Child of a Hidden Sea
Sophie was just looking for her birth family; she wades in to defend a woman she is fairly certain is her aunt and finds herself floating in an unfamiliar sea. Her aunt has been stabbed; there are moths falling to the surface of the water, and she doesn’t recognize the species. Fortunately, she is an experienced diver and keeps herself and her aunt afloat until they are rescued by Stele Islanders. Sophie rapidly realizes that she’s not anywhere in the world she knows. She’s stepped into the midst of a delicate political situation, riddled with conspiracy, and is about to be forced to navigate without knowing all the details. The sister she has just met and the captain of her aunt’s ship begin as unwilling allies, but as they work together to unravel the threads of conspiracy, they forge a real relationship—and Sophie gradually discovers more about why everyone seems to know her. Sophie is a delightful, curious, and engaging voice, and the political games of Stormwrack and the Fleet are a fine and entertaining framework for a story of intrigue and self-discovery. --Regina Schroeder