{Review/Giveaway} AGELESS SEA by M. R. Polish

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O P E N I N G   H O O K:

"KARIS, THE COUNCIL HAS REACHED AN agreement. You are to be banished for life on Earth." The council members nodded their heads in agreement as the Commissioner read the verdict aloud. His long blue cloak brushed the ground as he paced the stone platform in front of the stands where the council members sat.

He stopped pacing long enough to gaze at Karis with his soul-piercing blue eyes. His expression revealed everything to her that he couldn't say. His voice wavered as he continued, "This is not a unanimous decision, but majority rules."

(pg. 6, US e-book edition)

If you're looking for a blended mix of Greek mythology, mythical creatures, sci-fi, and original lore for older readers, look no further than AGELESS SEA. Despite the cover, this isn't a straight-forward romance, but a fantasy adventure that spans worlds.

Karis isn't from our world. She lives in Shamike, where she is accused of treason and banished to Earth. She is sentenced to spend her immortal life alone on a deserted island, with only birds for company. No human can reach her. If boats near her island, they capsize. Planes crash. No one enters, no one leaves. Until the day a man named Brady somehow survives an impossible accident. There's more to him than meets the eye, and his presence will allow Karis to return home and fight to save her people. Betrayal lurks around every corner, however, and Karis is no longer sure whether or not she can even trust her loved ones anymore. Will Brady's presence at her side be enough to allow Karis to reclaim both her throne and her honor?

The way Karis is bound to an island strongly reminds me of the tales of Circe from Greek mythology, only without the cruel witchy streak. She's bound to her island, and the lore entailing Karis' escape is innovative. I love that when Karis finally leaves through a portal to return to her land, she winds up stopping first in Perditus, a realm full of Syrenae. I was excited to dive below the sea for such a long length of time. Perditus is full of new danger, and Karis and Brady are allowed to adapt to the ways of the Syrenae like no one else of their kind. In Perditus, they discover the truth about Brady's heritage and his mysterious tattoos.

Polish blends mythical lore and original ideas in new, creative ways that bring together a full story. AGELESS SEA becomes a little more sci-fi as readers go deeper due to the presence of portals and the ability to jump between realms and meet all different types of magical races. It pads the story and turns it into an adventure, not just a typical story about overthrowing a ruler and restoring one's honor. There's so much more to explore with this addition. It will be interesting to see the way Polish continues to explore new worlds and introduce readers to more races in future books.

C O V E R   D E S I G N:

While I can see why the cover designer went this route to get certain readers interested in AGELESS SEA, there is so much more to this book than the Harlequin-esque cover makes it out to be. I would have loved a bit more fantasy in the cover.  At the same time, the book is for older readers, albeit without any graphic scenes, just innuendo and fade-to-black moments. So younger readers probably wouldn't pick this one up based on the cover!

I think the most interesting elements are the markings on the models' skin. They're very important to the text, too.

I'm also a huge fan of the font used for the title. Love!

I received a nice surprise inside, the book, however. Check out these chapter headers:

It fits really well, and the marking reminds me of the cover. I really liked seeing the extra attention to detail hiding on the inside of this book!

O F F I C I A L   I N F O:

Title:  AGELESS SEA
Author: M. R. Polish

Release Date: March 29, 2013

Publisher: M. R. Polish
Received: Borrowed

SUMMARY:

Life. Love. Death. 

Banished for a crime she didn’t commit, Karis must learn to live her life alone – and in a world that’s not her own. Cursed on an island of loneliness, forced to endure nearly a century without a friend, the woman once destined to be Queen must find a way to return to her world and save her people from an evil influence. 

After many years, one man is strong enough to survive the cursed barrier that keeps her from leaving the island. She needs him so she can return to her world; he needs her to put together the pieces of his broken memory. Side by side, Brady and Karis feel their loneliness slip away. 

Every day their love grows stronger, but will their bond survive the battle between worlds? In Book One of The Ageless Series, M.R. Polish takes readers into a world where myths are real, deception lurks in the shadows, and destiny brings two lost souls together to fight as one.

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