The Sorrow of Bees by Andie Holman

Dark magic comes at a cost, one that Jelly, warrior mermaid, must pay. After enduring a brutal ritual to give her Fae powers, a vital piece of her soul goes missing. She must abandon everything and everyone to find it. It is her journey alone. If she fails her mission, her lover’s brother will never again see the sun, trapped in a horrifying dimension called the Hellhole. If she fails, her lover Mako may not forgive her. If she fails, she will never be whole. She’s sent to a queendom so foreign she can barely breathe, transformed into a body she can’t possibly understand. Grappling with the enormity of her task, she struggles to appreciate the sorrows of the pollinators. But she must if she wants to succeed. Kirkus reviews: "The intricate details and person growth of major and minor characters make for a welcome continuation of this saga... The detailed depth of the fantasy world will delight those who enjoy all-consuming magical realms that integrate cleanly with contemporary, nonmagical locales... An often rousing personal quest that will have audiences looking forward to the next book."

Adult • Fantasy/Contemporary • Fantasy/Magical Realism • Romance/Fantasy • Fantasy/Science Fantasy • Romance/Paranormal

Length: 120,000 words (about 343 pages)