Review: Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks 

Pages: 342
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
#1 in Series

GOODREADS

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...

Quick Thoughts

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LOVED IT! Of Poseidon was exactly what I was looking for in an undersea mermaid adventure (even though they don't like to be called mermaids in this book, haha.) Awesome characters, and an even more awesome mythology. It's a must read for me! Mermaid fans, unite!

Review

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There was just so much that I loved about Of Poseidon that I don't know where to begin. This was a book that I picked up and started reading, and I couldn't stop once I had gotten into it. I finished it in one day--it was that freaking good.

It was told from two perspectives, that of Emma, who is a normal human girl-- or at least she thinks she is-- and Galen's POV, who is a Syrena prince... who basically hates humans. All Syrena do, which makes things a bit awkward when Emma smacks right into Galen. Except, there's something different about Emma, and instead of being repulsed by her, Galen is intrigued. Each time they touch, there's a literal spark between them, and that could only mean one thing... Could she be what he's been searching for?

The book starts out with quite a punch when, after bumping into Galen, Emma's best friend Chloe is attacked and killed by a shark. (Not a spoiler, trust me.) It also revealed something crucial about Emma and who she is, although it was pretty sad to read. I mean, her friend freaking got eaten by a freaking shark. 

I felt that Emma was extremely relatable! I loved her, because she felt like a real teenage girl to me, speaking as one myself. She was funny, and while she may not be entirely normal (normal meaning in the human kind of way) I still related to her. There was one time, though, that I was completely perplexed by what was going on. She freaked out at Galen's sister Rayna and they broke through a hurricane proof window while they were fist-fighting each other. It was a really crazy deviation from Emma's character, but I guess that was the point, right? It was to show, rather than tell, the changes that were happening to Emma. Still, that was some crazy shit.

Okay, you knew this was coming. It's time... FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT GALEN.

Holy sweet freaking hotness. Dat boy. Or should I say, dat mermaid? (Tee hee, Galen hates it when people call them mermaids.) Gosh, I never thought I'd say that a mermaid was hot, but damn Galen totally obliterated that notion. I mean, think about it, what can possibly be hot about a dude swimming around with a fish tale? When I think mermaid, I think this:

However, Galen makes it work! I think it really helps that we also see him in his sexy-fine human form a lot, so we get to know Galen as a person, not just Galen the Syrena, and the attraction transfers over. I loved the fact that there was some major sexual tension between Galen and Emma. While I was reading Galen tease Emma, even I was getting pretty hot and bothered!

I also have insane respect for Anna Banks, because she was able to take the mermaid concept and weave it into the colorful Syrena mythology that added something special to the story. As a mermaid enthusiast, I've read and seen just about everything, so I was delightfully surprised when I started Of Poseidon and I was smacked with a really unique story line. This ain't your regular The Little Mermaid schtick they're trying to sell you.

The plot was probably the only thing that I felt was lacking, because I saw the ending coming from a mile away. It's supposed to be this huge surprise, like, WHOA OMG WHAT? But, I figured it out about three-quarters of the way into it. That was a disappointment. And it's pretty obvious too. The whole book, the characters are thinking one thing, and they're so sure about it, but they never stop to consider the other possibility, which I did. And once I started thinking it over, it made so much sense to me. But, the ending is still a major cliffhanger, because you know that what happens right after it ends is so extremely pivotal to the ENTIRE FREAKING SERIES, that I could pretty much overlook the obvious plot.

I have to give an honorary mention to one of my favorite characters, Toraf, who is Galen's best friend. He was so funny! His bickering with Rayna (who is Galen's sister, if I haven't mentioned it yet) was great to read because it's that kind of relationship where you know they love each other so much, but Rayna doesn't want to admit it, so Toraf is adorable yet annoying to her, and it's just a cute arguing cycle. Haha!

Who Should Read This Book?

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Anyone who is looking for a really great romance along with a unique mermaid story. If you're one of those people, BUY THIS BOOK! 

Memorable Quotes

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“It's easy to remember, because dating rhymes with mating, and they're almost the same [...] So your mom thinks we're ma-- Uh, dating?”

* * *

Before I can pass by him, Galen grabs my wrist and pulls me to him, corralling me between his legs. Crushing his mouth to mine, he moves his hand to the small of my back and presses me into him. Since he was still shirless and I'm in my bikini, there's a lot of bare flesh touching, which is a little more intimate than I'm used to with an audience. Still, the fire sears through me, scorching a hot path to the furthest, deepest parts of me. It takes every bit of grit I have not to wrap my arms around his neck.

* * *

But everything about this kiss is wrong, wrong, wrong. If I had a brother, this is what kissing him would feel like. And then I feel something else. Hair-raising prickles all over. Like I'm about to get struck by lightning.

Then Galen--not a lighting bolt--slams into Toraf, wrenching our lips apart.

Read it for yourself!

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Buy the Book

Amazon

Kindle: $9.99

Hardcover: $11.28

Barnes and Noble

Nook: $9.99

Hardcover: $11.28

The Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide!)

Hardcover: $13.49

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About the Author

Website • Twitter • Facebook

YA writer repped by Lucy Carson of the Friedrich Agency. My debut novel, OF POSEIDON, releases May 2012/Macmillan. I believe in Sasquatch.

What Other People Say

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Bewitched Bookworms
Brooke Reports
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Review: Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

Pages: 179
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Genre: YA Sci-Fi Romance
#0.5 in Series

GOODREADS

The last thing Dawson Black expected was Bethany Williams. As a Luxen, an alien life form on Earth, human girls are…well, fun. But since the Luxen have to keep their true identities a secret, falling for one would be insane.

Dangerous. Tempting. Undeniable.

Bethany can’t deny the immediate connection between her and Dawson. And even though boys aren’t a complication she wants, she can’t stay away from him. Still, whenever they lock eyes, she’s drawn in.

Captivated. Lured. Loved.

Dawson is keeping a secret that will change her existence...and put her life in jeopardy. But even he can’t stop risking everything for one human girl. Or from a fate that is as unavoidable as love itself.

Quick Thoughts

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That is all.

Review

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I. Can't. Even. Deal. I can't. I have lost all ability to can that I ever possessed. It's fucking gone because this book is so.... GAAAAHH.

Let me just start with the best part of Shadows. And what is it? Why, none other than Dee and Daemon's other twin, DAWSON.

Ladies, did you think the sexiness stopped with Daemon? Well, I am here to set you straight. While Daemon is the physical embodiment of pure sex and the collective wet dream of every woman on earth, Dawson is the exact opposite. But, I mean that in the best, most attractive and utterly hot way possible. You see, Daemon may be the one that will make your hoo-haa go YEEHAW! with just a smoldering look, but Dawson is the one that can melt you down into a puddle of swooning, girlish delight with nothing more than a charming, genuine smile directed your way. The two of them embody the two types of guys that women love most. Daemon is the bad boy, right down to his ultra-fine core, and Dawson is the nice guy--the Prince Charming that every girl wishes she could marry at some point in her life. Polar opposites, but oh so fucking sexy in their own ways.

In Obsidian, we never got to know much about Dawson. We only knew that Dee and Daemon had another brother that died. Shadows goes back in time, showing us this brother. It's told in the perspectives of Dawson, and a human girl named Bethany (and there is one chapter in Daemon's perspective, too). In fact, Dawson and Bethany's story is quite similar to Katy and Daemon's story, in that Bethany is the new girl in town. She moved there so her mom could take care of her sick uncle. When Bethany walks into class on the first day, she sees two of the most gorgeous men she's ever come across (and who on earth could I be talking about, I wonder?). It's one of those moments of instant attraction between both Bethany and Dawson. It affected her so much that she could even tell the difference between Dawson and Daemon, even though they're completely identical!

I loved Dawson. Plain and fucking simple, I loved him. Which is why it really wasn't difficult to believe when Bethany fell for him pretty quickly, because I know for a fact that if I had been in her situation (PLEASE, IF THERE IS A HIGHER BEING OUT THERE, PLEASE PUT ME IN BETHANY'S--OR EVEN KATY'S--SITUATION! *hyperventilates* *crawls in corner and sobs over my completely normal existence*) I would've done the same thing. Dawson was sweet, and so protective of Bethany. And he's quite the charmer! But I loved reading the scenes in his perspective, because it let's us get behind that cool and suave--and sexy!--exterior and we see that Dawson is just as nervous as Bethany is! He wants her to like him so much, it makes him do some really crazy, and even dangerous things.

I liked Bethany too, but I'm going to be honest with you. I really didn't notice her much, since I was too busy inserting myself into her shoes. HA! I just imagined that it was my name Dawson was saying, and pictured myself in his arms instead of her. Kinda mean, but, let's be honest. Who wouldn't? This in no way reflects on her as a character, because when I stepped out of my personal fantasies, she was pretty awesome.

I also really loved that we got to see more of Daemon and Dee, and the other Luxen too, from an internal standpoint. We got to see them as they function 'normally', meaning totally at ease around family and not holding anything back. You get to see just how fiercely Daemon loves both Dee and Dawson, and how he'd to anything to protect them. I really loved that side of him, which is something that we don't get to see much when he's trying to charm the pants of Katy all the time.

And now... for the hardest part of this review. The ending of the book.

Wow, that ending was like a sucker punch right in the dingleberries (you know, if I were a dude, of course.) I actually started crying a bit, it was so freaking emotional. And the worst part is that you know what's going to happen, it's totally inevitable, because they're obviously not alive in Obsidian. But I just kept hoping beyond hope that they would somehow overcome it, and they would make it out alive. WHY, JENNIFER, WHY? DO YOU ENJOY MY PAIN? DO YOU?

Who Should Read This Book?

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EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT HAS EVER LIVED IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.

Memorable Quotes

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Dee’s hand fluttered around her as she spoke. “I was outside, and it looked as if a light show was going on in your bedroom. Daemon said you were probably mas—”
And Dee also knew no boundaries.
“Ah, no, please don’t finish that sentence.” He lowered his hands, eyes narrowing at his sister. “Don’t ever finish that sentence.”

* * *

“What?" he demanded.
"Did you just…clean a dish?" Dee backed away slowly, blinking. She glanced at Daemon. "The world is going to end. And I’m still a vir—"

"No!" both the brothers yelled in unison.

Daemon looked like he was actually going to vomit. "Jesus, don’t ever finish that statement. Actually, don’t ever change that. Thank you."

Her mouth dropped open. "You expect me to never have—”

"This isn’t a conversation I want to start my morning with." Dawson grabbed his book bag off the kitchen table. "I’m so leaving for school before this gets more detailed."

"And why aren’t you dressed yet?” Dee demanded, her full attention concentrated on Daemon. "You’re going to be late."

"I’m always late."

"Punctuality makes perfect.”

Read it for yourself!

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Buy the Book

Amazon

Kindle: $2.99

Paperback: $10.39

Barnes and Noble

Nook: $2.99

The Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide!)

Paperback: $9.74

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About the Author

Website • Twitter • Facebook

Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you've heard about her state aren't true. When she's not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russel Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories....which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is the author of the COVENANT Series (Spencer Hill Press), the LUX Series (Entangled Publishing), and the upcoming YA contemporary mystery/thrillers DON'T LOOK BACK (Disney/Hyperion Fall 2013) and yet untitled book (Disney/Hyperion tentative Fall 2014).

Other Books by This Author

(covers link to Amazon)