Siren Series By Tricia Rayburn

Book Type: Novel/Series
Author: Tricia Rayburn
Pages: Book 1) 344

Summary of first book(goodreads.com):
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 Winter Harbor, Maine, and her lifeless body washes up on shore the next day. 

Vanessa's parents want to work through the tragedy by returning to their everyday lives back in Boston, but Vanessa can't help feeling that her sister's death was more than an accident.  After discovering that Justine never applied to colleges, and that she was secretly in a relationship with longtime family friend Caleb Carmichael, Vanessa returns to Winter Harbor to seek some answers.

But when Vanessa learns that Caleb has been missing since Justine's death, she and Caleb's older brother, Simon, join forces to try to find him, and in the process, their childhood friendship blossoms into something more.  
Soon it's not just Vanessa who is afraid.  All of Winter Harbor is abuzz with anxiety when another body washes ashore, and panic sets in when the small town becomes home to a string of fatal, water-related accidents . . . in which all the victims are found grinning from ear to ear.  

As Vanessa and Simon probe further into the connections between Justine's death and the sudden rash of creepy drownings, Vanessa uncovers a secret that threatens her new romance, and that will change her life forever.

My Review:
This book had a lot of potential, but sadly, it missed the mark for me. The first problem I had with this book is the way events are written. At the beginning of the book, I had to keep re-reading sections because I didnt understand what was happening. For example, Justine's death was written strangely, and she isn't pronounced dead right away. It's too wordy.

There also isn't a clear description of Vanessa. Beside the fact that she has blonde hair and major anxiety issues, I'm not sure what else there is to say. Is she tall or short? What about her eyes? Is her smile pretty? Is she petite or curvy? 

Vanessa also has problems sorting out her feelings. While it's clear that she feels something for Simon, she also leads him on. I hope the next two books in the series are better and full of more siren details!

I give this book (**) 2 stars.

-Sirenita The Selkie

Siren's Storm Series by Lisa Papademetriou

Book Type: Novel
Author: Lisa Papademetriou
Pages: First book: 288

Summary(goodreads.com):
Nothing has been the same for Will ever since what happened last summer. One day, on an ordinary sailing trip with his brother, there is a strange accident. When Will wakes up, he learns his brother has disappeared, presumed drowned. Worst of all, Will can't remember what happened—his family finds him unconscious, with no memory of the accident.
Now Will and his best friend and neighbor, Gretchen, are starting a new summer. Gretchen seems troubled—her sleepwalking habit is getting worse, and she keeps waking up closer and closer to the water. 
Will is drawn to Asia, the exotic new girl in town. Nobody knows where she's from—all Will knows is that her beauty and her mesmerizing voice have a powerful effect on people. Then there is another mysterious drowning, and Will and Gretchen begin to wonder: Is Asia just another beautiful, wealthy summer resident? Or is she something entirely more sinister . . . and inhuman?

My Review:
Have you ever read a book that just gave you the creeps, but in a good way? This book totally gave me goosebumps! Sirens who visit our world are depicted as creepy and sinister, and this book had a 

psychological thriller tone throughout the entire novel. Each chapter starts off with newspaper article clippings about weird events that take place around the town, such as artwork being stolen and vandalism. People are missing, secrets are hidden, and as you continue to read this book, you slowly unravel the mystery. The imagery in this book was great, and I pictured all the creepy stuff perfectly! Since this book also takes place on Long Island, where I was born and raised, I was curious to see how Papademetriou would portray Long Island teenagers. Although the female dialogue was perfect and includes all the "likes" that Long Island girls say, the male dialogue was a little too surfer-dude-ish. However, I did have some problems with the first book. The reader will instantly pick up that Asia is a siren (seriously guys, I can't even say spoiler alert). There was also quite a bit of violence that readers might not be comfortable with.

I also have to say, that one thing REALLY made me mad and just seemed so unrealistic. It is a spoiler, so to view it, highlight the following:

Guersney the dog is killed by a siren by a swift blow to the head, and the dog is left their bleeding to death. It struck me as utterly ridiculous that this happened. When Will and Gretchen are running away, why didn't they bring the dog with them? Who leaves their animal to a bunch of demons? I just found it unrealistic that anyone who cares about their pet that much would leave them to die. Actually I preferred Angus to die. He is such a shallow and annoying character, and he is so nosey it's unbearable!
The second book kind of made me get this face:



I felt like after the first book, Will all of a sudden gets feelings for Gretchen, and there was no progression in their relationship. He's also a bit of a creep for a boyfriend. He would sit and look out the window waiting until she came home late at night... watch out Gretchen, the guy is a total weirdo! These two have such a weird relationship. One minute, they're lovey dovey, then the next minute they act like best friends and then go back to holding hands. It's so wishy washy.
Although I did love the main theme of the book, which is nothing on the planet is permanent, and that there are constant changes we need to adapt to, such as death, the second book was a bit... anti-climatic. I loved the drama and suspension, but it just didn't do much for me. I give this series (***) 3 stars.

Lady In The Water by M. Night Shyamalan(11)

Book Type: Children's Book
Author: M. Night Shyamalan
Pages: 64

Summary(amazon.com):
Reveals the narf, a rare sea nymph who lives beneath a swimming pool until she is seen by a person who, after that experience, will someday do something important for the world.

My Review:
"Lady In The Water: A Bedtime Story" is the book based on the 2006 film with the same title. I had seen "Lady In The Water" many times before, but the first time I watched it, I was confused with the plot. However, this book really sums up what the base of the story is without giving away any of the plot from the movie. This book is really charming, and I believe that children and adults alike can enjoy this. I must warn parents now that the movie is rated PG-13, due to some scary parts in the book. This is truly M. Night Shyamalan's best work, in my opinion. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
PS: check out my movie review here
-Sirenita The Selkie

Ripple by Mandy Hubbard(8)

Book Type: Novel
Author: Mandy Hubbard
Pages: 260

Summary(amazon.com):
Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. Each day she goes to school like a normal teenager, and each night she must swim, or the pain will be unbearable. She is a siren - a deadly mermaid destined to lure men to their watery deaths. After a terrible tragedy, Lexi shut herself off from the world, vowing to protect the ones she loves. But she soon finds herself caught between a new boy at school who may have the power to melt her icy exterior, and a handsome water spirit who says he can break Lexi's curse if she gives up everything else. Lexi is faced with the hardest decision she's ever had to make: the life she's always longed for - or the love she can't live without?

My Review:
When I first picked up Ripple from the library, I wasn't sure what it was about, only that it was listed in many mermaid book lists on goodreads, so I said why not? It is actually about a siren, a distant cousin to the mermaid, a creature with no tail but sings to unwary people with a cursed song. I knew I was going to like it as soon as I finished the first chapter. It was full of mysteries and unanswered questions that made me want to know more! At times, this book can be a bit depressing, but Hubbard crafted the storyline in such a way that the moments were beautiful and didn't drag out. What I also liked about the book is that the siren element is written throughout the plot, and the untamed, cursed element of Lexi doesn't go unnoticed. I think readers will enjoy the ending the best though! It was really shocking. I really think this is an awesome book to read for the summer if you are doing a literary challenge. I give this book (*****) 5 stars.
-Sirenita The Selkie