Reviews of Between The Land And The Sea

I don’t read much stories about Mermaids but I like how Ms. Derrolyn Anderson put a very modern twist in a very old fairytale for me that felt a touch of the little mermaid in her novel series. To be honest I’m afraid of the ocean more likely I got pure high respect for it and of course sharks! The mere thought of it makes me scream! In the beginning of her storytelling made me more at ease upon thinking that somewhere out there in the vast wide blue ocean there’s a mermaid that’s always and will be looking out for us.

This story’s about a girl named Marina I like her name though a bit cliché it goes well with the story, it’s very now..this is also where Marina will learn how to adjust with her environment, going to a real school and I’m so thrilled for her entering High school yey! Though I’m a bit sad that she was left behind by her father its still concerns about her safety and just being a normal teenager experiencing life,boys,fashion,exploring almost everything, making new friends and so on. There are tear jerking parts which I love especially at the end makes me all aww..yet puzzling for her story’s just beginning ^_^

I always start reading an indie published novel with a bit of trepidation. An independently published book can either be very good or very bad. There's rarely a happy middle. I'm pleased to report that Between the Land and the Sea falls into the it-kicked-ass category! The story is overflowing with intrigue, budding romance and paranormal goodies. Also, the characters are well-developed and engaging. And finally, who doesn't love a good mermaid story!?

My favorite part of this book would have to be the story line. The pace is great. Derrolyn Anderson reveals just enough to keep the plot interesting without giving up too much and as a result, readers are left guessing until the end. There's also a few nice side stories that run parallel to the main one and they compliment each other well. Among them are the blooming romance between the two main characters, Cruz's growing fashion career and Marina's cryptic origins. Needless to say, there's never a dull moment! Having multiple plots can sometimes be dangerous because you run the risk of the story becoming too weighed down and confusing. Rest assured that that's not the case here. Derrolyn maintains a nice balance throughout this book.

Ethan is a mega hunk! I'm ashamed to admit that I was crushing pretty hardcore on him because he's only 18. Darn these Young Adult novels for making me feel like a perv! He has that sexy, doesn't-try-too-hard, surfer look going on. Ethan's hot but doesn't really seem to know it or at least he doesn't flaunt it. Plus he's a hard worker and is taking planning for his future quite seriously which is a rare trait to find in someone so young. Okay, I need to stop swooning over this guy! Moving on... Marina's story is quite fascinating as well. I enjoyed how she slowly discovers the truth of her past by bits and pieces. I couldn't help from speculating on the possibilities. It turns out that I was right but I still appreciated the journey. The only thing about Marina's personality that irked me a bit is that she's fiercely independent. She keeps everything to herself thinking that no one will understand but when she finally reveals all her friends are super sympathetic. Surprise, surprise!

As the book drew to a close I started to get a little worried that Derrolyn was going to leave me stuck with a killer cliff hanger. I was immensely relieved when I got to the last page and that wasn't the case. There's still some questions that are left unanswered which made me crave the next installment but overall I was satisfied. Between the Land and the Sea is one of the better mermaid books on the market and if book one is anything to go by, The Moon and the Tide is looking like a sweet read!

With the exception of some goofy films here and there I haven't seen or read anything mermaid related since HC Andersen's tale of the Little Mermaid (Danish, by the way) and Disney's much more child-friendly version. Between the Land and the Sea was a very sweet return to the mermaid genre and works really well as a YA book about a girl who comes to face with her own identity and despite the very generic Goodreads summary, the love story in it is very sweet and believable. It's not all sticky sweetness though, not at all, there's both action and adventure beautifully woven into the threads as Marina steps into character.

Marina's discovery of her mermaid ancestry is quite gripping and her way of dealing with it as well as finally being in a proper school surrounded by people her age after years of travelling with her dad, was enjoyable to follow. Though a bit too easy, the friendships seem genuine and I grew to care about all the main characters.

Marina is in many ways your typical heroine; she's good and selfless, loyal and brave - sometimes to a fault. Her sidekicks Megan and Cruz are both enjoyable and though they aren't delved much further into, I came to like them. Ethan is a steaming hot hunk of *ahem*... Ethan is really nice too.The characters are a tiny bit too generic, the main ones each being amazing in his or her field of interest, but overall the story and their places in it works out very well.

The take on the mermaids was great. I loved how feral they were, so untouched by the oblivious humans, albeit some of them might feel the lure of a mortal life with all its ups and downs.

All in all, as the plot graph below also shows the story had me hooked all the way through and it was a quick but very enjoyable read. I don't think mermaids will become the new vampire black, but so much the better. The ending was predictably sweet and very much left me wanting to read on.

Marina is not at all happy about her father deciding to leave her behind in Aptos to live with her aunt, Abby, and cousin Cruz, while he works in Afghanistan. Not until she actually arrives and her life begins to change, that is. Of course she has all the typical issues of your average high school student to deal with--being new in school and not being part of the “right” crowd. However, Marina also has a few bonuses thanks to her rich Aunt Evie. Soon after moving, Marina finds herself drawn to the ocean and the mermaid who seems to know something about Marina that no one had previously mentioned.

I found this to be a wonderful coming-of-age type of story. The characters are vibrant and come alive. Over the course of this story, Marina learns about who she really is, plus the story has adventure, romance, and suspense built into it. I enjoyed the read and stayed up later than intended on more than one occasion just so I could read one more chapter.

I enjoyed Between the Land and the Sea so much I started the next book, The Moon and the Tide, the same day I finished it.

A book about a half mermaid, half human teenage girl with a difficult choice to make.

What I liked:
Both the male and female leads were sensible characters and it was like a breath of fresh air.
The humor in the story, mostly because of Cruz and Megan made the story more fun.

What I didn’t like::
The same ol’ trope about the hottest guy in the school falling for the new girl has been done too many times.

If you want to read a sweet, funny YA book without love triangles (or vampires), check this one out.

This was an interesting twist on The Little Mermaid story. Marina did not know she was half mermaid and did not even know how to swim until her father sent her to live in a beach town with her aunt and cousin. She ended up loving it there, despite her initial misgivings. She met new friends, learned how to swim and surf, discovered her heritage, and met the boy of her dreams. There were some bumps and scares along the way, but she dealt with them well and courageously. I liked the ending, but not the epilogue. It suggests a sequel. In my opinion, this book does not need it. The epilogue was confusing because it was supposedly an excerpt from the next book. We did not have enough background to understand exactly why it was in there - it seemed to start in a strange place, especially considering the ending we had just read. I am not sure why it was called an epilogue instead of just a teaser for the sequel.

I like the originality of the author's presentation of this story. There have been so many other renditions of The Little Mermaid that it could seem boring. But, this was a fresh new perspective. It was almost a backwards Little Mermaid. I enjoyed reading it. However, there are a number of suggestive innuendos, a bit of swearing, and some intense moments.

Maybe more like 3.5 stars. Free author copy provided thru book groups via goodreads. Review also posted on goodreads and amazon.

things I liked
that she wasn't the awkward outcast who didn't think much of herself, she liked who she was even if she didn't necessarily have a large group of friends.

Ethan was a good strong character [and the experiences the author gave him surfing made the reason he believed her story a bit more understanding, otherwise it'd be like really? why the f does he believe that? ]

Cruz was great and so was Megan as side characters. I liked that she made Cruz's outward appearance not match his personality at all, i dunno why i like that but i do

things that I didn't like
The writing style, I don't know what it is about it....but it didn't absorb me into the story. I wasn't on the edge of my seat or totally entranced. I could stop and take breaks from reading and was totally fine with it.

overall
The story is good and wraps up nicely. There is only one real loose end that I saw and she probably left it loose just so that there could be other books, but I don't see the need for other books. This was a perfectly nice story and I enjoyed it. It doesn't, however, lead me into really caring about the next book. I'm sure the next story will also be perfectly nice, I may or may not read it.

Between the Land and the Sea is a tale of Marina's struggle to find the truth about her mother. Her father sends her away to her birthplace, Aptos, where she reconnects with family and makes new friends.

Marina's change in attitude throughout the story came as a surprise. In the beginning she acted like the whiny, spoiled brat she claims she doesn't want to be. Once she settles down and gets comfortable in Aptos her fierce, protective, and selfless side comes out. Despite her fears, Marina navigated through high school like a pro, putting the bullies in their place and sticking with the outcasts.

The mermaids were kind of scarce in the story. They weren't right at the forefront but always talked about, being the center of Marina, Ethan, Cruz and Megan's speculation.

Between the Land and the Sea is a story for readers who love mermaid folklore and characters who understand the value of love and friendship.

*ebook provided by author through Shut Up & Read's Read It & Reap review program.

I have yet to read a mermaid book that I don’t like, and that remains true after reading Between the Land and the Sea by Derrolyn Anderson.

Marina has never really gone to school, growing up with tutors and home-schooling, traveling with her scientist father. She’s liked it that way. It gives her time for her art and to grow closer with her “aunt” Evie, fashionista extraordinaire. But her father has decided that while he must go on yet another trip, it will be safer for Marina– and better for her, if she goes to live with her Aunt Abby and cousin Cruz in Aptos, California and attends high school.

The beginning of this book moved pretty slowly, so it took me some time to get into it, but once things got moving, I was sucked in. Marina was developing relationships with those that she’s growing to love on land, like her family and the adorable Ethan. But once discovering that there’s a mermaid– maybe even mermaids– that only she can communicate with in the nearby waters, she didn’t seem to be able to stay away.

I always enjoy seeing how authors interpret mermaids to suit their novels, and I loved how Anderson describes the child-like brand of mermaids that Marina encounters. I particularly loved how Marina’s brain– sometimes scientifically wired, thanks to her father– tries to figure out exactly how mermaids would be biologically classified.

It seemed at times that this was a bit more plot-driven than character-driven, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. On the contrary, this was a fun read and (if you’ll pardon the pun) I look forward to splashing into the sequel.

Overall rating: 3/5. Delightful and fun. If you want to dive into a mermaid book for a bargain (only $0.99!), this one’s for you.

Marina has always lived a life on the road with her scientist father. When he decides she should spend her last year of high school with her aunt in "regular school", Marina is not happy. But shortly after she arrives in the pretty beach town strange things start happening. Marina almost drowns twice, and comes face-to-face with a mermaid. Maybe this year won't be so boring after all.

This is a very sweet story. There is surprisingly a lot of action, mixed in with very unique characters. Marina's cousin Cruz is definitely quirky and lovable. He is a fashion designer in training, and is delightful to meet. His exuberance and energy leap off the page and left me smiling everytime he entered the scene.

I found Marina's closed nature and difficulty in opening up to and accepting help from her family and friends very frustrating. It made sense based on her lifestyle and experiences growing up with her father, but it was still very frustrating.

I was confused about the family structures present. There were no two parent families, only single parent families, with the missing parent either dead or run off. Everyone was in this situation, and it just seemed a little extreme. I was also concerned with the cluelessness and absense of the existing parents. Marina's father was easy to accept since he was on the other side of the world, but the rest of them? You would think that all those single parents would be a little more tuned into the happenings in their children's lives.

Overall, this was sweet and unique story. The mermaids were not quite what I expected, in a good way, and the storyline itself was different and fresh. This is a story that will appeal to a variety of ages.