THE COLORS OF THE SEA

A mergirl continues her search to uncover her mysterious origins.

In the second book in the Alea Aquarius series, Alea and her friends, the Alpha Cru, sail to Scotland, following the discovery of a mysterious message in a snow globe inside a whale’s belly: “All ye who can read this message, come to Loch Ness.” Once there, Alea and enigmatic crewmate Lennox are forced to continue their journey to the loch by land. Alea has a crush on Lennox, but there are so many similarities in their stories and magical powers, she worries they might be siblings. When the pair finally reach their destination, what they learn leads to as many questions as answers, setting up the Alpha Cru to continue their adventures in the sequel. Translated from German, this sincere story effectively uses magic to convey the importance of environmental stewardship. The books are best read in order: Stewner further develops characters who were introduced in The Water’s Call (2025), adding layers of intrigue and emotion to the story. Readers also learn more about Alea’s magical abilities in this volume, including her ability to understand water speech and read emotions and intentions through the colors she sees in the water. As before, the dialogue feels quaint in ways that may not resonate with contemporary readers, although the expanded magical elements compensate for this weakness. Most characters read white.

A charming, environmentally oriented fantasy quest.