Review: Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore 

For as long as Esmerine can remember, she has longed to join her older sister, Dosinia, as a siren--the highest calling a mermaid can have. When Dosinia runs away to the mainland, Esmerine is sent to retrieve her. Using magic to transform her tail into legs, she makes her way unsteadily to the capital city. There she comes upon a friend she hasn't seen since childhood--a dashing young man named Alandare, who belongs to a winged race of people. As Esmerine and Alandare band together to search for Dosinia, they rekindle a friendship . . . and ignite the emotions for a love so great, it cannot be bound by sea, land, or air.

Review: 

Jaclyn Dolamore has a magical and captivating writing style that I adore. Ever since reading her debut, Magic Under Glass, I have been eager to see what her next project would be and Between the Sea and Sky did not disappoint. The premise of Between the Sea and Sky was one of the first things that intrigued me about this book and I can honestly say that it lived up to my expectations. This is one book that is more than deserving of it's gorgeous cover. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone!

Mermaids, winged people, and humans- oh my! The concept of Between the Sea and Sky was one of the most original and refreshing of any book released this year. Esmerine is a mermaid who has recently become a siren. She has always longed to become one with her older sister and now that dream is coming true. But nothing goes the way Esmerine expected. Dosia runs away and Esmerine must leave her watery home to find her sister and along the way she meets up with one of her best friends from childhood- Alandare. From there Esmerine's life will change in more ways than she could ever have known. 

Esmerine was a fabulously developed character and I loved everything about her. Especially her love of books. It was fascinating to see someone experiencing the joy of reading for the first time and it brought back my own memories of first beginning to read. Esmerine was adventurous and brave and she stopped at nothing to help her family. I truly admired Esmerine and even though Between the Sea and Sky was a relatively short book, I got to know all the characters very well. Esmerine's whole family played a large role in the book, particularly her older sister, Dosia. Dosia's own story was an intriguing and unexpected one and I liked getting to know her. Alandare was another fabulous character. He was a member of a winged tribe that was unlike any sort of creature I have ever read about. Alandare's character was very well done and I liked how he and Esmerine didn't fall into the insta-love category. 

Dolamore's world building was another plus in Between the Sea and Sky. The setting was extremely realistic and so well done that I felt like I could just step into the book and join Esmerine's world. 

This was an overall refreshing and breathtaking sophomore novel that proved just how great an author Jaclyn Dolamore is. I wish Between the Sea and Sky was getting more attention because it is a gem. This was a true winner with a beautiful story to match it's beautiful cover. 

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

October 25, 2011/Bloomsbury USA/240 Pages/Young Adult

Source: Bought

Other books by this author: Magic Under Glass