Real Mermaids series by Helene Boudreau

Book type: Novel/Series
Author: Helen Boudreau
Pages:  Book 1)224  Book 2) 231  Book 3) 240  Book 4) 215

Summary( http://www.heleneboudreau.com/?page_id=84):

Freak of nature takes on a whole new meaning…

If she hadn’t been so clueless, she might have seen it coming. But really, who expects to get into a relaxing bathtub after a stressful day of shopping for tankinis and come out with scales and a tail?

Most. Embarrassing. Moment. Ever.

Jade soon discovers she inherited her mermaid tendencies from her mom. But if Mom was a mermaid, how did she drown?

Jade is determined to find out. So how does a plus-size, aqua-phobic mer-girl go about doing that exactly? And how will Jade ever be able to explain her secret to her best friend, Cori, and to her crush, Luke? This summer is about to get a lot more interesting…

My Review:

Introduction:

What I Liked: When I first dived into the pages of this series, I laughed at the quirkiness of the main character Jade and the situations she is pushed into. Her first period experience in fact, was quite hilarious. What I also enjoyed was the way Jade tries to figure out how boys work! Every girl has gone through this stage at some point, which I think many readers can enjoy. 

As the series progressed, I found it to be relatable to my own life, and my own yucky high school experiences. The situations Jade had to go through reminded me so much of my own. For example, not wanting to be anywhere near the gym, school locker issues, not wanting to be near the water fountain, and having a locker next to, or sharing it with your best friend.

What I also loved about the series was how it challenges issues that high school girls commonly face, such as dating for the first time, popular girl drama, school bullies as well as weight and self-image issues. Jade is often described as plus sized, curvy and plump. As a selkie, I totally know what its like to have a little extra around the hips, but Jade and I make it work! 



A Little Boring: What I Didn't Like: 
The individual plots of each book were a little boring, and I missed some excitement that other mermaid books have. 

I don't think the merfolk stand out compared to the humans. They don't act any different from humans except the fact that they have a tail, and I wish Boudreau made them well, more mermaidy! I don't really see the books connecting as a series either. Nothing really interesting happens from book to book, and there seems to be smaller plots in each one, instead of a cohesive series plot. 

This series was cute, but the plot can be a little boring at times. I give this series (***-****) between 3 and 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie