{Audiobook} Review: Of Triton by Anna Banks

Title: Of Triton
Author: Anna Banks
Narrator: Rebecca Gibel
Series: The Syrena Legacy, book #2
Publisher: AudioGO
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Source: received from publisher for review via Audiobook Jukebox
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

In this sequel to OF POSEIDON, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.

As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?

I remember Of Poseidon being funny.  It had its intense moments -- shark attack, anyone? -- but I definitely remember laughing.  And I liked the first book.  But maybe I should take into account that it was my first mermaid book and so maybe I was a little giddy with The Little Mermaid nostalgia from my childhood.  Because as far as sequels go, Of Triton was very meh.

I read an ARC of the first book last year, and I downloaded the free audio from SYNC a couple of weeks ago when it was offered.  But I didn't have time to get to the audio for a refresher before I received the audio for Of Triton for review.  I dove in (no pun intended) remembering little of what happened in the previous book, but there's a brief recap, so a re-read of the first book wasn't necessary.

However, I don't remember Emma being so immature and annoying in the first book.  I'd blame it on the narrator of the audiobook, but I've heard her rendition of Splintered, and I know the immaturity level in this book wasn't her doing.  In fact, Rebecca Gibel's narration was probably the only thing that really kept me listening.  The POV switches -- each chapter alternated between Emma’s present-tense, first person point-of-view and a third person point-of-view from Galen’s perspective -- were still as incongruous as in the first book, but I think listening to the audio helped supplant any of my previous issues with this style of narration.

Emma doesn't know who to trust.  Her mother's been lying to Emma her entire life, but Emma also knows Galen has been lying to her.  Her mother's identity -- and Emma's existence -- leads to a power struggle under the sea, one that forces its way to shore.  And Emma's future with Galen may be in jeopardy after certain revelations.

Yet, I found that I didn't really care how any of it turned out.  Even Toraf's humor couldn't save the lackluster story for me.  The ending seemed pretty cohesive and it felt like things were wrapped up and that this could really be the end.  But then I went to update my reading status on Goodreads and found a third novel in the series planned for release next year.  Yeah...I don't think I care enough to read anything further in this series.  I didn't hate it; I'm just apathetic toward it.  The characters, the plot...nothing did it for me this time around.  I've completely lost interest in the series.


Rating: 

About the author:

New York Times Bestselling author of The Syrena Legacy series.

Grew up in a town called Niceville. No, seriously. I graduated from Niceville High School. So did J Lo's second husband. And the guy that plays Aqua Man on Smallville dated my best friend.

Now I indulge my tendency to lie by writing the lies down and selling them to publishers. Well actually my agent sells it, so she's an accomplice to lies. One of my lies is called OF POSEIDON. The sequel is called OF TRITON. I'm still making up the third lie, OF NEPTUNE.

And um. I also write adult fiction under pen name Anna Scarlett. One of the adult lies is DEGREES OF WRONG.

That is all.

Find Anna:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Read More

Labels: anna banks, audiobooks, macmillan, mermaids, of poseidon, reviews

Under the Sea Giveaway Hop


Ever since I was a little girl, I have LOVED the idea of mermaids and undersea adventures, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share my love for all things underwater in the Under the Sea Giveaway Hop, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and The Musings of ALMYBNENR.  This giveaway hop features books with mermaids, sirens, selkies, divers, swimming, boating, dolphins...you get the idea.  Pretty much any book that somehow ties to water.  :-P

For my giveaway, I'm letting the winner choose one of the five mermaid books listed below, in hardcover or ebook format, depending on the winner's location and preference.  (Click on the pictures to be taken to the Goodreads page for each book.)

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown Wake by Amanda Hocking The Vicious Deep by  Zoraida Córdova

 

Rules:

• US residents can choose hardcover or ebook format; international entries are for ebook format, only, due to shipping costs. 
• One entry per household.
• All entries will be verified.  Any entry found to be falsified will result in disqualification of all entries for that participant.
• Winner will be notified via email.  Winner will then have 48 hours to respond before another winner will be selected.
• I am not responsible for lost packages.

And now on to the fun stuff!  You only have to follow my blog to enter, but all other entries/follows are appreciated!  :D

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Now that you've entered here, be sure to check out the other 100 or so giveaway stops on this blog hop:

 

 

Good luck & happy reading!

 

 

Read More

Labels: giveaway hops, giveaways, mermaids

Audio Clip: Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Good day, fellow bookworms!  Today, I have the pleasure of sharing an audio clip from the upcoming audiobook for Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama.

Title:  Monstrous Beauty
Author:  Elizabeth Fama
Narrator:  Katherine Kellgren
Series:  Monstrous Beauty
Publisher:  Macmillan Audio
Publication Date:  September 4, 2012
Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble | no Audible link as of the date of this post

Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.

Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

You can find my review of this breath-taking novel here.  I hope you enjoy the following clip as much as I enjoyed the book:



The narrator is the same as that of the Ashes audiobook, which I raved about earlier this year.  And if you’d like to take a peak at the author’s writing and the world she has created, you can check out her short story, Men Who Wish to Drown, set in the same world as Monstrous Beauty.

Read More

Labels: audiobooks, elizabeth fama, macmillan, mermaids, monstrous beauty

Review: Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Title:  Monstrous Beauty
Author:  Elizabeth Fama
Series:  Monstrous Beauty
Publisher:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYC)
Publication Date:  September 4, 2012
Source:  Netgalley
Purchase:  Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.

Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

This haunting tale cast its spell on me from the very first chapter.  Stories involving mermaids and selkie folklore have inundated the YA market as of late, but each struggles to bring something different to the reader, to make an indelible impression upon them.  With her second novel, it’s clear that Elizabeth Fama has created a story so unique and so beautifully woven that her readers will not soon forget it.

Monstrous Beauty is considered a young adult novel, but honestly, it doesn’t read like one.  And it’s most definitely not your typical mermaid story either, which all too often tend to be on the lighter side and altogether fluffy.  This story is haunting – literally – and full of all manner of vile things, including -- but not limited to – murder, rape, abandoned children, and a curse hundreds of years in the making.  But woven into this cryptic story is also a tale of love and sacrifice so heart-wrenching it took my breath away at times.

The story is told through alternating points-of-view and spans two different time periods.  The novel begins with Hester  in present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, pondering over unrequited love and her own awkwardness.  I immediately felt a kinship with Hester, not because of either of those things but because of how genuine her thoughts and feelings were, how honest she was, even with herself.

Image from Tor.com

Though the novel might start with Hester, the story truly begins with Syrenka and Ezra and a love so powerful that it transcends their time together.  A curse is born of their love and the mistakes they make in their desperation to be together.  But it is Hester and her ancestors who must bear the burden of this curse throughout the years, and as the story unfolds, it becomes all too clear where everything went wrong for these ill-fated lovers.

I wanted to devour this book, but I made myself read it slowly, so that I might fully appreciate the gorgeous prose and breath-taking storytelling.  It was very much worth the delayed gratification, though I must admit that I gobbled the story at the end, too engrossed to properly digest it.  Such is usually the case with such an exquisite novel, but I didn’t mind reading the ending twice, especially when it was so poignant and heartrending.  It almost makes me wish there were more of the story to be had.  Almost.

"It was one of the reasons she was drawn to history in school:  there was such romance in listening to voices of the past."

I highly recommend Monstrous Beauty for anyone looking for a darker fairy tale, one riddled with secrets and ghosts and very dark deeds.  Or if you’re simply looking for a mermaid tale that doesn’t read like a Disney cartoon, this book might just be what you’re searching for.  And if you’d like to take a peak at the author’s writing and the world she has created, you can check out her short story, Men Who Wish to Drown, set in the same world as Monstrous Beauty.

Rating: 

Read More

Labels: beautiful covers, elizabeth fama, macmillan, mermaids, monstrous beauty, reviews

Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title:  Of Poseidon
Author:  Anna Banks
Series:  1st book in the Of Poseidon series
Publisher:  Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date:  May 22, 2012
Source:  ARC

Galen, a Syrena prince, searches land for a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. It’s while Emma is on vacation at the beach that she meets Galen. Although their connection is immediate and powerful, Galen's not fully convinced that Emma's the one he's been looking for. That is, until a deadly encounter with a shark proves that Emma and her Gift may be the only thing that can save his kingdom. He needs her help--no matter what the risk.

Of Poseidon was my first mermaid book, but the merfolk have found a friend in me.  It was funny and clever and highly entertaining.  I will definitely pick up the other mermaid offerings scheduled for release this year because of it.

By the second page of this novel, I already knew I was going to love the sarcastic, snarky voice of the main character Emma.  However, each chapter alternated between Emma’s present-tense, first person point-of-view and a third person point-of-view with Galen’s perspective.  Each POV has its perks, but you can deduce more of the story from Galen’s vantage point.  Admittedly, this did lead to my own theories as to Emma’s origins, and it became a tad predictable from there.

I enjoyed how strong the female characters in this novel were.  Emma may become a pile of goo whenever Galen is near her, but when her safety is compromised and he gets a little controlling, she lets him know in no uncertain terms that she doesn’t take orders from him.  And Galen’s twin sister Rayna has all but taken a vow of celibacy to avoid a forced marriage to Toraf, her brother’s best friend and her would-be mate.  Of course, that all changes later in the book, but it was nice to see the girls taking charge of themselves and their relationships in the beginning, at least.

I do wish more of the world of the Syrena had been explored, but I realize that the focus of this first novel is getting Emma to acknowledge her gift and everything that entails.  The story developed rather quickly after that initial encounter between Emma and Galen, and even with the somewhat predictable nature of the story arc, there was never  a dull moment.

If you’re a fan of mermaids, snark, and/or romances with a twist, I’d recommend Of Poseidon.  It was a light, fun read and it helped me break out of my reading slump.  Of Poseidon was an engaging debut and I can’t wait to read what happens next!


Here are a couple of quotes I found humorous and snarky:

"It's almost as frustrating as Galen's game of hot and cold.  Thing is, I'm not sure it's a game.  From his expression, there's out-and-out war going on behind the scenes.  He leans in, pulls away.  Leans in, pulls away.  It's like a battle between good and evil.  I'm just not sure which one he thinks kissing me is." -- p. 183 of ARC

"So it's a good thing I'm being proactive about my own recovery by going on a date, even if it is a rebound -- and even if I'm rebounding from a relationship that didn't actually exist.  My feelings were real.  That's all that matters, isn't it?  There's no stipulation in the broken-heart rule book that states the relationship had to actually be authentic, right?  Sure, I'm gray-shading the line that separates stable and crazy, but the point is, there is a line.  And I haven't completely crossed over to lunatic." -- p. 284 of ARC

Rating: 

Book-A-Likes:  mermaid books releasing this year - Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown, The Vicious Deep by Zoraida Córdova, Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Read More

Labels: anna banks, dac 2012, macmillan, mermaids, of poseidon, reviews

Teaser Tuesday #6

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


This week's teaser comes from the following book:


Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title:  Of Poseidon

Author:  Anna Banks

Series:  1st book in the Of Poseidon series
Publisher:  Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date:  May 22, 2012
Source:  ARC



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.

My teaser:

"I've outstayed my welcome here.  I will never be invited back.  My chances with Galen ended when I tackled his sister.  And when I punched her.  And just now, when I kick her so hard she dry heaves." -- p. 101 of ARC

Whoa!  This sounds promising!  I was looking for a romantical teaser when I stumbled across this gem, and it sounded like way more fun.  Can't wait to see what this is the result of!

What are you reading this week?  Share the link to your teaser in the comments!

Read More

Labels: anna banks, dac 2012, macmillan, mermaids, of poseidon, teaser tuesday

Waiting on Wednesday: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title:  Of Poseidon

Author:  Anna Banks

Series:  unknown at this time

Publisher:  Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan

Publication Date:  May 22, 2012

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.

Why I'm waiting:  Just as vampires and werewolves before them, mermaids -- or maybe I should say sea creatures, in general, just to be politically correct -- are the new trend in YA literature this year.  In addition to Of Poseidon, I'm also looking forward to Lies Beneath and Monstrous Beauty, both due out later this year.

I've been a fan of mermaids ever since the first time I saw Disney's The Little Mermaid.  Well, probably even before that, but that movie solidified my love for all things "under the sea".  Heh.  But in all seriousness, this particular mer tale boasts some serious potential and has already garnered some spectacular reviews.  I can't wait to dive in!  Okay, okay...I'll stop.  I just had to get that last one in.  :D

What book are you anxiously awaiting this week?

Read More

Labels: anna banks, beautiful covers, dac 2012, macmillan, mermaids, of poseidon, waiting on wednesday (wow)