Genres: Dark Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Fantasy | Release Date: 5 March 2025 | Series: Sea of Souls Saga | Series Book: #2 | Pages: 440 | Indie Author | Review
“The history between human and selkie is written in blood, and blood has a long memory.”
N. C. Scrimgeour
Overview:
A huge thank you goes to N. C. Scrimgeour for letting me read an e-ARC of Mists of Memory! This is the second instalment in the Sea of Souls Saga, a dark fantasy focusing on the capricious sea and those who make it not only their home, but also their battleground. Having read and loved Sea of Souls, I screeched with excitement when I got the good news about receiving this ARC. But before I wax poetic, let’s give you an overview!
Isla Blackwood has finally discovered her heritage, but at what cost? She is being hunted across the sea, by someone who should have only ever loved her. Wearing a pelt full of long-forgotten memories, Isla can’t outrun the Grand Admiral forever. Not when his fleet is scouring the far reaches of the sea to find her. But when the mist sickness threatens Isla’s brethren, she decides the time for hiding is over. Someone must find a way to end this plague of fallen selkies, and only Isla can access the magic her mother once wielded. Can Isla find her answers before the Grand Admiral finds her? Will Darce Galbraith be able to buy her time, sailing with their enemy? And what happens when open warfare threatens to break like a storm upon the sea?
Happiness Boost:
Mists of Memory is a dark fantasy of which dreams are made of—this incredible tale perfectly balances horrific dangers, emotional turmoil and an innate desire to find out what the word ‘home’ truly means. The plot, glitterbugs. The. Plot. It twines around my heart and just *squeezes* so I don’t know how to breathe. Yes, that’s clearly a good thing! Scrimgeour places us in the perfect conditions for a maelstrom, but with her at the helm of this ship? You know that you’re in the safest of hands. And if I’m being honest? I’m just so grateful to be a passenger!
Isla, you courageous, lion-hearted woman. Is she scared throughout this story? Of course! But she rises to every challenge, even when her heart is breaking and her mind is bleak. *That*, dear glitterbugs, is the mark of an FMC I want to emulate. And when she questions what home means for her, because she never felt like she belonged anywhere? Pass the tissues, please! This character (along with Darce) has well and truly found a home in my heart.
In a world which is forever threatening to come apart at the seams with conflict, Mists of Memory has done something that is sorely needed right now. It reminds us that dark days cannot last for eternity. That good people exist, in the most unlikely of places. And no matter who or what you are (human or selkie, in this instance) you deserve peace. This beautiful fantasy is a lighthouse amidst dark seas, shining our way to safe harbour. I’m utterly in love with it and will hear no argument.
Downside:
My heart is in my throat from how things have ended in Mists of Memory, but there’s no downside!
Final Thoughts:
Mists of Memory by N. C. Scrimgeour is a dark fantasy full of defiant hope, horrific dangers and myths come to life. I am completely spellbound by it, and just wish that the next instalment could be in my hands right now. Please, please, do yourself a favour and start reading this saga. I promise you won’t regret it. So if you love the sound of this story from my review? Just click on the link below to pre-order a copy! Happy reading, glitterbugs!
You can pre-order Mists of Memory via this link: Amazon
