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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