Everblue by Brenda Pandos
She wanted her life to change... he wanted his to stay the same.
Best friends share everything with each other. Or do they? Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn Frances Lanski is tired of her boring, single life. Spending time with her best friend Tatiana, dreaming about kissing Tatiana's twin brother Fin, and swimming competitively are her only sanctuary. The girls plan to leave their drab lakeside town far behind for college. But when Tatchi fails to return home after a family emergency, and no one knows where the family has gone, Ash chooses to do something drastic to find them.
Ashlyn is about to discover what she'd thought to be true her whole life, wasn't, and the truth, too fantastical to imagine. Secrets lurk beneath the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe, secrets that will change Ashlyn's life forever.
Review:
I am a big fan of Brenda's Talisman series and a lover of all things mermaid, so this seemed like it was going to be a winner for me. I definitely liked the story and characters, but Everblue didn't completely live up to my expectations. I first started reading this a few months back, but had a hard time getting into it so I set it aside. In December I picked it back up again and soon was immersed in the story. While Everblue definitely had it's pitfalls, it was a fun read and I am interested in trying out the sequel.
The alternating perspectives worked well for Everblue. It was interesting to see both sides of the story, especially since Ash and Fin were the narrators. Ashlyn has lived next door to twins Fin and Tatchi for a long time. Ash and Tatchi are best friends and Ash has always harbored a secret crush on Fin. Everything seems to be going smoothly until Ashlyn discovers her neighbors have disappeared. She can't contact them and has no idea where they could have gone. Everything for all three of the main characters is about to change in more ways than they could have ever imagined.
Everblue's premise was great and I liked Brenda's take on mermaids. The mystery angle was also something I enjoyed and I was constantly rooting for Fin and Tatchi. There were a lot of interesting characters introduced through Fin's perspective and the new twist Brenda put on the mer was definitely unique. While getting to know the mers was a highlight of the book for me, I also liked Ash's chapters because she was an ordinary and relatable teenager.
On the downside, I wish some of the characters could have been more developed. Tatchi, in particular. She seemed like such an exciting, spitfire character that I would have loved to see more of her. The romance was also a little strange. It seemed so forced and... off to me. I'm hoping to get some resolution in the sequel and to see the characters figure things out for themselves. It's hard to explain my feelings without spoiling anything, so you'll have to read the book to see what I mean!
All in all, Everblue was a promising read that ended up disappointing me on a few accounts. I enjoyed the read, but the romance made me uncomfortable. I will be checking out the sequel in hopes that some of my concerns will be resolved. The dual points of view and mer lore were two pluses and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next!
I am a big fan of Brenda's Talisman series and a lover of all things mermaid, so this seemed like it was going to be a winner for me. I definitely liked the story and characters, but Everblue didn't completely live up to my expectations. I first started reading this a few months back, but had a hard time getting into it so I set it aside. In December I picked it back up again and soon was immersed in the story. While Everblue definitely had it's pitfalls, it was a fun read and I am interested in trying out the sequel.
The alternating perspectives worked well for Everblue. It was interesting to see both sides of the story, especially since Ash and Fin were the narrators. Ashlyn has lived next door to twins Fin and Tatchi for a long time. Ash and Tatchi are best friends and Ash has always harbored a secret crush on Fin. Everything seems to be going smoothly until Ashlyn discovers her neighbors have disappeared. She can't contact them and has no idea where they could have gone. Everything for all three of the main characters is about to change in more ways than they could have ever imagined.
Everblue's premise was great and I liked Brenda's take on mermaids. The mystery angle was also something I enjoyed and I was constantly rooting for Fin and Tatchi. There were a lot of interesting characters introduced through Fin's perspective and the new twist Brenda put on the mer was definitely unique. While getting to know the mers was a highlight of the book for me, I also liked Ash's chapters because she was an ordinary and relatable teenager.
On the downside, I wish some of the characters could have been more developed. Tatchi, in particular. She seemed like such an exciting, spitfire character that I would have loved to see more of her. The romance was also a little strange. It seemed so forced and... off to me. I'm hoping to get some resolution in the sequel and to see the characters figure things out for themselves. It's hard to explain my feelings without spoiling anything, so you'll have to read the book to see what I mean!
All in all, Everblue was a promising read that ended up disappointing me on a few accounts. I enjoyed the read, but the romance made me uncomfortable. I will be checking out the sequel in hopes that some of my concerns will be resolved. The dual points of view and mer lore were two pluses and I am looking forward to seeing what happens next!
Overall: 3 out of 5 stars
July 30, 2011/Obsidian Mountain Publishing/304 Pages/Young Adult/Book One
Source: Author (ARC)
Other books by this author: The Emerald Talisman, The Sapphire Talisman, The Onyx Talisman
Thanks for the honest review. Considering the majority of romances I've recently read fell flat to me, and that all the characters themselves don't quite leap off the page, I might skip this one for a while.
ReplyDeleteSmiles!
Lori
I love this cover I've been seeing it around the blogs and it sounds really intriguing! Wonderful review!
ReplyDeleteGiselle
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