Title: The Vicious Deep
Author: Zoraida Córdova (Twitter)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publish Date: May 1, 2012
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 372
Source: Publisher

For Tristan Hart, everything changes with one crashing wave. He was gone for three days. Sucked out to sea in a tidal wave and spit back ashore at Coney Island with no memory of what happened. Now his dreams are haunted by a terrifying silver mermaid with razor-sharp teeth.

His best friend Layla is convinced something is wrong. But how can he explain he can sense emotion like never before? How can he explain he's heir to a kingdom he never knew existed? That he's suddenly a pawn in a battle as ancient as the gods.

Something happened to him in those three days. He was claimed by the sea...and now it wants him back.

I've contemplated reading this series for a good long while now, but I'm always hesitant to start series without the rest of the books being out or imminent. Thus, with the third installment soon to be released in July, I figured it was high time to start reading The Vicious Deep and see what all the magic is regarding this underwater world that author, Zoraida Córdova, has created for us. It's been a long time since I've read a story with mermaids or mermen, and I'm always looking for stories that give readers a bit more angst, darkness and novels that are willing to raise the stakes. Reading the synopsis for this definitely promised us all that and more.

In theory, The Vicious Deep had everything working in it's favour. Ms. Córdova is an excellent writer, and she paints a picture that's vivid, entertaining and, at times, hilarious. I love the wit and charm that she interjected into Tristan's character, giving him both depth and a realistic teenage human male persona. It made him that much more tangible in what would have otherwise been intangible circumstances. That said, however, I suppose I expected the stakes within this novel to be a bit higher and more gruesome. With mentions of "razor-sharp teeth" in the premise alone, I was looking for the novel to spin us into a darker and, I'll admit, slightly more vicious world. I also found her use of present tense for the novel to be both a strength and a weakness at times. While it added urgency to the plot, it also made everything immediate and in the here-and-now, which made backstory a little less prevalent.

There were elements of The Vicious Deep that rang true though, and that I loved. In large part, Layla's character was just as strong as Tristan's. I never really felt as though she lacked the depth of an important character, and I really appreciated the fact that she was strong in her own right. Furthermore, this is one of those few novels in which the parents actually play a role, which is often a huge qualm with me. It was nice to see the author embrace the reality of teenage life - even in a fantasy setting. As the stakes are raised in the story though, I wanted to see more of Tristan's evolution, and I wanted to see him embrace and harness a power that was deep within him. Yet, armed with a magical dagger, he's thrust into melee with little to no training, and an attitude that belied his heroism.

Overall, despite a few hiccups along the way, I thought that The Vicious Deep was a strong start to a new series. I'm hoping to see that the plot holes and flaws are resolved along the way, and I'd really like to see the stakes raised with more drama in the future. I must also admit that the cliffhanger at the end of this book is a doozy, and it definitely left me less than impressed - until I remembered I have the sequel in hand. I give this book a 3.5 out of 5, and I recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy paranormal and mermaid stories.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Title: Of Poseidon

Author: Anna Banks (Twitter)

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publish Date: May 22, 2012

Genre: YA, Paranormal

Pages: 326

Source: Publisher

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.

Emma has a power, and she doesn't even know it. Galen has been searching for the girl who can speak with fish, and when he has a chance encounter with Emma, suddenly their lives are on a collision course. While Emma is content to enjoy a leisurely vacation by the beach, while Galen is on a mission. He needs to find her and, coincidentally enough, he does. But nothing is quite that simple, and there are more than a few things that the two have to conquer together before Emma's life changes forever and Galen gets what he's been searching for. 

I'm typically a bit wary of mermaid stories these days because, in the past, they've been very hit and miss for me. Some succeed, while others miss the mark by a long shot. Of Poseidon was one of the few that actually really rang true for me, and I ended up absolutely loving it. Anna Banks has accomplished quite the literary feat with this novel, as well. Offering us both a female and a male MC with complex voices and alternating chapter viewpoints and tenses, Of Poseidon tackles this risk with ease, sweeping us into the underwater world of Syrena where nothing is what we expected and everything is new.

Emma's character hooked me from the start with her startlingly honest inner monologue in which we get such a clear view of her persona. She steers us through the world of Of Poseidon with such charisma and wit and, despite her overwhelming clumsiness, she's intelligent, thoughtful and really engaging. Galen, too, got me hook, line and sinker (pun intended). He's sweet and naive, and his ability to make mistakes with simple human interactions made him a lot more personable, and it made the developing connection between the two characters incredibly tangible and believable. The characters definitely drive this story and, as they begin to interact more and more, we begin to see why Galen needed Emma so desperately in the first place. The only thing that I felt was a bit lacking was more in depth descriptions of Syrena. I wanted to understand their customs more, and I really wanted to have that added layer interspersed through Emma and Galen's points of view. I also thought the conclusion was a tad rushed, but it definitely left me wanting more, so I can't fault it too strongly.

Overall, I really enjoyed Of Poseidon. I thought it was a great new addition to the world of fantasy and mermaids. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy fantasy, paranormal and a touch of sweet romance.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Title: Lost Voices
Author: Sarah Porter
Publisher: Harcourt
Published: July 4, 2011
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 304
Source: Publisher

Fourteen-year-old Luce has had a tough life, but she reaches the depths of despair when she is assaulted and left on the cliffs outside of a grim, gray Alaskan fishing village. She expects to die when she tumbles into the icy waves below, but instead undergoes an astonishing transformation and becomes a mermaid. A tribe of mermaids finds Luce and welcomes her in—all of them, like her, lost girls who surrendered their humanity in the darkest moments of their lives.

Luce is thrilled with her new life until she discovers the catch: the mermaids feel an uncontrollable desire to drown seafarers, using their enchanted voices to lure ships into the rocks. Luce possesses an extraordinary singing talent, which makes her important to the tribe—she may even have a shot at becoming their queen. However her struggle to retain her humanity puts her at odds with her new friends. Will Luce be pressured into committing mass murder?

Luce has lived a life that no child should ever live through in her fourteen years. After losing her father in a terrible accident, Luce has been living with her abusive uncle, waiting for the days to run out so she can have an inkling of peace. But when the abuse becomes too much, Luce can't take it anymore, and she decides to take her peace, no matter the cost. Dead doesn't happen though. Luce finds herself in a world of girls just like herself. Abandoned by the world, they've become powerful enough to seek their vengeance, and they never need company besides each other again. The urge to kill, however, is powerful, and Luce has to decide whether she can finally fit in, or if the cost is too much for her to bear.

Lost Voices is the first book in a planned trilogy about a world of lost girls who become beautiful, ethereal beings hell-bent on seeking revenge against the world for the sins committed against them in life. By the cover, I expected a pretty love story, a sweet touch of paranormal and an overall saccharin tone. I was wrong. Lost Voices tackles dark issues with ease, baring the depth of the human soul, the righteousness within each of us and our ability to rise up and raise our voices. Sarah Porter has skillfully woven a tale with a strong message and theme for all of today's youth while creating a haunting visual story of a girl who has lost it all, but has the chance to get it back at a cost.

I'm the worst person when it comes to judging books by their covers, so when I first saw Lost Voices, I wasn't too excited. After peeking at a few reviews though, I was excited to hear about the dark undertones of the story. Luce has been sucked into a world of beauty that is tinged with death and malice. I loved the twist on her story, and I loved that her transformation rocked straight into a terrible but hauntingly beautiful action sequence, keeping the story moving. The strongest suit about Luce was her humanity - the soul she retained even as a mermaid. That said, it bothered me at times that Luce was able to simply follow the rules of the mermaids and not speak up when she saw the wrongs being committed. I wanted more from her. I'm hoping the sequel to Lost Voices will tackle her personal growth. That said, the shifts in Luce's almost rabid desire to be loved to a pathological need for inner peace were very well-done and believable. I will admit that while he other mermaids were intriguing, they a bit forgettable for the most part. Caterina, the Queen, was the one who I remembered most. The pacing and imagery of Lost Voices was gorgeous and mesmerizing, and honestly, the only part of the story that bugged me a bit was that it was almost too thematic, if you know what I mean. I want a theme, but I don't want it to leap from every page - I want it enmeshed in the story.

All in all, despite seeing a lot of iffy reviews, I quite liked Lost Voices, and I enjoy that it's set itself apart from other such books on the market today. It's a bit darker than it looks, and it's not for the weak-hearted, which I enjoyed. I give it a 4 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to all fans of YA, as well as Upper MG reads, especially those who enjoy strong themes of self-discovery and dark tones, as well as a blend of contemporary and paranormal fiction.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.