Amaris Emersleben Unveils Her New Fantasy Novel ‘Shadows of Cerulean’

On February 25, BellingsBooks will release the new novel, Shadows of Cerulean, by fantasy writer, recording artist, and storyteller Amaris Emersleben. Shadows of Cerulean narrates the story of a thief who infiltrates a submerged city to save her dying home.

Emersleben explains:

“This story began with a late-night drawing of a submerged city on my iPad, and from there evolved into this book. ‘Shadows of Cerulean’ is about belonging, deception, and finding love where you’d least expect it. I hope that readers will fall in love with the oceans and appreciate their beauty and how they inspire us.”

Raised in Switzerland and later based in London, Amaris builds narratives about underwater realms. Inspired by her lifelong fascination with the vast oceans, she explores motifs of heroism, morality, selflessness, and social responsibility.

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Before turning to fiction, Amaris built a career in music as a recording artist, songwriter, and playlist manager for a major record label. She has released six albums. Her latest album, 2023’s Love and Oceans, amassed more than 100,000 streams on Spotify. Her music has been featured in elite media outlets.

Shadows of Cerulean offers a bewitching storyline, one that teases and cajoles readers with suspense, action, drama, dark machinations, and emerging romance.

Bead, a thief living in Cerulean’s abandoned Deep Sea district, survives by scavenging after the city’s only Connection to Downtown collapsed. While Downtown hoards the wealth and the vital blueprints—known as the Plans—that keep the city running, the deep districts are left to decay.

Amaris Emersleben ‘Shadows of Cerulean’ book cover

When a mysterious force nearly destroys her home, Bead is forced into the submersible of Song, an elite citizen of Downtown. Posing as a researcher, she infiltrates the upper city to steal the Plans and save her people. As she uncovers the cracks beneath Downtown’s polished surface and grows closer to Song, Bead learns the truth: the Plans she steals are fake. The real ones were lost years ago in the Deep Sea during an attack by an ancient monster.

Exposed and cast out, Bead and Song are attacked by that same creature. When Song offers her the only diving suit, Bead chooses instead to dive into the depths to save him and recover the real Plans. After defeating the monster, she returns with Song and the Plans, restoring Cerulean as a united city. Though Bead returns home, the divide between districts is finally healed—and she and Song can be together at last.

Shadows of Cerulean promises to be exciting entertainment, highlighted by superb characterization and unpredictability. Purchase Shadows of Cerulean here.