Sea of Blood

Published July 10, 2025

Aradia is meant to be a healer, so she spent her childhood molding herself into someone worthy. And despite being cursed to never fall in love, she has the obligation to continue a precious bloodline. But when a family secret is revealed, Aradia must thrust herself away from everything she has ever known and into the company of those who have secrets of their own.

Trapped between chasing her desires and fighting her fears, Aradia is tested by beasts, pirates, and spirits. In order to know the truth about herself, she unravels different perceptions of reality. Will Aradia fulfill her desires? Or will her fears consume her?

Genres: Dark Fantasy, Fantasy Adventure, Romantic Fantasy, Mythology Retellings, Fairy Tales, New Adult, Coming of Age, Women's Adventure, Filipino, Asian-American

Ebook ISBN: 979-8-9988645-0-6

Paperback ISBN: 979-8-9988645-1-3

Size: 6x9 and 398 pages; approximately 107,000 words

Cover by: Samantha Sanderson-Marshall

Content Warnings: This story describes the physical and mental abuse of minors and the members of a relationship. It contains troubled family dynamics and the toxicity between friends. There are scenes of drug use, blood, torture, violence, murder, death, and the female reproductive system. This story also portrays sexual content, pregnancy, abortion, assault, and rape. There are depictions of abandonment, neglect, loss, grief, self-harm, and suicide.

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Lei's imagery is terrific and her plotting is very strong. I love the diversity of her characters, each containing light & dark. And her patience in developing minor characters has made me grown attached to them. Lei has a gift for writing chapter endings that pack a punch and story reveals that hit you in the gut! I really like the way she works with her themes. They're heavy, powerful, profound, and transformational. Lei is an incredible writer! It’s a privilege to get to work with her at this point in her career. She has a fantastic and complex writer’s voice. I look forward to seeing her readers find her.

~ Mary Novak, Developmental Editor

Check out Sea of Blood on REKO, an ebooks platform for Filipino authors and readers in the Philippines.

FAQs

What are the levels?

1 is not a lot, 5 is a whole lot

Action: 3/5
Our characters interact with various enkante (Philippine fae creatures), including the Tikbalang (angry horseman), the Bakunawa (sea dragon), sirenas (mermaids), a variety of folk people, and an aswang (a blood-sucking demon). There are also sword fights with pirates and family drama that makes the stakes high; but because of the philosophical nature of the story, it is a slow-to-medium-paced reading experience.

Adventure: 4/5
There's plenty of adventure, especially for those unfamiliar with Filipino folk tales. The stories told within the overall arc of the main narrative is what drives the outward adventure. Though our main characters are traveling from one place to another, the main narrative itself is more of an inner journey. However, I have been told that my world-building is complex and filled with infinite possibilities that readers can look forward to exploring.

Mystery: 4/5
I’ve been told that there are a handful of good and surprising reveals throughout the narrative. I've also injected some important details that will carry into later installments of the series.

Romance: 3/5
I would not consider this story a romance (or a romantasy) at all, based on the definition of the genre. What makes it "romantic" are the descriptions, vibes, and our FMC's desires for love.

Spice 1/5
There are a few steamy scenes. Spice... nah? This is relative to the books that are currently out there.

Why is the main character 19 even though the book is not a YA (target age: 13-18)?

Sometimes, young adults (especially women) are forced to face adult themes even when they’re not ready. I believe that maturity cannot be measured by age. Some of us find ourselves growing up a lot sooner than we want. Based on the experiences of many, we are celebrated at 18 and immediately expected to take on so much at 20. The year in between is like standing on a razor’s edge, making sure we don’t cut ties to our youthful vibrancy despite taking on adult obligations that --- to say the least --- bog us down. This story is meant to relate or to warn.

Who is this book for?

New adult (target age: 20s), Filipino immigrant daughter who enjoys poetic prose and philosophical introspection. Anyone interested in Philippine mythology and complex fantasy worlds with a dose of family drama and personified inner demons.

Dedication: For the good girls dying to do something bad. For the bad boys living to feel something good. For anyone told to be someone else.

I usually don’t read incomplete book series because I’m afraid of the cliffhanger. How many books do you have planned?

Of course, there are some un-answered questions in book one, but I’ve been told that the story ends nicely. It keeps you curious but doesn't leave you aching with the feeling of incompleteness. In the words of an ARC reader, “I’m not hanging off a cliff, I’m standing at the edge, overlooking and excited for what’s to come.” I have four books planned for this series.

How long did it take you to write this book?

I always miss the Philippines, but last year, I didn't have a full-time job to distract me. I decided to fill this aching homesickness by studying our mythology, which I've always been curious about as a child. I believe that some variety of this story has been dormant in me for years, which is probably why it only took a year to plan and write this book.

What sparked the very first idea for this book?

Truthfully, a family argument. I've learned to write my feelings over the years, but last year, I had more time on my hands than a journal entry or text message. The argument dug up my thoughts about humanity’s overall obsession with love and how we think it should be. I think we each have a different definition of love based on what we’ve been shown, which means it’s not always a healthy one or it’s not the type we need. I wanted to shine a light on the topic through the eyes of a girl who can care, desire, and lust, but cannot love... because sometimes, we get all of these things confused with one another.

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