Review: The Summer of Chasing Mermaids

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids
Author: Sarah Ockler
Published: June 2nd, 2015
Hardcover, 403 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d'Abreau was destined for stardom - until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can't sing. She can't even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend's invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse's home in the Caribbean isn't: an ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people to polite to pry - except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy - insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He's also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn't treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother, Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove's high stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn't the only thing making waves, though - swept up in Christian's seductive tide and entranced by the Cove's charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn't what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who's best known for breaking them...

This is the kind of retelling I can get behind. It is subtly a retelling of The Little Mermaid, but it never comes off in a fairy-tale sort of way and it stands on its own as a contemporary story. Elyse is one six sisters from Trinidad who was born from the sea as it took her mother from her. A freak accident years later took her talented voice from her and ruined her life. She fears the sea is trying to return to her and finish her off so she takes a long vacation to see her aunt and cousin in Atargatis Cove in Oregon. This small town is just what she needs, no one asks her questions and they just think of her as Kirby's odd cousin. Before long she catches the attention of the Cove's coveted playboy, Christian, and he isn't afraid to ask her questions and find out all about her. Soon Elyse is caught up in Christian and falling for his charms. She agrees to be his first mate for the Pirate Regatta, the first time she will be back on the water since her accident, and the fear that comes with this and new love is strong, but Christian shows her that in order to find her voice, she must do things she's afraid of. Along with her cousin Kirby, her aunt, and Christian's hopeful little brother Sebastian, Elyse will finally take the plunge she's been dreading all her life.

I fell right into the story and didn't want to let go. I drowned in Elyse's sorrow from losing her voice and trying to move on with her life away from her twin sister and family. Having lost the only thing she thought she was good at, she hides away inside herself and just tries to survive in this new town. But Atargatis Cove is full of mermaid lore and there's too much to learn and see to keep herself away. Sebastian believes that she is the mystical mermaid come to life and Elyse plays along with him. They go on mermaid adventures as she falls for his older brother. Sebastian was my favourite character. He is so lively and unique and not afraid to be himself, even when he is told he cannot dress like a mermaid at the regatta, he will do whatever it takes to be able to look pretty that day. I love how hard everyone tried to make sure he could dress up how he wanted and would not let his spirit diminish. Christian, who started off the notorious playboy who would have anyone he wanted turned out to be very sweet and caring towards Elyse, wanting her to find herself again and willing to help in anyway needed. Their love was quick to happen, but I think everyone would fall in love with Christian that fast. The moments they shared alone on the boat were wonderfully written and I loved that he fell in love with her spirit and voice, despite not being able to talk.

So much happens over this summer and it's all so magical yet real. The surreality of the town and the mermaid legend gave this story a twist and a bit of an edge as we never knew if the ocean would catch up to Elyse. Atargatis Cove sounds mystical and alluring with its mermaid legends and Wiccan lore. Everything about the town felt magical and I loved that it played just as big a part of Elyse or Christian did in this book. The drama in Christians family was just enough to make for a suspenseful ending where the town hung on whether Christian and Elyse won the Regatta. Ockler's writing is gorgeous and lyrical, and it's amazing how well she tied in the themes throughout the book with feminism and power. There is so much diversity in this that it will stand apart from other summer reads for a long time and I can't wait to pick up another one of her books. This is the kind of book you want to read in the summer, it has substance, hope, love and a bit of magic. Now that's the kind of book I can get behind.

"Love didn't save me; it changed me. Changed me into someone who could save myself."

Review: Second Chance Summer

Second Chance Summer
Author: Morgan Matson
Published: May 8th, 2012
Paperback, 468 pages
5 Gold Stars

(summary from Goodreads)

Taylor Edwards' family might not be the closest knit - everyone is a little too busy and over-scheduled - but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor's dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains. 

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven't actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend... and he's much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they're more aware than ever that they're battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance - with family, with friends, and with love.

There's no beating around the bush on this one - it's a tearjerker. Taylor's family hasn't really been that close, but when her dad is diagnosed with cancer, suddenly everything is going to change. One last summer at the lake house will bring the family together like never before. It was an amazing summer full of family, friendship and love and I was in love every step of the way. Taylor's last time at the lake house was memorable for all the wrong reasons. She left without saying goodbye to her first "boyfriend" (they were twelve) Henry, and her best friend, Lucy. Back after so many years, she's not surprised with the hostility they both show her once they realize she's there for the summer. But this is a summer for second chances, and throughout the book, we watch Taylor redeem herself and find out how she became so good at running away. This is a typical summer book with a dash of grief mixed in. The more Taylor learns to live, the more she realizes her father won't be able to anymore. The hope and loss is strong and every chapter brought me closer to an ending I would never be prepared for.

Every character in this book was great and well-rounded. Taylor was very typical for a seventeen year old girl, she liked to run away from problems and I won't lie when I say I've done the same. Her and Henry are awkward at first, but you can tell right away that he cares about her and wants them to be friends again. Lucy is not so easily persuaded and Taylor works really hard over the summer to earn her friendship back. They work together at a concession booth on the beach and the close quarters certainly made for great tension while their friendship was on the rocks. I was very happy when they became friends again as strong female friendships are so fun to read in books. I love when an author makes it as important as the romance because a seventeen-year-old girl would tell her friends everything. I remember how important friendship was at that age, and even now I don't know what I'd do without my best friends. Taylor's family was very realistic as well. Her older brother is an awkward brainiac who also finds love over the summer and it's the cutest damn thing. Her little sister, Gelsey, is a talented ballerina who takes after her mom and is constantly the center of attention. My favourite part with her is when Lucy and Taylor teach her how to have a proper sleepover, something every little girl needs to know!

Throughout the book, there are flashbacks to Taylor's twelve summer, a time when things were easier and everything was happy. It played really well into the story and made Taylor's redemption that much stronger. The closer I got to the end, I knew the summer was coming to an end. As Taylor grew closer to Lucy and spent romantic moments with Henry, her father's death longed in the back of her mind. Matson certainly knows how to tug those heartstrings. Taylor grew closer to her family, spent time with her father and made new memories over the summer. Family is the main focus of this book and even though Taylor spent her days with her friends, the times with her family were more important than anything. Summer stories hold a certain place in my heart. They are always hopeful and fun and nights spent looking out at the lake as the sunsets is what dreams are made of. Matson has weaved together a tale of summer love, summer friendship and moments that will forever be captured in my heart. You'll want to hug your dad and your family after this book. You'll want to say "I love you" to everyone you love before it's too late. This one is a keeper, and sometimes you need a good cry, right?

"A thousand moments that I had just taken for granted - mostly because I assumed that there would be a thousand more."

"And I've realized that the Beatles got it wrong. Love isn't all we need - love is all there is."