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Mermaids, Memory Loss, and Magic Portals: On The Edge of the Forgotten Sea

MommaSaurus
Oct 18, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Aug 31

On The Edge of the Forgotten Sea by Alissa J. Zavalianos

The book cover for On The Edge of the Forgotten Sea by Alissa J. Zavalianos
Image from Amazon

Quick Summary


Genre: YA, Mermaids, Portal Fantasy

Recommended Age: 13+


Possibly Concerning Content: (details below)


🤬 Language: None


❤️ Romance: Kisses only


🛡️Violence: Character deaths. Injuries. Not detailed.


‼️ Head's up: Magic dust. Evil Sea Witch. Portal magic.

Review


If you love Little Mermaid retellings with a splash of portal fantasy, On the Edge of the Forgotten Sea is a must! This enchanting young adult story has fantastic world building in both worlds, talking whale besties, characters you’ll root for, thrilling betrayals, and a sweet, kisses only romance.


Author Alissa L. Zavalianos illustrates God's redemptive love and His ability to turn even our worst mistakes to good.


If you like...

  • Books by Christian authors

  • Portal Fantasy

  • Friends-to-more

  • Whales!

  • Sea-side settings (modern AND fantasy)

  • little mermaid inspired

  • no-spice romantasy, kisses only

  • God using our mistakes for good

  • Happy endings

"After being left by her first love, Merri Caspiana has fallen for a commoner who lives by Kerilow Bay. The only problem is that she’s bound by the sea. When she bargains with the sea witch for a pair of legs, it comes at a graver cost than she realizes. Just when she’s learning how to walk, a terrible prophecy is brought to light. The prince of Windkeep, Chaera is in grave danger, and to ensure his safety, all maidens must be sent away from the kingdom until the prince’s eighteenth year has passed.


Prince Olivander Daws is set to claim the throne when he comes of age, but he never gets the chance. When he suddenly loses his memory, and in turn is forgotten by all those who know him, he’s cast off to a distant land while the one he left behind is turning to ruins.


In the small town of Tenby, Wales, a lighthouse keeper named Jac Hughes thinks he’s going crazy. He’s been having recurring dreams of a foreign prince and a sea maiden whom he’s never met before. And he’ll do just about anything to figure out why.


Something dangerous and sinister is on the rise in Windkeep Citadel and Kerilow Bay, but in this YA portal fantasy where Narnia meets The Little Mermaid and ABC's Once Upon a Time, Olivander, Merri, and Jac will learn that even darkness must bend to the light." - from Amazon


Possibly Concerning Content*

(Click on drop-downs to view more details with possible spoilers).


🤬 Language: None


❤️ Romance: Kisses only


🛡️Violence: Character deaths. Injuries.

  • Someone's tongue is cut out but it is not described on page.

  • Someone is drug under water by a giant eel. Blood blooms in the water, clearly indicating they have been eaten by the eel.

  • There is a "trail of dismemberment" that leads someone to the eel.

  • A creature is stabbed a blood seeps into the water.

  • The eel bites off its own damaged tail.


‼️ Head's up: Magic dust. Evil Sea Witch. Portal magic.

  • Esias (who is God in this book) blanketed the land in magical dust that the humans gathered. They use it to create enchantments, charm things, and write prophecies.

  • Evil sea witch uses the dust for evil spells etc.

  • Portals

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Grab your copy on Amazon*


Have you read it? Notice any P.C.C.'s we may have missed? Let us know in the comments.

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