Guardians of the Deep: Luana's Ascent

By: Blake Martinez

Narrated by: Chelsea Sturdevant

Fourteen-year-old Luana has always felt more at home in the ocean than on land, especially when the world above gets too loud, too fast, and too much. But nothing could prepare her for the day she and her brother rescue an octopus... and find themselves pulled into an underwater world they never imagined.

Welcome to the Intertidal School of the Pacific—a secret academy hidden beneath the waves where mermaids teach other merfolk and a select few humans to become ocean Guardians. Paired with a fierce animal Defender, Luana must learn to navigate magic, danger, and the unspoken language of the sea.

But something is wrong in the deep. A strange, shimmering force is spreading through the ocean, thriving on greed and leaving chaos in its wake. As Luana and her new friends race to uncover the truth, she’ll have to face her deepest fears, unlock her hidden strength, and decide who she really wants to be.

Because saving the sea… might just mean saving herself.

©2025 Blake in the Blue (P)2025 Blake in the Blue

Great for Middle or High schoolers

This novel is informative, adventurous and timely. The themes are realistic as to concerns of Middle and High school students.

When is the next book!? Loved this underwater fantasy!

Such a beautiful listen as all the details of the underwater scenes are described! Luana’s ascent captured the magic of the ocean while taking you on the adventure with Luana and Ayman. I’m ready for book 2! The listener will grow attached to the characters as this heartfelt underwater fantasy unfolds. Highly recommend!!

Hogwarts for Merpeople, but You're a Human

Luana, her brother Ayman, and friends Skye and Ronan introduce us to a magical training school for teens under the sea, like a cross of Hogwarts and The Little Mermaid. Luana and Ayman are some of the few humans who enter the training program, which teaches enrollees how to protect ocean species (some real, some mythical, and some newly imagined by Blake). Join Luana as she discovers the magic of the ocean, and herself, by navigating a world where she thinks she doesn't below.

Blake brings her expertise in science writing and passion for the ocean to a junior high audience through Luana's journey. Her experience as a tiger shark saftey expert and ability for deep research shines in an engaging way to introduce her readers to both the fictional and real worlds under the sea.