Review: The Moon and the Tide by Derrolyn Anderson

The Moon and the Tide (Marina's Tales #2) by Derrolyn Anderson
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Just when things seem to be all figured out, Marina discovers that there's a lot more going on behind the scenes than she ever imagined. When a terrible accident exposes her secret, she discovers that her whole life has been one big lie, and has to cope with more than one kind of betrayal.

A dangerous enemy arrives on the scene, putting her bravery to the test and forcing her to use all of her new-found talents to protect her family. Will good win out over evil? Can love triumph over jealousy?

My Thoughts: This book took me a long time to work through. Considering how fast I read, that's saying a lot. I think my biggest obstacle was that I thought Marina was too mature most of the time. She had her occasional moments of teenage drama but she was so accepting and so willing to see everyone's side of the story (for the most part) that I had a hard time believing she was in high school. As a mom of an almost teenaged kid (Uggh, that hurts me to think about), I found it a bit unbelievable.

I'm torn about how I feel about both Ethan and Evie. Ethan comes across as controlling most of the time. I understand that he's concerned for Marina's safety but it was hard for me to get past the borderline control freak issues. Despite that, I still liked him. I just made crazy eyes at him when he'd throw down his puppy dog face and make Marina feel bad for needing the ocean like she does. As for Evie... wow. Once again, I get that she was trying to keep Marina safe and hidden but she's one of the most manipulative characters I've come across in a good long while. I'm not really sure why she kept her identity secret for as long as she did since knowing what they were up against could have armed both Marina and her father with knowledge if nothing else.

There were parts I genuinely enjoyed (the idea of muses and Marina's obsession with the sea) and I'm glad that Evie's role in Marina's life has finally been revealed but I wasn't fully invested in the book (as shown by how long it took me to finish it). I can't pinpoint where my disconnect comes from, I just know that I kept thinking "For the love of fancy cheeses, Marina! Get your head out of the surf and take a look at what's happening around you!" We got a few answers to some of the issues that were raised in book 1 but not a whole lot of overall arc progression until the very end.

I liked the book, I'm just not OMG!IN LOVE with it.

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Books in this series:
1. Between the Land and the Sea
2. The Moon and the Tide

More books by Derrolyn Anderson

The Moon & the Tide was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.