Description: Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.
~From Goodreads.com
Review: If you are looking for a good summer read that involves mermaids and fantasy, definitely read this book. As with some good books, the beginning is a bit slow, mostly because the author establishes a lot of the description. Once that part is through though, you will not be able to put this book down. I bought this book at Barnes & Noble at the beginning of the summer because I wanted a new mermaid book to read, and the cover art captured my eye. The saying is "Don't judge a book by its cover," but so many people do. I'll read a book even if the cover does not appeal to me(and sometimes even if the cover is amazing, the book may not be), but this one fit my expectations. I liked that I could immediately tell it was about mermaids, and the description on the back made me decide to purchase this book.
The use of dialogue in this book is good, and when they are underwater, they speak telepathically to each other. One problem I did have with the writing is that there is a lot of colloquialism, and there are a few slang words used that I did not understand(as they are surfers, and I definitely am not). A lor of the characters have odd or unique names, which makes it interesting, but sometimes hard to remember which is which. I do like how the evil creatures' names are meaningful(in mythology), and how the main characters' names relate to the characters themselves.
Sometimes I did get frustrated with Tempest, the main character. She is just turning seventeen, and still trying to figure out the mermaid conflict, but she does not confide in her best friend or boyfriend, which makes for a lot of lies to be told. This is frustrating to the reader because it makes Tempest seem immature; if they really loved her and cared for her, they would definitely believe her and understand. One thing I don't really care for about most YA novels is that usually the girl has to choose between two guys, one she's loved for a long time and one she's just met. This annoys me because 1) when does it ever happen in real life?(this will frustrate younger girls who are just starting to date, or even like boys) and 2) since it doesn't often happen in real life, not many people will be able to understand her situation as well. I got frustrated with Tempest quite a bit because her feelings would bounce back and forth between the two guys, and I feel that if she was meant to be with the first one, she would not have fallen for the second.
Overall, I really loved this book. It did not take long to read because I simply did not want to put it down and stop reading. The ending is somewhat satisfactory, but I had hoped there would have been more conflict with the evil sea characters. There is a sequel, titled Tempest Unleashed, and I do plan to read it when I can get it either at the library or bookstore.
Summary: A secret government unit is formed under the oversight of Adam Harrison, famed paranormal investigator. The six members he's gathered know a little of the otherworldly--each has honed a psychic talent of their own. Jackson Crow, part English, part Cheyenne, heads the group. Haunted by his experience with an ancestral ghost who saved his life as a child, and the recent murders of two previous teammates, Jackson can't tell if Adam's demoted him or given him an extraordinary opportunity. Despite his link to the realm of spirits, he's well aware that the living commit the most heinous crimes, with spiritualist charlatans existing merely to fool and seduce the unwary.
To counterbalance Jackson's careful skepticism, Adam Harrison has paired him with Angela Hawkins, a young woman who learned the painful lesson of loss at an early age. A police officer utilizing her paranormal intuition in Virginia, she already has her hands full. But Adam's call to New Orleans is strong.
The case: In a historic mansion in New Orleans's French Quarter, a senator's wife falls to her death from a balcony. Most think she jumped, distraught over the loss of her young son. Some say she was pushed. And yet others believe she was beckoned by the ghostly spirits that inhabit the house--once the site of a serial killer's grisly work.
Whether supernatural or all too human, crimes of passion, greed and desire will cast the pair into danger of losing their lives...and their immortal souls.
-Summary from Goodreads.com
Review: I really liked this book. Each book I read by Heather Graham just make me like her more and more. I love how she intertwines history, the paranormal, crime/murder, and romance in one book. Each character is developed nicely, and you can feel a connection with them, even if they are completely different than you.
As each Graham book that I have read so far, the ending holds a twist that will shock you. Learning the clues throughout the book are interesting, and they helped me try to figure out who had really killed Regina Holloway. I love crime books and trying to predict the ending before I finish, but with Heather Graham's books, I always only get a fraction(if that!) correctly, and I love the suprise effect when I do finally read the conclusion.
In addition, if you are picky about a writer's style and such like me, you will appreciate Graham's writing. I appreciate her writing, and it's all put together very well. The words flow nicely and it's enjoyable to read, but still intelligent and not "dumbed down." I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on the next of the Krewe of Hunters series! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes paranormal/supernatural and/or murder mysteries.
