LIES BENEATH by Anne Greenwood Brown

Calder White lives in the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior, the only brother in a family of murderous mermaids. To survive, Calder and his sisters prey on humans and absorb their positive energy. Usually, they select their victims at random, but this time around, the underwater clan chooses its target for a reason: revenge. They want to kill Jason Hancock, the man they blame for their mother's death.

It's going to take a concerted effort to lure the aquaphobic Hancock onto the water. Calder's job is to gain Hancock's trust by getting close to his family. Relying on his irresistible good looks and charm, Calder sets out to seduce Hancock's daughter Lily. Easy enough, but Calder screws everything up by falling in love--just as Lily starts to suspect there's more to the monster-in-the-lake legends than she ever imagined, and just as the mermaids threaten to take matters into their own hands, forcing Calder to choose between them and the girl he loves.

One thing's for sure: whatever Calder decides, the outcome won't be pretty.

This book is said to be for ages 12 and up. This book is also the first in a three part series. 


Rachel's Thoughts: I am a huge fan of the murderous mermaids concept, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. And then the cover...WOW. There isn't a whole lot of deep plot threads, which makes this story a perfect fit for the younger YA crowd. So, it's great that Anne took a unique concept and then molded it to fit the younger crowd--no blood, gore, or torturing. This book is a quick read with fun (in my opinion) ideas and characters. I gave this book 3 1/2 bookmarks.  

Lakela's Thoughts: 

BETWEEN THE SEA AND SKY by Jacolyn Dolamore

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

Rachel's Thoughts: This book was a good read, probably more relaxing than anything because it doesn't get into serious topics or evoke deep emotions of any kind. It was just a quick, easy read. I continued to turn the pages, wanting to know what happens next but not because I was invested in the characters and cared about them a whole lot; more so because I liked the world the author created and enjoyed reading about it. I couldn't see what Esmerine saw in Alan and often times he downright irritated me and then the ending seemed very quickly pulled together. Like I said, a good book for light reading. I gave this book 4 bookmarks.
 

RIPPLE by Mandy Hubbard

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

This book is said to be for young adults and from what I hear, it's the first in a two part series. 

Rachel's Thoughts: When I started reading this story I was hooked from page one. It's a different take on the mermaid tale (tail, too). One in which mermaids are not sweet, innocent maidens. I liked how she broke some of the normal assumptions of mermaids such as not giving her mermaid a tail, and other twists you'll have to read the book to learn about. Lets just say I never found myself wanting to put the book down. The end seems to wrap everything up, but from the author's website, it looks like she's doing another, making this a two part series. I'm definitely interested to see where she takes the second book. I gave this book 4 bookmarks.

Lakela's Thoughts: This was a quick read for me, and I liked how the mermaid was different than most mermaid stories. I gave this book 5 bookmarks.

PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White

Evie’s always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she’s falling for a shape-shifter, and she’s the only person who can see through paranormals’ glamours.

But Evie’s about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal. 

This book is said to be for grades 7 and up and is the first in a series.  

Rachel's Thoughts: I really liked this book! I had a hard time putting it down! It was such a unique idea. We have fairies, hags, vampires, werewolves, water spirits, gremlins, trolls and more. Unlike popular stories lately, she puts a bad spin on vampires as well as fairies. Not only did I thoroughly enjoy this book, I can't wait to get my hands on the next one in the series.I gave this book 4 bookmarks.

Lakela's Thoughts: I gave this book 5 bookmarks. 

Sea Change by Aimee Friedman

Sixteen-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science. . .and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.
There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her with facts her logical, scientific mind can't make sense of. She also meets Leo, who challenges everything she thought she knew about boys, friendship. . .and reality.

Is Leo hiding something? Or is he something that she never could have imagined?

This book is said to be for young adults although I couldn't find a more specific age group.


Rachel's Thoughts: The story begins strongly and then it seems to lull. All the while, you're waiting to find out if in fact her love interest is a merman. You wait, and you wait, and then the book is over. Huh? I liked the idea of the story and her writing, but I really felt like it dropped me at the end with not so much as a fishing net to grab on to! So, I guess I'll say that I enjoyed the story and really hope there's a sequel so I can find out if her love interest is who we all think he is. I gave this book 4 bookmarks.

Real Mermaids DON'T WEAR TOE RINGS by Helen Boudreau

Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning...

If she hadn't been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail?

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?
Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke?

This summer is about to get a lot more interesting...

This book is said to be for tweens to young teens.

Rachel's Thoughts: This book is most certainly not for older teens who are looking for a deep, thought provoking story. Unless of course they are die hard mermaid fans like myself. :) This is a lighthearted story definitely geared toward tween girls. As far as the story itself, I thought it moved along quiet well and had some fun little mermaid 'facts' to satisfy the fantasy lover in me. I gave this book 4 bookmarks.  

Lakela's Thoughts: I really liked this book. It was quick, easy to understand, and about a girl in junior high (around me age) who starts to experience new things in life, she just happens to be a mermaid. I gave this book 4 bookmarks.