betrayal, found family and good vs. evil.
If you enjoy true enemies-to-lovers novels that are highly engaging and fast paced, then be sure to pick To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo up!
To Kill a Kingdom is available on: Amazon
All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
All the Stars and Teeth follows Princess Amora and pirate Bastia’s journey after a failed demonstration forces them to flee across the sea. Amora is then tasked with both mastering the magic of her kingdom and saving it from destruction.
This book is yet another young adult mermaid tale on this list, and also forms part of a duology, with the second book in the series being All the Tides of Fate. Here, the author uses much-loved tropes including enemies-to-lovers, found family, forced proximity, and slow-burn romance. Additionally, she focuses on weaving themes such as power, self-discovery, and leadership throughout her writing.
This mermaid book is perfect if you love fantasy with political elements, or if you enjoy reading stories with strong female protagonists who experience significant character growth by the end of a novel.
All the Stars and Teeth is available on: Amazon
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
In The Mermaid, The Witch, and The Sea, a pirate disguised as a man named Florian, forms a strong connection with the beautiful Evelyn aboard The Dove, a ship used to kidnap wealthy passengers. While they plan their escape, Florian and Evelyn begin to fall in love. Meanwhile, an ethereal mermaid crucial to the story’s conclusion lurks beneath the water.
This standalone fantasy book was released in 2020 and is a queer, action-packed story aimed at young adults. While the book is predominantly centred around pirates, mermaids are used as a plot device to symbolise greed, colonialism, and exploitation.
I would recommend this book to readers interested in themes such as identity and freedom, or to those looking for an atmospheric and magical sea kingdom to immerse themselves in.
The Mermaid, The Witch, and the Sea is available on: Amazon
The Mermaid’s Sister by Carrie Anne Noble
In The Mermaid’s Sister, we follow Clara as she discovers her sister Maren is transforming into a mermaid. The sisters and their friend O’Neil soon set off on a treacherous journey to the ocean, where they must work together to escape an evil travelling show.
This standalone YA book includes themes such as self-acceptance, sacrifice, and sisterhood. It draws on elements of traditional fairy-tales and folklore without committing to being a complete retelling of any particular story.
If you’re looking for a mermaid book that’s cosy, vivid and whimsical, give The Mermaid’s Sister by Carrie Anne Noble a read!
The Mermaid’s Sister is available on: Amazon
Breakwater by Shannon Mayer
Breakwater by Shannon Mayer is set in the deadly and majestic underwater world of the “Deep”. Within it, a guard who possesses elemental powers must protect her sister Belladonna from dark forces and put an end to the civil war.
This mermaid story is brimming with action and plot twists guaranteed to leave you on the edge of your seat! The author blends strong political themes with wider topics including family loyalty and personal growth.
Breakwater is part of a 7 book saga, also known as The Elemental Series! It is therefore perfect for readers wanting to invest in a complete fantasy universe!
Breakwater is available on: Amazon
All the Murmuring Bones by A.G. Slatter
All the Murmuring Bones follows protagonist Miren O’Malley and her escape from both an arranged marriage and her home of Hob’s Hallow. Miren’s subsequent journey involves sea creatures, a search for her missing parents, and the uncovering of dark secrets.
This standalone mermaid-inspired fantasy book is gothic, atmospheric, and suspenseful. The author writes beautifully on subjects including family legacy, patriarchy, traditions and freedom.
If you enjoy short stories, dark and eerie settings, merciless female characters, and mythical beings – I highly recommend picking this A.G. Slatter book up!
All the Murmuring Bones is available on: Amazon
A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle
In A Ship of Bones and Teeth, we follow the siren Princess Maren, who after enduring years of an abusive and loveless marriage, is captured during a sea voyage by Ramsay “Bones” Battista and his band of pirates. As events unfold, Maren and the notorious Captain bond over a shared need for revenge against the sea witch Edonia.
This mermaid book, the first in the Nightwind duology, is a gothic and dual-POV novel exploring topics such as toxic relationships, vengance, and power.
Be sure to add A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle to your TBR list if you’re looking for a retelling of The Little Mermaid that doesn’t fit into the young adult category!
A Ship of Bones and Teeth is available on: Amazon
Kiss of the Selkie by Tessonja Odette
Kiss of the Selkie begins on land, where selkie princess Maisie hides from a heartless sea queen, stealing shiny objects to survive. When she breaks the law by rescuing a human from drowning, her punishment is to hunt down and kiss the man she saved. But with Maisie’s kiss holding the power to kill, her mission isn’t romantic at all, in fact – it’s deadly.
This mermaid book by Tessonja Odette brings together multiple themes and tropes that make for compelling storytelling. She explores key ideas surrounding what it means to belong and to lead with courage, as well as the intricate relationship between magic and the natural world. Key tropes include enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and slow-burn romance.
If you’re looking for an accessible, standalone mermaid novel full of emotion and romance, Kiss of the Selkie is a great book to pick up!
Kiss of the Selkie is available on: Amazon
The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey
The Mermaid of Black Conch is set in the 1970s on a fictional Caribbean island. It follows the love story between an isolated fisherman and an ancient, cursed mermaid named Aycayia, who transforms back into a woman after being captured.
Monique Roffey’s standalone novel explores several important topics including love, jealousy, racism and colonialism. It has won and been shortlisted for various awards, mostly due to its unique plot and distinctive writing style, which combines Caribbean Creole language with lyrical and poetic prose.
If you’re looking for a more literary novel about mermaids, be sure to give this short, strange and beautiful book a go!
The Mermaid of Black Conch is available on: Amazon
The Pisces by Melissa Broder
The Pisces tells the story of a woman called Lucy whose life is in crisis. She’s 38 years old, still stuck on a 9-year-long PhD dissertation, and has recently called it quits with her long-term partner. Amidst the chaos, Lucy travels to Venice Beach, joins a love-addiction therapy group, and has a string of casual hookups before finally falling in love with a… merman.
While Melissa Broder’s 2018 book won’t be to everyone’s taste, and the story focuses on a merman rather than a mermaid, it is nonetheless a unique piece of women’s fiction exploring anxiety, obsession, and female desire.
If you like weird yet interesting books filled with existential angst, this one’s for you!
The Pisces is available on: Amazon
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