Review: Between the Land and the Sea (Marina's Tales #1) by Derrolyn Anderson

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Something extraordinary is lurking in the deep ocean waters off the coast of Aptos, California. In just a few weeks after moving to the small beach town, sixteen year old Marina has nearly drowned twice, enchanted the hottest guy in high school, and discovered a supernatural creature. If she can only manage to survive her increasingly dangerous encounters with unpredictable mermaids, she might just be able to unlock the mystery of her past to learn how to appease the mysterious forces that seem to want something from her...and maybe even find true love along the way.

My Thoughts:  I find it amusing that I've been sitting here with this review unwritten for a few days because I really liked this book and I have no reason to waffle over how to express that.  The story was captivating and well-written and I had a tough time putting it down long enough to do little things like make my boy dinner.  So, why, I ask, am I having such a hard time getting my thoughts in order with this one?  The answer is that there is no reason except that I'm weirdly neurotic.  True story.

What did I like about this book?  I liked that Marina was willing to embrace her differences.  She knew she was funky and a little bit off and she was okay with that.  That sort of confidence was nice to see in a YA book.  I also liked that although she tried to handle things on her own, when push came to shove she told her friends what was going on and let them help.  One of my pet peeves in books is when characters know they need to tell the truth and they don't.  Admittedly, Marina should have told her friends a few things earlier, but when they cornered her and asked she didn't hem and haw.  She told them what was going on and they found a way to work around whatever problem they were dealing with.  I liked how Marina was drawn to the ocean and Lorelei.  I liked how she and Ethan had a connection.  I liked the mythology of the mermaids and Marina's place in their world.

Between the Land and the Sea was a fun, interesting read that was well-written and moved quickly.  Marina and her friends have a strong bond and I'm looking forward to her adventures in book 2.

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More books by Derrolyn Anderson

Between the Land and the Sea was provided for review.