In Deeper Waters

Some Summer Reads with Mermaids

We’re in the thick of summer now, so I thought it was more that time for a summer book list.

This time, I’ve decided to go all in on mermaids. I love mermaids, guys. Ever since I saw The Little Mermaid for the first time how ever long ago it was, they’ve been one of my favorite mythical creatures.

So without further ado, let’s get my favorite mermaid tales (or should I say, “tails”) that I’ve read!

Emily Windsnap series by Liz Kessler

Emily Windsnap Series by Liz Kessler

BOOK DESCRIPTION (for the first book):

For as long as she can remember, twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap has lived on a boat. And, oddly enough, for just as long, her mother has seemed anxious to keep her away from the water. But when Mom finally agrees to let her take swimming lessons, Emily makes a startling discovery – about her own identity, the mysterious father she’s never met, and the thrilling possibilities and perils shimmering deep below the water’s surface.

With a sure sense of suspense and richly imaginative details, first-time author Liz Kessler lures us into a glorious undersea world where mermaids study shipwrecks at school and Neptune rules with an iron trident – an enchanting fantasy about family secrets, loyal friendship, and the convention-defying power of love.

Out of the Blue by Jason June

Out of the Blue by Jason June

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Crest is not excited to be on their Journey: the monthlong sojourn on land all teen merfolk must undergo. The rules are simple: Help a human within one moon cycle and return to Pacifica to become an Elder–or fail and remain stuck on land forever. Crest is eager to get their Journey over and done with: after all, humans are disgusting. They’ve pollluted the planet so much that there’s a floating island of trash that’s literally the size of a country.

In Los Angeles with a human body and a new name, Crest meets Sean, a human lifeguard whose boyfriend has recently dumped him. Crest agrees to help Sean make his ex jealous and win him back. But as the two spend more time together and Crest’s pespective on humans begins to change, they’ll soon be torn between two worlds. And fake dating just might lead to real feelings…

This instant New York Times bestselling novel from Jason June dives into the many definitions of the world home and shows how love can help us find the truest versions of ourselves.

My review of Out of the Blue

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

The Syrena Legacy Trilogy by Anna Banks

BOOK DESCRIPTION (for the first book):

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom…

Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A young prince must rely on a mysterious stranger to save him when he is kidnapped during his coming-of-age tour in this swoony adventure that is The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue meets Pirates of the Caribbean.

Prince Tal has long awaited his coming-of-age tour. After spending most of his life cloistered behind palace walls as he learns to keep his forbidden magic secret, he can finally see his family’s kingdom for the first time. His first taste of adventure comes just two days into the journey, when their crew discovers a mysterious prisoner on a burning derelict vessel.

Tasked with watching over the prisoner, Tal is surprised to feel an intense connection with the roguish Athlen. So when Athlen leaps overboard and disappears, Tal feels responsible and heartbroken, knowing Athlen could not have survived in the open ocean.

That is, until Tal runs into Athlen days later on dry land, very much alive, and as charming—and secretive—as ever. But before they can pursue anything further, Tal is kidnapped by pirates and held ransom in a plot to reveal his rumored powers and instigate a war. Tal must escape if he hopes to save his family and the kingdom. And Athlen might just be his only hope…

My review of In Deeper Waters

The Siren by Kiera Cass

The Siren by Kiera Cass

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A sweeping stand-alone fantasy romance from Kiera Cass, author of the bestselling, beloved Selection series.

Kahlen is a Siren—bound to serve the Ocean by luring humans to their watery graves with her voice, which is deadly to any human who hears it. Akinli is human—a kind, handsome boy who’s everything Kahlen ever dreamed of. Falling in love puts them both in danger… but will Kahlen risk everything to follow her heart?

This star-crossed YA romance is sure to captivate readers who grew up loving The Little Mermaid or fans of Jennifer Donnelly’s Waterfire Saga.

As always, thank you so much for reading, and have a swishy day/night! (For those who actually get that reference, wow.)

See ya ~Mar

Book Review: “In Deeper Waters” by F. T. Lukens

This was one of the lessons his mother wanted him to learn on his journey. This was his coming-of-age.

About This Book

Length: 312 pages

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQIA+

Release Date: April 20, 2022

Book Description

Prince Tal has long awaited his coming-of-age tour. After spending most of his life cloistered behind palace walls as he learns to keep his forbidden magic secret, he can finally see his family’s kingdom for the first time. His first taste of adventure comes just two days into the journey, when their crew discovers a mysterious prisoner on a burning derelict vessel.

Tasked with watching over the prisoner, Tal is surprised to feel an intense connection with the roguish Athlen. So when Athlen leaps overboard and disappears, Tal feels responsible and heartbroken, knowing Athlen could not have survived in the open ocean.

That is, until Tal runs into Athlen days later on dry land, very much alive, and as charming—and secretive—as ever. But before they can pursue anything further, Tal is kidnapped by pirates and held ransom in a plot to reveal his rumored powers and instigate a war. Tal must escape if he hopes to save his family and the kingdom. And Athlen might just be his only hope…

My Review

★★★★☆ • 4 / 5 stars

He wouldn’t give in. His magic surged and ebbed like the waves that rocked the vessel, but he didn’t release it. Though he burned from the inside with hot embers, he wouldn’t give Zeph the satisfaction or the leverage. That piece of himself would remain his own.

This was a fun book. Fast-paced, fairytale-like, and full of good character development.

I enjoyed the two main characters, Tal and Athlen, as well as their dynamic with one another. I liked Tal’s character arc, in they he started as a bit of a naive and spoiled prince, but really grows responsible an courageous as the story goes on.

I liked how mysterious Athlen felt to Tal and the others he interacted with (at first), even though it was obvious from even the book’s synopsis that he’s clearly a merman. His banter and his dynamic personality were also pretty engaging.

“I’m glad it’s you because you are a good person. You can be a little shit sometimes, but out of the five of us, you have the softest heart. It’s a good attribute to have when wielding so much power.”

The biggest highlight of In Deeper Waters, for me, was all the family bonding going on. It doesn’t happen as much until the second half (spoiler?), but it was super heartwarming whenever it happened in the novel. I loved how funny Tal’s oldest brother Garrett was, and how kind his other brother Kest was. Kest was also an adorable bird shifter.

Isa, Tal’s older sister and future queen, was smart and supportive to him, and his younger sister, Corrie, was, as the book describes it: “a spitfire.” But all of the siblings had their own amount of sass, including Tal himself, and I adored it whenever it appeared on the page. I love sarcasm.

“I’ve got you.”

“I know.” His breath was cool on Tal’s neck. “For how long?”

“Until you tell me to let go.”

I felt that the romance between Tal and Athlen wasn’t too rushed (like insta-love) but that it wasn’t a slow-burn either. Which was something I found to be refreshing, as for most books it’s either one or the other. It got a bit rushed towards the ending, but so did a few things.

“The world isn’t kind,” Tal said […] “But that doesn’t mean I can’t be.”

Yeah… The villains and the climax weren’t great. The villains were pretty bland, which isn’t always too bad, but I usually like antagonists to have at least either an interesting backstory or personality. And no, it doesn’t have to be tragic or make the villain more sympathetic. I just want them to be slightly interesting. And these antagonists weren’t too interesting.

Zeph was a bit of a boring minor villain, but we didn’t really get to know much about her, and, she failed to be more dynamic in my eyes. And the true antagonist was even worse. Clearly, this was more of a protagonist driven story, even the plot was slightly secondary to this.

And the climax! UGH! It kinda sucked, if I’m being honest. It moved far too fast, one thing constantly happening after another, and it was a little annoying. I’m not gonna spoil anything for anyone though. And hey, the epilogue chapter was really sweet, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so I’ll give it that.

Anyways, this book was pretty decent, and I definitely recommend it to those who enjoy fantasy, romance, fairytales, and rep. (And man was the rep good!)

Have you read In Deeper Waters? What did you think of it? Thanks for tuning in!