Tangled Tides by Karen Amanda Hooper

Tangled Tides (The Sea Monster Memoirs, #1) by Karen Amanda Hooper

Release Date: November 25, 2011

Publisher: Rhemalda

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Age Group: Young Adult (14+)

Pages: 328
ISBN: 9781936850433

Buy the Book: Amazon

Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one.

When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans.

Young Adult fans of Mermaids, Selkies, Sirens and Gorgons will love this tale of the sacrifice one makes for genuine love. Love that could be lost at any moment to the ever-changing tides.

Review:

What an amazing debut by Karen Amanda Hooper! I was captivated by this story from the very beginning, and believe me when I say that Tangled Tides is definitely one of the best mermaid stories out there.

Hooper has certainly weaved quite a story. This book is so much more than a simple mermaid tale. Sirens, gorgons, and selkies all make an appearance, and the mythical world that Hooper creates for them is well-detailed and breathtaking. It was so easy to envision the underwater realm that Yara, Treygan, and their many companions live in. Another thing I loved was the elements of Greek mythology that were present. These elements give background to the merfolk and sea creatures, explaining how they came into being. I feel like with most mermaid stories, there is no mention of how or why mermaids exist, but instead, the reader just has to accept that they do. The fact that Hooper offers explanation to the history surrounding these sea creatures really sets her story apart from others and gives a fresh, new take to the classical mermaid tale.

The characters are also wonderful. Each one has their own, definitive voice, making it really easy to connect to them. Yara is faced with a tough decision that not only affects her, but hundreds of others, yet she is resolute and strong, and I really liked that about her. There are moments when she feels fear, but never once does she back down. All of her emotions come across really well, and I think she was an excellent main character. (I have to say I was a little surprised by her reaction to becoming a mermaid. She was angry, yes, but what about the freak out?? If you just got turned into a mermaid, you are entitled to freak out a little!) And then there is Treygan. Oh my, where do I even begin with him? He is strong, confident, smart, and the list goes on and on. He is just a great guy who really cares for Yara, and I love their relationship and chemistry. There were even a few instances where Treygan had to stop himself from having some inappropriate thoughts about Yara, which made him seem more ‘real’ and really fleshed out his character. There are also the minor characters, such as Pango, Rownan, and others, and I liked every one of them. It is very rare that side characters have their own voice (or personality, for that matter), and I applaud Hooper for creating such excellent characters.

Hooper’s awesome writing style coupled with great characters and an intriguing plot make Tangled Tides a must read for all. This is one of the best books published in 2011, and also one of the best mermaid stories available. I cannot for the sequel, which is still untitled. There is no release date set, but I hope it is soon! I cannot wait to see what Yara and Treygan’s next underwater adventure will be!

The Greatest Escape!

Anew by Chelsea Fine

Anew (The Archers of Avalon, #1) by Chelsea Fine

Release Date: December 7, 2011

Publisher: Acadia Publishing

Available Formats: Paperback and eBook

Genre: Paranormal, Romance
Pages: 385
ISBN: 1935089498

Buy the Book: Amazon

Two years ago, Scarlet awoke in the forest alone, afraid, and unable to remember anything. Lost and confused, her life was a mystery...until she met a boy with a familiar voice.

Gabriel Archer has a voice from her past, and Scarlet's determined to remember why. She immerses herself in his life only to discover he has a brother he's kept hidden from her: Tristan Archer. 

Upon meeting Tristan, Scarlet's world becomes even more muddled. While she's instinctively drawn to Gabriel, she's impossibly drawn to Tristan--and confused out of her mind. As she tries to piece together her history Scarlet realizes her past...might just be the death of her.

Review:

Oh man, I enjoyed this book. I was engrossed the whole time, and each chapter just seemed to get better and better. The writing is phenomenal, the story is original, and Fine’s storytelling is topnotch. And I cannot forget about the cliffhanger! At first, I thought that my e-book was incomplete, but when I found out that was the end, I was partially stupefied and partially enraged. Why of all places did she have to end the book THERE?? I believe Conan sums it up best:

Oh, no, she didn’t!

As far as cliffhangers are concerned (and depending on how you feel about them), this book has one of the best/worst cliffhangers I have come across in a while. It definitely has me eagerly waiting for the next book! If you are not a fan, I would advise you to wait to read Anew until the sequel is released.

While the story itself is amazing, the best part about this book is the characters. The reader cannot help but connect to Scarlet. She has many qualities that I really appreciate in female characters: courage, strength, and the ability to throw some awesome comebacks in a pretty boy’s face. I felt her confusion as she attempts to piece together her past and learn who she is, and I felt her emotional turmoil as she struggled with her growing affection for two brothers. One of the brothers, Gabriel, is an all-around nice guy burdened with a curse that will forever haunt him. His love for Scarlet runs deep and true, and he really cherishes her. Tristan, on the other hand, is the bad boy in their little family. He is dark and mysterious, and even though he hides his true self behind a rough exterior and a mouth that constantly spews insults, he also really cares for Scarlet. (The guy is willing to die to save her from dying again!) He is a tortured soul, never able to have the one thing he wants the most, and my heart goes out to him. (In fact, he reminds me a lot of Will from The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare.) I am definitely rooting for him in this love triangle! I do like Gabriel, but I will always cheer on the dark, tortured man. I guess I am one of the reasons the saying “nice guys finish last” remains true, but I seriously cannot help it!

I have to commend Fine for her well-written and well-developed love triangle. Very few love triangles are well done. In fact, most are downright torturous. I still think even good love triangles are emotionally grating and frustrating (usually because the guy I like never ‘wins’ and they are chocked full of drama), but at least the men’s proverbial ego wars are absent. I already mentioned this in my review for Clockwork Prince, but I seriously hate it when men fight over a girl through insulting one another, battles of physical prowess, and other creative ways of trying to claim the girl as their own. I think in this case, these ‘contests’ would have been even worse than usual ones since it is a love triangle that involves brothers (I hate when siblings fight). I like the fact that Fine does not include these unnerving elements in her love triangle. It makes the love triangle more bearable (for me, anyway), and it really improves the story instead of hindering it (*coughWingscough*).

Overall, Anew is a WONDERFUL book, and you should definitely check it out if you haven’t already. I am eagerly anticipating the next book in the series, Awry, which will be released sometime in 2012 (the exact date has yet to be specified). I cannot wait to see what happens after the cliffhanger! The only thing I ask is for, Ms. Fine, is no cliffhanger in the next book! Please! Do not make me summon Conan again (his service fees are ridiculous). 

The Greatest Escape!

Grave Mercy Giveaway!

So remember that Waiting on Wednesday post (I think it was #3) where I mentioned I was dying to get my hands on Grave Mercy by R.L. LaFevers? Well, both you and I are in luck! There is currently an ARC giveaway being held by PJ Hoover. You can sign-up for the giveaway here! Good luck!!!


(Click on the cover for link to Goodreads)

Playing Catch-up

Yes, I am currently playing catch-up. I had a nice system for a while: read a book, and then immediately write and post a review. However, as of late, I have been REALLY behind in reviews. There are at least 6-7 books that I have not written reviews for yet, and instead of taking the time to write them up, I just keep reading new books. It has become rather vicious cycle, one that I am determined to break. I WILL catch-up and get back to my old system. In fact, I have decided to hold off on reading other books until all the reviews are written! (I am not too sure how well this no-reading thing will work out, but I am really going to try and be resolute!) I will be posting quite a few reviews in the next few days, so be ready! 

Waiting on Wednesday (8)

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill at Breaking the Spine, and it is a weekly event in which readers mention one book they are eager to get their hands on!


I have recently been watching Disney movies, and that has definitely influenced my choice for this week. I have been rereading quite a few of my favorite fairy tales, so when I came across this book, it was a no-brainer.


So for this week, I have chosen...... *drumroll*

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis


Release Date: May 8, 2012

Summary (taken from Goodreads):

It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?