Voice of the Ocean by Kelsey Impicciche Published by Blackstone Publishing on April 22, 2025
Genres: Action Adventure, Fiction
Pages: 412
Format: Audiobook
Where to buy: Affiliate Link
A NATIONAL BESTSELLER
From popular content creator Kelsey Impicciche, Voice of the Ocean follows a daring young siren who defies her people to save a human prince, unearthing ancient magic and igniting a dangerous romance amid treacherous waters.
As the youngest daughter of the siren queen, Celeste’s life is tightly controlled. Desperate to prove her worth and escape her destiny—trapped in the palace as a royal figurehead—she intends to join the Chorus, an elite group of siren warriors. With the final test on the horizon, Celeste feels the pressure to finally gain control over her temperamental Song—a magic gifted by the Goddess herself. But when Celeste encounters a seemingly harmless ship in Staria’s waters, helmed by the intriguing Prince Raiden Sharp, her path veers toward forbidden waters.
Believing the handsome sailor to be innocent of any wrongdoing, Celeste defies siren law to save Raiden’s life—despite knowing he is the son of a king who has murdered many of her kindred. The penalty for Celeste’s betrayal should be death, but the queen offers her an alternative: right her wrong by assassinating the prince. Determined to first discover the truth behind the prince’s clandestine mission, Celeste agrees to become human.
But the human world is nothing like she expected, nor is the prince the charming and noble man she assumed him to be. Disguised among Raiden’s ragtag crew, she searches for the truth. But as Celeste finds her place aboard the ship, friendships—and attraction—begin to grow. Will Celeste be able to do what must be done? Or will her choices unravel a kingdom, devastating sirens and humans alike?
The Voice of the Ocean by Kelsey Impicciche reads like fanfic of The Little Mermaid, as played out by The Sims. I wish that were a good thing, but unfortunately, it’s like we got to the last chapter and testingcheatsenabled true completely broke the game, and the whole thing had to be deleted.
Look, I really wanted to like this book because Kelsey is one of my all-time favorite Sims content creators. She’s funny, creative, and genuinely entertaining, so I expected this to feel like an extension of everything I love about her content. Instead, it just… didn’t land for me.
You’ve got a prince dancing on a boat with his dog. You’ve got a sassy siren princess who doesn’t want just the life she’s been given—she wants more. More than the life of a princess. More than the life of a siren. More than the ocean has to offer.
So, of course, she saves the prince from drowning. Of course, she goes to the sea witch for legs. Of course, she loses her voice. Of course, she betrays her kingdom. Of course, she falls in love with the handsome prince.
And that’s really the issue: it never stops being The Little Mermaid.
Yes, there are changes. There are pirates, betrayals, and double-crosses. There’s inclusivity and a lot of emotional weight. But at its core, the story still follows the same tired story without ever fully breaking away from it. I kept waiting for it to become its own thing, but it never really does.
The only unique addition is the twin-flame dynamic, which, for me, didn’t add much depth. It reads like a relationship destined for destruction more than anything. *Gag* It’s nothing compelling or new.
And then there’s Celeste.
I’m a Pisces, and I joke that I could cry my own river and swim in it. But I don’t cry that much. Hell, a newborn baby with colic doesn’t cry that much. Celeste is constantly overwhelmed, constantly breaking down, constantly crying, and after a while, it just becomes exhausting.
There are pieces here that could’ve worked really well. The political tension, the pirate elements, the betrayals, and the push-and-pull between duty and freedom all had real potential. At times, it feels like the story is about to become sharper, more original.
But it never quite gets there.
And then there’s the ending.
Or rather… the cliffhanger.
By the time I reached it, I wasn’t eager for a sequel. I was mostly sitting there wondering what the point of this book had been. After all that, it just circles back to the same old story, with not enough payoff to make the journey feel worth it.
Could’ve been good. Could’ve been amazing. Should’ve been its own story. And for the love of all things holy… it could’ve ended in a way that didn’t leave me staring at the last page thinking, what the hell did I just read?
CW / TW:
This piece contains references to:
Violence, Injury, Death, Blood, Alcohol, Death of a Parent, Imprisonment/Confinement
Recommended Age: 12+
About Kelsey Impicciche
Kelsey Impicciche is a bestselling author and professional YouTuber with over a billion minutes viewed across various platforms. Kelsey has appeared as a judge for reality competition show The Sims Spark’d on TBS, hosted her own Facebook and YouTube celebrity interview show In Control with Kelsey, and produced a Dungeons and Dragons show on Twitch called The Dungeon Club. She has spoken on panels at SXSW, VidCon, and RTX, has interviewed Nintendo’s Bill Trinen, Top Twitch Streamer Pokimane, Esports Players, and Game Developers, and has been interviewed herself by the New York Times. Kelsey is known through her socials for her love of games, books, and creating a positive and inclusive environment online.
When Kelsey isn’t making simulated characters fall in love online, she’s writing about different characters falling in love in very difficult situations. Voice of the Ocean is her first book in a planned young adult fantasy duology. The Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling novel has been enjoyed by readers worldwide and has been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Kelsey is a midwestern girl at heart. But she now calls Los Angeles home.
Kelsey can usually be found sitting beside her dog Chewbacca (pictured) or making fun videos about books and games on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube at @kelseydangerous.
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