Randi's Vicious Deep Review!

I admittedly didn't think Garrett and I's Vicious Deep reviews would be so close together, but I actually got around to reading the book faster than I thought, so I hope you all don't mind!




It's been about a year since I found out about the Vicious Deep and it's finally here! I loved this book so much and really loved the unique take on the mermaid mythology and the cool location on land. Also, it's completely hilarious. I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard reading a book.

Tristian reminds me a lot of Tony Stark, all that wit and erm, good looks if you will. It may just be because the Avengers opened the weekend I read this and it was totally awesome but they struck me as similar characters.

The secondary characters are also funny, real, and have their own quirks. The only one I thought was a little lacking was Layla, but there was nothing too bad going on there.

The setting on Coney Island is really vivid and becomes a character itself in the story. You can really visualize it as you read. It fits the themes and really adds a lot to the story. It's been a while since I read a book where the location was so central to the story.

The mer mythology is unique, as is the narrator. I've never read a mer-book with a male narrator, and it's a nice change of pace. The mer-world is fascinating, borrowing equally from Greek mythology and of course The Little Mermaid.

I got a bit bored with all of the stuff on land, but the boredom never lasted very long. There's always something new coming in the Vicious Deep, and I think it will be even more fun to re-read later.

Altogether, four and a half stars and a looooooooooong wait until the sequel. Two thumbs up Zoraida!

-Randi

MerBook Review: The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova

The cover of The Vicious Deep tells you not to let it pull you under. Well, you'll want to do the opposite. Because I'm warning you: this book's just like the whirlpool Tristan encounters in the beginning; it sucks you right in and refuses to let go. The Vicious Deep is something I never expected to find: a guys' mermaid book. Well, maybe not exactly, more unisex, if anything. There's plenty of kisses and romance for the ladies, but there's also plenty of thrills, action, and fighting for the guys. TVD can be summed up in one word: FUN. From beginning to end, I laughed and gasped and kept flipping pages. Zoraida's writing style is quick and to-the-point, but also witty and hilarious. There were also many in-jokes that every Little Mermaid fan should pick up on. And if all that hasn't peaked your interest, pick up the book. There are several memorable scenes in the novel that will make you laugh, cry, and sit on the edge of your seat. One of my all-time favorite scenes that had me grinning from ear to ear was the bubble-gum scene. You'll understand. The world of TVD was fully developed too. We not only have traditional mermaids, but all kinds of paranormal creatures, from vampires to werewolves, to fey and shifters. There's a little something from everyone in the book. Probably my favorite thing of the novel was the voice: Tristan. Most mermaid books are from a female perspective, but getting the point of view of a teenage boy as he undergoes his transformation into a merman was funny as it was highly readable. The bathtub scene of Tristan's first transformation was incredibly hilarious. And the other characters! There are so many of them, and each of them so diverse that you won't want to leave their world. From Layla to Gwen, Thalia and Marty, each character felt so real and I didn't want to say goodbye. So if you want good ol' sea monster action, a classic summer love story, a magical trip under the sea, or a seriously creepy villain, dive into The Vicious Deep!

Spotlight: Just For Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

WARNING: Mild spoilers for the first and second books in this series are in the plot description for this third installment in the Fins series. Proceed with caution if you haven't read the second book.





The Fins series is the Princess Diaries of the mermaid world. Very fluffy and girly, but there is also a lot of heart and some depth to the stories. Lily and Quinn are adorable and I personally was giggling every other page. It's just a really cute series.

I myself have not finished the second book in the series yet, but this third one looks to be pretty darn interesting if I do say so myself!

The book will be published on July 3, 2012. Here is the Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13019704-just-for-fins?a=5&origin=related_works


Are you guys excited?

-Randi

Wrecked by Anna Davies (Review)

Tomorrow is the release of Anna Davie's debut novel, Wrecked. I, however, have read the book, and am here to dish the dirt.

By the way, thanks to the Bailey Cove Library for lending me an ARC copy of the book they received!

                                                       
Here is the book's Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12022733-wrecked

I definitely did not intend on reading this book, and honestly, I don't feel like I would've missed much.


First off, that cover would never pass any parent inspection. Bad move on the marketing. I know this book is for fourteen and up, but still.


Second, right down to character names and themes, this book mirrors Aimee Friedman's Sea Change in so many ways. Even the main character's first names are the same. I prefer Sea Change for sure.


The plot holes are gaping. For example, Miranda has a car and is allowed to go anywhere any time she wants. Why doesn't she just leave if she's so desperate? Or the fact the Christian is a stalker with good intentions, but still, Miranda doesn't know these intentions. Bella Swann type behavior.


Also, I got really tired of all the boring school type things. I don't understand why an author who could have such paranormal and exciting material on their hands would choose to focus on school or hospital visits to cardboard boyfriends.


Miranda is a truly annoying character, even though she does have some cause to be that way.


The writing reads like an outline to a book that could be potentially alright, but then you realize that this is probably the final version. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, and for once I feel like the book would've benefited from first person narrative instead of the third person it uses.


There is another annoying case of instalove here. I think it takes five days for Miranda and Christian to fall in love. It didn't even try to suspend my disbelief.


The incredible amount of bullying in this book makes no sense. So Miranda wrecks the boat that kills and injures some friends, but everybody knows it was an accident. Yet favorite teachers and former friends give her the cold shoulder at every instant. It doesn't makes sense, especially not in the Southern community the book is supposedly portraying. Believe me, I live in the south, and we employ the casserole dishes and the butter excessively when stuff like this happens.


Also, there's a lot of partying-is-normal attitude here. Sorry, it's not. I don't know any high schoolers who actually act like Miranda and her friends are depicted as in the beginning chapters.


Miranda's grandma is incredibly absent, and when she's not, she's incredibly annoying and inconsistent.


And I can safely say I don't know anything cool, quirky, or unique about any of these characters. The only thing we know about Miranda is that she was good at soccor. The only thing we know about Christian is that he loved Miranda. The only thing we know about Miranda's very absent little brother is nothing. It goes on and on.


The only thing I thought was unique was the idea of betwixtmen, and how for once we got the paranormal guy's narration, which added a half inch of depth to the story. That was the only part of this book that wasn't from Sea Change.


Altogether very skippable. If you want to proceed, do so with caution.




Thoughts? I'd love to hear them.




-Randi

SPOTLIGHT: The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Cordova

Hey readers! More material for posts are starting to crop up, as well as books release dates, so the blog will start getting updated more often now.

Today, we're talking about the Vicious Deep, which is being released this Tuesday, May 1st!

Here's the link to the Goodreads page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12246929-the-vicious-deep

One thing that really sticks out to me about this book is that it has a male narrator, an un-usual situation in the mer-world. The only other mer-book I can think of where the main character narration is male has to be Anne Greenwood Brown's Lies Beneath, which is also slated for release this year, and has some good reviews.
I'm also looking forward to the Coney Island setting. I've never been anywhere near New York but every photo, movie scene, or book description of it is vivid and exciting.
The cover is also in the theme with the new Monstrous Beauty one, surprisingly gender neutral. Like Monstrous Beauty, it also had a more girly cover before making the switch. I do like this one however.


Are you guys looking forward to this one? I know I am!

-Randi

Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama Gets A New Cover!

Hey guys!
This week, Elizabeth Fama's upcoming mer-novel Monstrous Beauty  was revamped with a new cover!
Here it is!



(source: http://acrowesnest.blogspot.com/2012/04/cover-reveal-for-monstrous-beauty.html?showComment=1335476686534#c1944834503196460780)
Thanks to Zoraida for the tip!

While we were discussing the new cover on Goodreads, Garrett pointed out that this cover worked better than it's predecessor because it is a lot more gender neutral. The other cover was very feminine. This one would encourage more male readers possibly.
I also think that this one would pass a lot more parent inspection. While I'm not particularly sure if Monstrous Beauty is YA,  the last cover was definitely much sexier. This one is still sensual, but a little less in your face about it.
Which brings me to today's topic: Should mermaid covers be kept more gender neutral. Let's face it, most of the mermaid demographic is girls. But there are a few men out there who enjoy the same literature. Not all of the books are as girly as their covers let on for sure. For example, Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs featured a very pink/purple mermaid and tattoo, whereas the content contained a lot of action, and a lot of romance admittedly. Lost Voices' cover was very girly as well, and the content was very dark and not nearly as feminine as the cover let on.
What do you guys think?

-Randi

Spotlight: Breathless by Cole Gibson

                                                


Sorry for the lack of content lately guys! School has really been getting to both Garrett and me and we've been at a loss for posts. Luckily, school is almost out for the summer and I'm starting to get some new stuff together.







Anyway, onto our subject today: Cole Gibson's upcoming book, Breathless. Here's the Goodreads description.




Obituary-reading emo girl Edith Small is broken - the end result of forcing herself inside a mold that doesn't fit. All she wants is to conform to her strict sergeant stepfather's rules long enough to make it to graduation day.


But a boat accident threatens to unravel the life Edith has worked so hard to keep. After waking up in a hospital with a lacerated shoulder, Edith fakes amnesia. Because admitting she received her injuries from a blue-haired girl who breathes underwater is all the reason Sir needs to send Edith on the first bus to military school.
Safe at home, Edith struggles to put the nightmare behind her. But the mysterious creatures that live in the ocean aren't about to let her forget.
After meeting Bastin - a strange boy with silver hair and black eyes - on a secluded dock, Edith learns about the war raging undersea to end human existence. A war that Edith, unwittingly, has become the key to winning.




In a world where death is an ever-present shadow and motives are as dark as the bottom of the ocean, Edith must decide if her life is worth risking for a love that can't survive past the shore.








Sounds pretty interesting, right? Cole's other book, Katana, caught my eye a while back on Goodreads, and thought it looked really interesting, so I was really thrilled when I found out about Breathless. The cover is a little predictable, but pretty (there have been so many drowning girls on covers lately, for instance, the non-merbook The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer).










The book has actually already been released (where did the time go?) on March 21, 2012. If anyone of you have read it, tell me what you think in the comments!