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-Sirenita The Selkie

Barbie In A Mermaid Tale, A Story Book by Mary Man-Kong

Book Type: Picture Book/ Children's Literature
Author: Mary Man-Kong
Pages: 16

Summary(amazon.com):

Barbie goes on a magical mermaid adventure in her latest direct-to-DVD movie:Barbie™ in A Mermaid Tale™! Young girls will love this beautiful fullcolor Pictureback storybook with stickers!

My Review:
What I love about Barbie In A Mermaid Tale is that there are so many books coming out based on both movies! However, I did find some minor flaws with this particular book. One thing I have noticed is that sometimes Merliah is shown with tattoos, and sometimes she is not. I don't really understand why this happens. I have also noticed is that Merliah is pictured way skinnier than the movies, and I don't believe this promotes a positive image for young girls. I also thought that the part where Break, Merliah's grandfather, tells her about how she came to him should have been kept in. This was actually one of my favorite parts of the movie, but sadly, it was cut out of the book. I also wish Snouts the sea lion was mentioned! He's adorable! As far as the actual literature, it wasn't too juvenile. For all the artists out there, the images provide beautiful inspiration! They are so vibrant and colorful, just like the movie. However, I do think there are better books based off of this movie, which I will list in a later post. Overall, I give this book (****) 4 stars.
- Sirenita The Selkie

Mermaids by Elizabeth Ratisseau

Book Type: Collection Of Classics
Author: Elizabeth Rattiseau
Pages: 56

Summary(amazon.com):
Our volume is a compilation of succinct and insightful extracts from the literature of mermaids, and also some of our favorite images of mermaids. The pictures are by a variety of painters (including Waterhouse, Bocklin, and Burne-Jones) and book illustrators

My Review:
This is a beautiful collection of mermaid poetry, literature and art. This book features the history and symbolism of a mermaid, and even Henry Hudson's account of seeing a mermaid on one of his voyages, which I found to be pretty cool. The account is translated into more modern day language, which will help the reader understand what Hudson saw. There is also various forms of art, mostly classic paintings that I have seen before, and it also has some classic literature as well. If you are interested in this book, I have reviewed two other books similar to this one:

Mermaids: Sirens Of The Sea by Kerry Colburn

Mermaids: An Anthology by Steve Dobell

This is a cute little treasure that is perfect for any mermaid collection, so go check this one out! I give this book (****) 4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

The Little Mermaid by Robyn Bryant

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Robyn Bryant
Pages: 29

Summary:
An adaptation of the classic tale, "The Little Mermaid".

My Review:
While shopping for mermaid books (as I usually do when I have free time) I came across this gem. Sadly though, this gem is a bit less shiny and polished than I expected. First off, I would just like to say, this book is pretty small, maybe a little bit bigger than a Galaxy phone. This kind of disappointed me; I wanted something a lot bigger! What I always find most important in any children's literature is the images that steal our hearts and our attention, and this book definitely scored an A. I love the graceful mermaid tails and the scales, even though its a pet peeve of mine when a mermaid somehow has a tail that extends over her chest... to me, its just weird. The illustrations are vibrant and catchy. I did however, find some plot flaws that made me go, "Huh?" First off, Bryant introduces us to Coraline, who is the Little Mermaid. Where did she get this name from? It's very random, and I wish she just stuck with the Little Mermaid like many versions of Anderson's tale. She is not supposed to have a name, and the name choice is just too human. Almost every single female character in this book looks the same, and this did not add any dimension to the story. Also, I found it to be extremely out there that when Coraline turns into a human, she is wearing a dress made of scales? That is just too weird.  The actual literature is not cheesy or juvenile, and the author put her own spin on some minor parts in the plot, which I enjoyed. Sadly, there was not anything super special or interesting about this version, except the artwork. Check out some other cooler versions on my blog, if you love The Little Mermaid. I give this book (***) 3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie

Sailor Twain or The Mermaid In The Hudson by Mark Siegel

Book Type: Graphic Novel

Author: Mark Siegel

Pages: 400

Summary(amazon.com):

One hundred years ago. On the foggy Hudson River, a riverboat captain rescues an injured mermaid from the waters of the busiest port in the United States. A wildly popular—and notoriously reclusive—author makes a public debut. A French nobleman seeks a remedy for a curse. As three lives twine together and race to an unexpected collision, the mystery of the Mermaid of the Hudson deepens.

A mysterious and beguiling love story with elements of Poe, Twain, Hemingway, and Greek mythology, drawn in moody black-and-white charcoal, this new paperback edition of the New York Times Best-Selling graphic novel by author/illustrator Mark Siegel is a study in romance, atmosphere, and suspense. Don't miss Sailor Twain. 

My Review:

When I first found this book on Amazon, I was really excited! The plot, according to Amazon, looked interesting so I borrowed it from my local library. I was also excited because this was my first time reading a graphic novel, and it was based on mermaids! However, I was very disappointed after I finished this. 

Before I get to that, I would like to mention some of the things I did like about the book. I was really drawn in by the plot as soon as I started reading it. There was so many mysterious characters and events that I just wanted to keep reading! The images also really captivated me, and made me want to continue the book. I also really enjoyed the raunchy sailor humor, which kept my giggling. The mermaid was especially captivating and beautiful:

She was an engaging character, and I think the craftsmanship in her character, as well as her image are stunning. However, this all being said,  I had a few issues that annoyed me with this book. First off, almost every single page contained boobs, breasts and sex... I really would not recommend this book to anyone under eighteen years old; its very sexual and contains a lot of pornographic images that I found to be a bit too much, and I personally found that it ruined what could have been a great plot. Although I was drawn to the plot in the beginning, I got lost towards the middle and end, and it just got too weird and confusing. Overall, I just was not impressed, and if there is a better graphic novel on mermaids, I will try to find it. I give this book (***) 3 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

Barbie: A Mermaid's Tale Junior Novelization by Shannon Penney

Book Type: Children's Literature
Author: Shannon Penney
Pages: 96

Summary(amazon.com):
Barbie is back in a brand new underwater adventure!

In the newest Barbie movie, Barbie plays Merliah, a popular surfing sensation . But everything changes when her hair starts turning pink and she can suddenly breathe underwater. Then she meets a dolphin named Zuma who reveals that Merliah is actually a mermaid princess. Merliah's mother, Queen Calissa, has been imprisoned by her evil sister Eris and the mermaid kingdom of Oceana is in trouble. Merliah will need the help of her above water friends and her new underwater friends to save Oceana! But first she'll have to learn what makes her different might be her greatest strength!

My Review:
Barbie is a girl everyone can relate to, and I truly believe there is a Barbie movie out there for every girl! What I loved about this book was that even though it is meant for kids learning to read chapter books, it didn't come off as super juvenile. It was actually written very well! I also loved that the book was perfectly based off the movie, and the author even kept some of the original quotes, and every last detail from the movie was incorporated. The pictures were also beautiful and matched the vibrancy of the movie. Something that kind of annoyed me was the enlarged text, which older mergirls might find annoying. What also annoyed me was the fact that Merliah's friend Fallon is supposed to be African American, however, her skin is noticeably lighter. Just keep the characters the way they are! Ugh! I really do recommend reading this if you loved the movie. I give this book (****) 4 stars. 
-Sirenita The Selkie
PS: Here is a review of the movie! Click HERE

Tempest Trilogy by Tracey Deebs

Book Type: Novels/Series
Author: Tracey Deebs
Pages: book 1): 368   book 2) 416


Summary of first book(goodreads.com):
Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

My Review:
 Book 1) 
When I first began this series, I was skeptical. The beginning didn't seem very mermaid-ish, and it was a bit slow. That all changed when Tempest begins changing into a mermaid on her seventeenth birthday along with getting new mermaid tattoos and superpowers. This is when the story really picked up.

 The first book was full of twists, and romance as well. I think girls of all ages will appreciate Kona, who is a selkie that is very attracted to Tempest. The romance between the couple is beautiful and heartbreaking at times. I think the only thing that annoyed me with Tempest is that she knows what she wants deep down in her mermaid self, but she refuses to accept her gift, and the cute guy that chases her!




Book 2) 
The second book disappointed me. 


Tempest... Please make up your mind!
Tempest continues to prove that she is a character that still does not know what she wants. The second book starts off with her visiting her family, but then she sees Mark, and well, I wont ruin what happens.  

What  annoyed me is how could she be so focused on which guy she wants, when there is an evil sea witch out to get her and take over the world? The second book really seemed to focus on which guy she is willing to choose, but not the bigger issues, such as people dying at the hands of Tiamat, the crazy witch after Tempest. 

Still Love Her Bravery:
Even though there were a lot of things that bothered me about the second book, I have to say she is very brave and definitely comes off as the female-warrior type. I also enjoyed the scattering of dramatic scenes. They were very realistic. I know that there is a third book, but it has been hard to get from my local library, but I will update this as soon as I get the next book! So far, I give this series (***-****) 3-4 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie


Book 3) 


Well, this last book really was a disappointing end to the series.
First, I noticed the cover. Why does Tempest look so young? The girl on this cover  looks nothing like the first two. Other goodreads.com users complained of this as well. 

Here Is What I Loved:
There is minimal recap in this third book, and wastes no time in getting into the action sequences. Tempest's powers are so awesome! I wish I had cool zappy-electric powers like her :)

Tempest Still Has Not Matured:
What annoys me the most is Tempest still shows no sign of maturity throughout the series. She's very, and I mean, VERY stubborn and has way too much pride. Sometimes even the hero can accept help!

Without revealing too much, I found it overly dramatic that she severs all ties to land in order to keep people safe from Tiamat. If Tiamat wants to kill them Tempest, she will, with or without you on land!

Speaking of Tiamat: Highlight for spoiler:
Her death was very anti-climatic! Deebs spent three books making this mer-monster out to be the most dangerous being in the world, but she dies within 5 minutes of fighting? Really??

Lastly, this part of the story annoyed me so much that I had to tell my Merfolk readers about it (again, highlight for spoiler):
Kona marries Mahina.
Yes, I am just as heartbroken about this as you are. It literally came out of nowhere, with no mention of feelings for each other at all. I feel like this part was rushed and I was left unsatisfied. 

Sadly, I don't feel that this series is worth investing time in. The characters don't mature, and the main character is very annoyingly childish, and doesn't really have her priorities straight. I give this series (***) 3 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie