Surfacing by Shana Norris

Surfacing by Shana Norris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary: (goodreads) 
Sixteen-year-old Mara Westray has just lost her mother, and now, being shipped off to live with the father she doesn’t know is not how she imagined grieving. She’s already counting down the days until she turns eighteen and can leave the tiny island of Swans Landing.

But from the moment she steps off the ferry, nothing is as ordinary as it looks. Whispers of a haunting song on the wind make her see impossible things, and she isn’t sure she can trust her judgment about what is real and what isn’t anymore. Maybe she can’t even trust her judgment about quiet Josh Canavan, whose way of speaking in riddles and half-truths only confuses her more, luring her deeper into the secrets hidden beneath the ocean’s surface.

As she tries to unravel the events that led to her mom fleeing the island sixteen years ago, Mara finds that the biggest secret of all is only the beginning.

Surfacing is the first book in the Swans Landing series.

Usually, I am not one for "mermaid" tales. I don't like swimming in the ocean for some reason, so the thought of turning into something sea-bound frightens me. So I was reluctant to read this, but I was pleasantly surprised.

For me, I just don't understand how, as is most of these paranormal books, no one tells the protagonist about his/her other persona/gifts/abilities. Like they aren't going to figure it out? They live between 2 forms of water... What are the odds that she (Mara) won't end up in shock from the transformation? But of course, she ends up putting clues together, and yup... realizes for herself.

That being said, I still enjoyed this book for the most part. A lot of things fell into place for me early on so when the big reveals came at the end, I expected most of them. The world building was great and so was the writing. You could feel the tension between the humans and the "fin folk".

I read this book via audiobook and audible. The Amanda Ronconi did a great job with the male and female voices adding to the depth of the book. Listening to books is the second best way to read if it is narrated by a good voice. This one didn't disappoint.

The second book Submerging, is on audio now and I will probably be listening to that one as well. I have to see where all these great characters end up!

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What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick

What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Summary:  From the acclaimed author of My Life Next Door comes a swoony summertime romance full of expectation and regret, humor and hard questions.

Gwen Castle has never so badly wanted to say good-bye to her island home till now: the summer her Biggest Mistake Ever, Cassidy Somers, takes a job there as the local yard boy. He's a rich kid from across the bridge in Stony Bay, and she hails from a family of fishermen and housecleaners who keep the island's summer people happy. Gwen worries a life of cleaning houses will be her fate too, but just when it looks like she'll never escape her past—or the island—Gwen's dad gives her some shocking advice. Sparks fly and secret histories unspool as Gwen spends a gorgeous, restless summer struggling to resolve what she thought was true—about the place she lives, the people she loves, and even herself—with what really is.

A magnetic, push-you-pull-me romance with depth, this is for fans of Sarah Dessen, Jenny Han, and Deb Caletti.

I was a bit disappointed by this read. Other books by Huntley Fitzpatrick have been so much more than the drama of "sleeping around". This one, I'm afraid, was just that. I got so freaking tired of the vague hints of what horrible thing Cass did to Gwen! I came so close to just chucking the whole thing because by the time I was 1/2 through the book, there still was no answer. I felt I had somehow missed it somewhere. So frustrating!
Gwen had several flaws, like most of us. She seemed to give in to the what the crowd thought of her, living up to her reputation. I think a lot of young teens can relate to this situation. Doing whatever it takes to get noticed and hopefully accepted by the in-crowd. I realize Gwen was just trying to do better than her parents and with her father pressuring her to do so didn't help. I got very frustrated with her, but she seemed to redeem herself with how she ended up making good choices.
Cass.. Oh Cass... I wanted him to just MOVE ON! Gwen didn't deserve him after what she did to him. He let her treat him poorly, he didn't stand up to tell her what really happened, didn't even offer any kind of explanation. So even though she did the worst thing possible, he still pursued her.
This book covers some real issues, but I don't think they were made as important as they truly are. I found this read a very difficult one to get through.


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Guess who's back?

Yes... along with Han Solo, I am back and I am on track!!  After a mess of being on wordpress (cringe) I am back at what I know as blogspot.  Unless I take on classes of somekind, I will NOT go back there again! I just couldn't get my blog looking or acting like I wanted it too and therefore ended up not wanting to blog so much. NOT what I was trying to accomplish... sooooooo

Here we are back to ground zero.  Please bear with me while I get things going again. I am trying to find the new comfort zone of my blogging and where I want it to go.  If you have any ideas or things you would like to see, throw them my way!!  I have felt a little lost without my blog so here I go again to try and get it up to something fun!
Like this vine!  I. Loved. It!  I have found vines and enjoy the fun 7 seconds of entertainment they bring to my crazy brain.  What do you think?    Please comment or send me a message on your thoughts and ideas!

Thanks!