Siren Review

Tuesday, August 17, 2010



Seventeen-year-old Vanessa Sands is afraid of everything—the dark, heights, the ocean—but her fearless older sister, Justine, has always been there to coach her through every challenge. That is, until Justine goes cliff-diving one night near the family’s vacation house in Maine, and her lifeless body washes up on shore the next day.

Though her parents hope that they’ll be able to find closure back in Boston, Vanessa can’t help feeling that her sister’s death wasn’t an accident. After discovering that Justine was keeping a lot of secrets, Vanessa returns to Winter Harbor, hoping that Justine’s boyfriend might know more. But Caleb has been missing since Justine’s death.

Soon, it’s not just Vanessa who’s afraid. All of Winter Harbor is abuzz with anxiety when another body washes ashore, and panic sets in when the small town becomes host to a string of fatal, water-related accidents in which all the victims are found, horrifically, grinning from ear to ear.

Vanessa turns to Caleb’s brother, Simon, for help, and begins to find herself drawn to him. As the pair try to understand the sudden rash of creepy drownings, Vanessa uncovers a secret that threatens her new romance—and will change her life forever.
Taken from GoodReads.


First of all, for those who don't know: I'm forgoing my normal Tuesday Teaser/Teaser Tuesday , as well as my Waiting on Wednesday because I owe about 20394809238409823409892 reviews. So, needless to say, you'll simply have to (please!) bear with me while I spill my heart out about the books I've read. Enough of that.

Siren is the story about a teenage girl, Vanessa Sands, living life in the wake of losing her sister to a tragic and untimely death. Justine was always the bright, vivacious, and fearless sister. Vanessa (Ness) was cautious, curious, and above all, she was smart! (It's so rare to see a smart teen female protagonist, eh?!) Along with Simon, the protective, geeky, and saccharin-sweet love interest, Ness uncovers Winter Harbor's deadly secrets and seeks to discover what really happened to Justine.

Siren by Tricia Rayburn is such a refreshing spin on supernatural mystery and romance. In a mess of novels where the MC is a wishy-washy teen moaning about their unusual life, Siren gives us Vanessa, who draws strength from her adventures while seeking the truth. Despite her fears and reservations, Vanessa uses her intelligence to draw conclusions and figure out what's happening to the people in Winter Harbor, Maine.

I wasn't sure I would like this book because I didn't know if it would be possible for Tricia Rayburn to spin a whole tale on the mythical Siren...but she did! Siren was intriguing, romantic, and even a bit chilling at times. Despite the slow start (and I mean it...it's slllooooowwwww), Siren redeems itself with an original story and cast of characters.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 because I like it when books get right down to business. Too much back story gives me a headache and pulls me out of that reading mode. I'd recommend this for mature teens, as there are issues that might not be for the younger lot. All in all, it's quite a good read!

19 comments:

  1. I wasn't sure about this either, but I'd like to give it a try now!

    Nice review!

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  2. I really wanted to read this when it first came out, but then I kept reading some negative reviews on it and wasn't so sure. It does seem interesting though. I'm not sure if I could handle the slowness of the story. Still not sure on this one. Great review!

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  3. hmmm, a slow starter, those are always hard to read. i'm glad it got better!!

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  4. This one sounds good! Thanks for the heads up on the slow start though! I'll have to check it out. :)

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  5. The cover of this book just grabs me and makes me want to read it! Great review!

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  6. I can always count on you to give an honest review! Siren sounds intriguing and I'll definitely give it a go. Thanks again.

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  7. Despite a slow start glad it was good. This one is on my wishlist!

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  8. I'm a little bit iffy about this book, because I've seen mixed things, but I might just give it a shot! I'm like you and like it when books just get right to it, but normally I forgive and forget if it redeems itself. Great review!

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  9. I really think I will like this one. I love mysteries and this sounds like it would be a good one. Thanks for the review

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  10. Great, great review! I still haven't read Siren despite all the positive reviews I've been reading. And it sure sounds like an excellent book. Gotta read it!

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  12. I like this review---thanks for the honesty!!

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  13. I really liked this one as well and Vanessa was one of the highlights for me. It was nice to have a female lead that didn't swoon over the first hot boy she saw and completely lose track of what she was supposed to be doing! Nice review:)

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  14. I love your review! Thank you for being honest about the book!

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  15. Nice review! I loved Rayburn's take on sirens too :)

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  16. Finally, I found this book, again! I saw it about a year ago and never bought it! It was always in the back of my mind, so now I have the motivation to go get it:D

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