NICOLE'S REVIEW + Novel Nails #14: The Nightmare Dilemma by Mindee Arnett

Title: The Nightmare Dilemma

Author: Mindee Arnett

Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: March 4 2014

Publishing House:  Tor Teen

ISBN: 9780765333349

Source of Copy: Gifted by Louisse from The Soul Sisters

Summary: 

Dusty Everhart might be able to predict the future through the dreams of her crush, Eli Booker, but that doesn't make her life even remotely easy. When one of her mermaid friends is viciously assaulted and left for dead, and the school's jokester, Lance Rathbone is accused of the crime, Dusty's as shocked as everybody else. Lance needs Dusty to prove his innocence by finding the real attacker, but that's easier said than done. Eli's dreams are no help, more nightmares than prophecies.

To make matters worse, Dusty's ex-boyfriend has just been acquitted of conspiracy and is now back at school, reminding Dusty of why she fell for him in the first place. The Magi Senate needs Dusty to get close to him, discover his real motives. But this order infuriates Eli, who has started his own campaign for Dusty's heart.

As Dusty takes on both cases, she begins to suspect they're connected to something bigger. And there's something wrong with Eli's dreams, signs that point to a darker plot than they could have imagined.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review: 

Note that The Nightmare Dilemma is sequel to The Nightmare Affair which was reviewed HERE.

When one of Dusty's friends is attacked and accusing eyes are cast on resident jock Lance Rathbone, Dusty is doubtful of Lance's participation in the heinous crime. She's all set to find out who the real perpetrator is but it's not as easy as it seems. The dreams she shares with Eli are no help either seeing as how they're more nightmare than prophecy. To complicate things even more Dusty's ex-boyfriend is back and he's all about trying to get back into Dusty's good graces just as Eli's all set to capture Dusty's heart.

The Nightmare Dilemma is as entertaining and enjoyable as its predecessor. The summary might be a little misleading - with Paul making an appearance, you'd think that a love triangle was in the making. Fear not because nothing really ever happens between Dusty and Paul, aside from making Eli jealous. Which is good; jealous Eli amused me.

Dusty is still as funny as she was in the first book. She's developing her powers as well as nurturing her budding relationship with Eli. It was glorious, really. I ship them so hard. Dusty is an amusing character, she's also real and human (as human as a nightmare can be) and she doesn't have a hero complex going on. She's got rad powers and wields a super sword but that doesn't mean she's going to jump in headfirst into danger, totally disregarding her life. No. She makes rash decisions sometimes but come on, don't we all?

In the second book she also has to deal with Eli and Selene keeping secrets from her. Selene and her nightly forays and Eli with his hot and cold attitude towards their relationship. It's pretty obvious that Eli wants her too. You're not fooling anyone Eli! Paul too is trying to get Dusty to trust him again. After the events of the first book, it's hard to not cast suspicion on everything Paul does but I feel like he's genuinely remorseful about his actions.

The pacing of the book was great with decent helpings of mystery and romance. But that ending? The way the romance was heading has me worried. Don't do anything to ruin my OTP please. I beg of you. All in all The Nightmare Dilemma is a solid sequel and I cannot wait for the next installment.

Rating: 

"Novel Nails" is a feature of the blog that showcases nail art inspired by books and their covers. Nail art will be created by either Michelle or Nicole and will be featured alongside their reviews.

Obviously this week's feature is The Nightmare Dilemma. I actually made nail art for the Nightmare Affair too and if you want to check that out you can visit my nail art tumblr HERE or my instagram HERE. 

Nail polish used: 

OPI Keeping Suzi at Bay

I used white acrylic for everything else. Freehand yo!

I would have used black but the blue base was a little too dark.

See Excalibur? And the castle? And the tree? Yeah. I like how they turned out. Not too shabby.

Here they are with the book.

Huzzah! Hope you liked this mani. I've been doing a lot of freehand designs recently and you can check out my recent work over at my Instagram. I did Divergent nails which I'm oddly proud of.

Novel Nails Designs

                       

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Of Triton by Anna Banks

Title: Of Triton
Author: Anna Banks
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: May 28 2013

Publishing House: Feiwel & Friends

ISBN: 9781250003331
Source of Copy: Purchased from FullyBooked

Summary:

Emma has learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As A Half-Breed, she's a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm. Syrena law states all Half-Breeds should be put to death.

As if that's not bad enough, her mother's reappearance in the Syrena world turns two kingdoms - Poseidon and Triton - against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen's request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself - and her Gift - to save a people she's never known.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

I found myself unable to resist this book mainly because of the cover. I mean, that photo right? I've always been a sucker for books that use underwater shots for cover photos. Too pretty.

My review will probably be on the short side, like the book which is 246 pages long. So short! In Of Triton, the story now shifts focus to the Syrena world. The struggles between both Houses - Triton and Poseidon and the power hungry Syrena who want to control them. I wasn't that big of a fan of the world building, but it's entertaining all the same. 

In the second book we also meet Nalia, Emma's mother, and from the get-go I didn't like her. Frankly, her reasons for hiding on land for the longest time were the worst. What kind of a pathetic excuse is that? Emma herself was actually very childish, I mean yeah I get that your mom's relationship with your father was iffy in light of the fact that she's pretty much in love with Grom but seriously, I'm pretty sure Emma's got bigger problems than her mother's love life.

Emma and Galen are actually pretty boring and their romance didn't see to progress into anything deeper. I think I liked Galen better in the first book. Actually, I think I liked Emma better in the first book too. I was pretty sure they were going to end up together no matter what and the tension about mating and Syrena laws and stuff were unnecessary plot devices. 

There was also that little thing about Paca and Grom being mated and the slew of problems that surface because of that stupid mating. I don't know guys, the Syrena seem pretty dumb to me to fall for that Paca's fake powers. I'm totally not buying the whole they've-forgotten-what-the-gifts-of-the-generals-look-like spiel. 

And that ending? It was totally anticlimatic. It was wrapped up neatly enough that I wonder what the third book could possibly be about. Will I be reading the next book? Maybe.

Rating:

   

                         

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: Elegy by Amanda Hocking

Title: Elegy
Author: Amanda Hocking
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: August 6, 2013

Publishing House: St. Martin's Griffin

ISBN: 9781250005670
Source of Copy: Purchased from National Bookstore

Summary:
An ancient curse robbed Gemma Fisher of everything that matters most - her friends, her family, and the guy she loves. But now that she's found the scroll that binds the curse, she finally has a chance to get her old life back. She just needs to destroy the scroll and she'll become human again - but it's not as easy as she hoped. Protected by ancient magic, the scroll seems utterly indestructible. Making matters worse, Penn has grown even more obsessed with stealing Daniel for herself... and she's about to succeed.

Gemma's frantic search leads her to someone who might be able to help: the mysterious immortal who cursed Penn and her sisters thousands of years ago. As Gemma and her friends unravel the tragic history of the curse, they plunge deeper into a world of shocking secrets and twisted vendettas - and it'll take all their courage, love, and the power of their friendship just to survive. Gemma has so much to fight for and she's never wanted anything more, but will it be enough to stop her enemies.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Elegy is the final installment to the Watersong series. You can check out the review for  the previous books by clicking on the titles: Wake, Lullaby, and Tidal.

When one of the Sirens becomes Gemma's ally, she stands more of a fighting chance to revert back to her original human state. Penn, the cruelest of the Sirens, keeps a watchful eye on Gemma, and the only thing keeping her from killing Gemma is the deal she struck with Daniel, Harper's boyfriend. Time is ticking for Gemma because the only way to get rid of the Sirens once and for all is to break the curse before anyone else gets roped in a game of life and death.

I know I've somehow said that Gemma did a lot of growing up in Tidal, but I think her character in Elegy only clinches it. There are things in Elegy which I'm pretty sure that the old Gemma would've been too hesitant of doing, but she's pretty much grown into herself and shows readers that she's done with other people trying to save her, because really, the only one who can get her out of this mess is herself. Sure, Harper is still hellbent on finding a way to save her, but it's really only Gemma who can stop the madness the Sirens, nee Penn, is bent on raising. On that note, I think Harper's friend Marcy kept stealing the spotlight when she was in the scene. I found it a bit hard to commiserate with Gemma and Harper when Marcy kept doling out dry one-liners that had me cracking up, and I so do wish that I could read an extended story or something focusing on her.

While I do appreciate the author trying to tie up the loose ends as this is the last book for the series, I do find some things to be terribly too convenient for Gemma and Harper. Sure, coincidences happen, but I just can't seem to shake it out of my mind that they're almost too lucky to have a lot of access to contacts that I'm sure would be terribly hard to find. Like needle-in-a-haystack hard. With that being said, the plot for this one then runs a bit weaker, even if the end is quite solid.

Despite Elegy being a bit shady on the parts where we find out how to break the curse, I do think that the final book in the series is pretty okay. It won't really keep you up at night, but it won't have you crying into your soup either. (Well, I did a little, because I so badly wanted Daniel to be real. But that's another story.)

Rating:

            

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: Tidal by Amanda Hocking

Title: Tidal
Author: Amanda Hocking
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: June 4, 2013

Publishing House: St. Martin's Griffin

ISBN: 9781250008114
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:


Gemma and Harper Fisher are facing the fight of their lives. Gemma has been cursed with extraordinary powers that have a terrifying dark side, but she's finally found what she needs - a way to break the curse and become human again. However, finding the means to do it will be her greatest challenge yet. And now Penn, Lexi, and Thea - the gorgeous but deadly creatures who cursed her - are determined to kill her before she has a chance. Making matters worse, Penn has her sights set on Daniel - the guy Harper loves - and Penn always gets what she wants.

As Gemma and Harper race to break the curse before it's too late, they're thrust deeper into a mythical world of immortal secrets. They must delve into their enemies' past to find the answers they need, even if it means being drawn deeper into their savagely beautiful world. But one of the girls is not what she seems... and Gemma finds an unlikely ally as she struggles to save herself. Will it be enough to break an ancient curse that no one has ever escaped from alive?

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Tidal is the third book in the Watersong series. You can check out the review for Wake (Watersong  #1) here, and for Lullaby (Watersong #2), here.

Penn and the other sirens may have taken temporary residence in Capri, but that doesn't mean that Gemma is off the hook. In fact, Penn and Lexi are eager to get her out of the way and replace her with someone who actually can fulfill her duties as a siren. But what drew the sirens once more to the once sleepy town of Capri wasn't a possible substitute; it's the fact that there are actually two guys who are quite resistant to the lull of the watersong. With blackmail and deception threatening the people she holds dear, Gemma must quickly find a way to break the curse and save everyone who put their lives on the line for her.

Tidal is definitely my favorite from the series so far.  If I were bold enough, I really thought that the series would be taking a nosedive, given behind the seemingly weak reason behind the sirens' staying in Capri. (If anything I really thought it was just a flimsy excuse on Hocking's behalf so as to save Gemma from the evil girls.) So you can imagine my surprise when I unsuccessfully tried to put the book down again and again. Also, if you take a look at the covers - from a serene-looking Wake to a turbulent-looking Tidal - it's really quite amazing at how quick the books have turned darker and darker which each novel.

It is in this book, I think, that Gemma is finally taking charge of her whole situation. In Wake, while Gemma did think that she could had it all under control, she was still someone her sister had to coddle. In Lullaby, she has given in to her animalistic urges, and while she has matured a bit, it's nothing compared to the Gemma we meet in Tidal. Sure, people around her are still looking out for her, but this time around, Gemma's looking out for herself more as well. Sure, Harper's still looking to save Gemma from her siren-state, but Gemma's doing her own share of the tough work as well, especially since Harper's on her way to college and Gemma would rather die than be the reason she stays behind. The relationship between the sisters is really nice to read about, and I think it's a dynamic that you don't always see in Young Adult. In fact, I'd attribute it as a reason why the Watersong series works so well. I mean, aside from the fact that Harper and Daniel are adorable together.

Penn still manages to evoke strong feelings from me because she portrays the perfect antagonist - witchy, manipulative, selfish, and arrogant, but Tidal also shows a little bit (a really small piece) of what's left of her humanity as well. 

Tidal's pacing is as great as the previous books, and there are no sudden YA cliches thrown in just to confuse / prolong the series. It knows how to work with what it has, and that definitely earns points in my book. 

Fans of Amanda Hocking's Watersong trilogy will definitely love Tidal, and will have a hard time waiting for Elegy, the last in the series. 

Rating:

          

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: Teeth by Hannah Moskowitz

Title: Teeth
Author: Hannah Moskowitz
Format Acquired: Paperback

Publication Date: January 1, 2013

Publishing House: Simon Pulse

ISBN: 9781442465329
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:

Rudy's life is flipped upside down when his family moves to a remote island in a last attempt to save his sick younger brother. With nothing to do but worry, Rudy sinks deeper and deeper into loneliness, and he lies awake at night listening to the screams of the ocean beneath his family's rickety house.

Then he meets Diana, who makes him wonder what he even knows about love, and Teeth, who makes his question what he even knows about anything. Rudy can't remember the last time he felt so connected to someone, but being with Teeth is more than a little bit complicated. He soon learns that Teeth has terrible secrets. Violent secrets. Secrets that will force Rudy to choose between his own happiness and his brother's life.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Hannah Moskowitz' Teeth caught me off-guard. It wasn't the profanity, and it wasn't the magic realism-esque theme that Moskowitz has going on. I  actually can't quite put my finger on it, but Teeth is addictive. It's so ridiculously addictive in fact, that I finished in one sitting the only book I brought with me en route to my vacation. 

Sometimes, the real monsters are ourselves. Teeth tells the story of Rudy, whose family relocates to an island to save his younger brother from his illness. As it turns out, the island isn't just an island away from the harsh toxins of the city, but the island actually has magical fish. Magical Enki fish that keeps the sicknesses at bay. Magical Enki fish that people need so much that some have already moored themselves on the island just to survive. The only expectation Rudy has of the island was that it would bore him, not get him entangled with the likes of flirty Teeth, who proves that Enki is not the only thing that's native to the island. But while Rudy needs the fish for his brother, Teeth is bent on protecting them, uncaring that humans are half of his  kinship too.

"It's not just that. I can't just swim away.""Why not?""I'm afraid I'll drown." He looks up and gives the world's smallest smile. He takes a deep breath with those lungs. "I'm afraid I'll drown." - p. 141

"I get lonely! I get lonely, you a------! I hate humans!" 

Teeth is undoubtedly the shining star of the novel. He's putting up a brave front, but you can clearly see how vulnerable he is underneath all that bravado. While I didn't know what to think of him at first, it is all his insecurities and flaws that have endeared him to me. While fish, even Enki fish with magical healing properties, do not feel any sort of human-like attachment to Teeth, he feels that he is responsible for protecting them, and that it is his life's purpose, however banal the task is. Obviously, the thing that's tying him down isn't the fish; it's himself. Teeth wages a personal battle with himself, because he's straddling two different worlds due to his parentage. While he's more than a fish, he's not exactly human either, and it is because of human mistakes and human error that Teeth has been known to spout his "I hate humans!" spiel. Teeth may curse like a sailor in his cups, but like any creature, he craves for warmth and affection, however misbegotten both may be. Rudy, our main protagonist, is the only one who seems to understand where Teeth is coming from, and he's determined to help Teeth, not because he needs the fish badly, but because he wants his friend to be happy. Teeth has an altogether different understanding of the world of humans because of how he is mistreated and used, but Rudy unknowingly changes that.

Inasmuch as I would want to give this book 4 stars, there's just something that's holding me back. As much as profound and captivating Teeth is, I felt that there were parts where I was just lost and confused, which isn't exactly something I am angling for when I'm reading. While I do like some things being all cryptic and unforeseen, I do prefer some vague things to be spelled out so as to clear away any self-drawn conclusions.

Teeth may shock you with its portrayal of human ugliness and brutal violence, but I very much recommend picking it up. 

Rating:

         

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: Lullaby by Amanda Hocking

Title: Lullaby
Author: Amanda Hocking
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: November 27, 2012

Publishing House: St. Martin's Griffith

ISBN: 9781250005656
Source of Copy: Purchased from National Bookstore

Summary:


Now that Gemma Fisher has inherited Penn, Lexi, and Thea's curse - and all the strange powers that come along with it - she has no choice but to run away with them. Devastated that she has to leave everyone she loves behind, she's still determined not to give in to the unspeakable hungers that plague her. Unfortunately, they're growing stronger every day, and she's not sure how much longer she can resist.

Harper won't give up on finding her sister Gemma, vowing to get her back no matter what the cost. The search draws her closer to too-gorgeous-for-his-own Daniel, and tests her fiercely guarded independence like never before. She's always been the strong one who everyone else depends on... Can she let herself depend on Daniel?

As Gemma and Harper plunger deeper into a magical wold they barely understand, it becomes painfully clear that Gemma's old life may be lost forever. But can she still hold on to her humanity?

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Having read Amanda Hocking's other books, I can testify to the fact that she only gets better and better. My Blood Approves, the first of the Amanda Hocking books I've read, was a bit cheesy, but hard to put down. (I dropped the series come the fourth book, though.) I have a copy of Hollowland stored in my Kindle app which I have yet to read, and I've already finished the more recent Trylle trilogy, which was pretty good. I think she definitely came a long way from back her My Blood Approves days.

Lullaby is the sequel to Wake (which my co-blogger surprisingly didn't enjoy; check out her review here). Forced to go with the Sirens, Gemma had to leave the people she loved most behind to keep them from being harmed. But her sister Harper and boyfriend Alex are nevertheless, determined to find her. Helping them to recover Gemma is darling Daniel, who might just somehow manage to convince Harper to let down her guard. And when something involving Gemma goes awry, it's up to Harper and the boys to save Gemma from a fate that can only end in death.

I like Hocking's characters. With her other books, I felt like they were just people who undoubtedly had to exist. But with this cast of characters, I could totally imagine them as actual people, especially Harper. She and Gemma may not be the closest sisters, but when push comes to shove, Harper would gladly step in front of a speeding bullet train for her sister. Harper is so used to taking care of the people around her that she ends up getting rankled when people are trying to take care of her. Daniel was obviously a cutie pie who embodies everything that Harper is not. It was really fun watching her getting flustered over Daniel, and there were a lot of times I just wanted to bonk their heads together and get on with it. I have clearly moved on from the Gemma and Alex relationship, because while it was cute in the first book, I didn't mind them so much in the second. 

Plot-wise, however, it was a bit muddy towards the end of the book. I obviously could not say much without spoiling something, but it did make me keep re-reading the section because I didn't get it. I was expecting something bigger to happen, and clearly, it was mounting to that, but then it fizzled just as quickly as it had come. With that being said, I am looking forward to reading Tidal, not only because I want to figure out how Hocking will handle the little 'twist', but because I want more Harper and Daniel scenes.

Rating:

        

NICOLE'S REVIEW: Wake by Amanda Hocking

Title: Wake
Author: Amanda Hocking
Format Acquired: Paperback

Publication Date: August 7 2012

Publishing House: Tor

ISBN: 9781447205722
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked 

Summary:

Strangers in town for the summer, Penn, The and Lexi have caught everyone's attention, including the eye of practical Harper. But it's her sister, Gemma, they've chosen. Sixteen-year-old Gemma seems to have it all - carefree, pretty and falling in love with the boy next door. But her greatest passion is the water. She craves solitary late-night swims under the stars, were she can belong to the sea. But lately she's had company.

Penn, Thea and Lexi spend their nights dancing and partying on the cove, and one night Gemma joins them. She wakes, groggy on the beach the next morning and knows something has changed. Suddenly Gemma is stronger, faster and more beautiful than ever. And as she discovers her new mythical powers, Gemma is forced to choose between staying with those she loves- or entering a dark world brimming with unimaginable secrets.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

Seeing as how I liked the Trylle series, I thought I would give Amanda Hocking's Wake a try although I think I was mostly persuaded by the fact that it had sirens in it.

There are three new girls in town, unnaturally beautiful and persuasive and they have their eyes set on Gemma. When Gemma joins them one night on the beach, she finds herself alone and confused the next morning, stranded on the beach. Soon she finds herself more than she once was and is forced to make a choice, one that will take her away from everyone she loves.

I know Gemma is the main protagonist but I couldn't form any connections with her at all. She kind of lacked personality for me and what managed to vex me was how Gemma managed to figure some things out so quick because to me, she was a bit slow and spoiled, incapable of doing nothing but swimming and worrying her poor sister  Her relationship with Alex was unreal and I didn't like how it progressed although they were meant for each other - they were both bland and boring.

Surprisingly, I did like her sister Harper. I would constantly skim through the parts in Gemma's point of view in search for Harper. She's like a mother hen, constantly worried about her sister and her father, not taking any time out for herself and then here comes Daniel, a pretty boy who does odd jobs and lives on a boat, who takes an interest in her. It was adorable reading Harper dance around Daniel's obvious advances. Now Harper's the smart one, the responsible one. the interesting one. And this was a problem for me because Gemma was supposed to be the protagonist. Why is she not interesting?

What's even worse for me are the Sirens, they were supposed to be beautiful, seductive, ethereal. Sure they're powerful, but they came off as hundred-plus-year-old spoiled brats. They were like...Mean Girls except they had powers and ate people for fun.

As for the story itself it wasn't exactly anything special - a girl turning into something supernatural and now has to figure out what to do with herself. There wasn't exactly much to keep me interested, aside from Harper and Daniel's moments. The mythology was decent enough but with the number of books out there incorporating Greek mythology into their storylines, it's just hard to find one that actually stands out. Wake sadly, did not because while Sirens are interesting and all there wasn't any new take on their myth aside from them having to stick together or they die and finding new victims to turn into sirens and living forever. Not to mention I didn't like the Sirens.

If you're a fan of easy, paranormal reads that won't tax your brain much then maybe give Wake a try. Sirens, Greek Mythology and life changing decisions abound in Amanda Hocking's Watersong series. 

Rating:

   

                         

MICHELLE'S REVIEW: Monstrous Beauty by Elizabeth Fama

Title: Monstrous Beauty
Author: Elizabeth Fama
Format Acquired: Hardcover

Publication Date: September 4, 2012

Publishing House: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

ISBN: 9780374373665
Source of Copy: Purchased from Fully Booked

Summary:
Monstrous mermaids
Vengeful ghosts
A century-old curse

When fierce mermaid Syrenka falls in love with a human named Ezra, she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land. The choice comes with horrific and deadly consequences.

Generations later, seventeen-year-old Hester knows that love and death are inextricably linked for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect, or a curse? Hester's solution is to avoid love altogether, until she meets and enigmatic stranger named Ezra and feels drawn to him in a way she can't explain or resist. Ezra may be able to help her tease apart the strands of her family's strange history: Ezra knows a thing or two about curses.

The answers Hester seeks are waiting in the graveyard, in the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean - but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and the tragedy of so long ago.

Monstrous Beauty is a dark and brilliantly plotted thriller about sacrifice, enduring love, and hope.

(Image and information courtesy of Goodreads; Summary lifted from actual book)

Review:

In all actuality, mermaid novels novels scare me, all because I find it very, very hard to find really good mermaid novels. When I read reviews saying that fans of Fama's Monstrous Beauty also adored Lanagan's The Brides of Rollrock Island, and vice versa, I was really quite excited about it, because I am very much in love with The Brides of Rollrock Island, and the prospect of another gorgeous, ethereal read is always appealing. I know it's unfair for a book to be compared to another (I mean, they are written by different people after all!) but Monstrous Beauty, sadly, did not captivate me as much as I thought it would.

Hester isn't stupid; she knows there's probably a pretty good reason why her mother, and all the women before her, died after childbirth. And what Hester initially hesitantly attributed to a genetic dysfunction, proves to be so much more. Her lineage is cursed - and it doesn't seem likely to stop with Hester. When eerie apparitions begin clamoring for Hester's attention, she knows what she must do. Only Hester can free the spirits from their ties to the earth, and break the curse, so she can break free from her own inner demons as well.

Fama's mermaids remind me of the river next to my grandmother's property in the province. There was talk that a city man never resurfaced from the water, people around the area have heard inopportune giggling and laughing in the wee hours of the morning coming from the river, and one-way wet footprints on the walkway vanished in the middle of the concrete path leading away from the river. These were what I'd imagine Fama's mermaids to be like: mysterious, possibly vicious, and maybe even real.

Syrenka wasn't exactly Disney's vanilla Ariel. She has accidentally killed a human she loved,   and extracted revenge on mortals who did her harm, but all Syrenka actually wants is to be on land with the human she loves the most. All Ezra and Syrenka ever wanted was to be happy. But given the strange circumstances of their romance, there will naturally be the traditionalists who refuse to accept that a creature like Syrenka would have a soul, much less grasp the human ideas of love and happiness.

The first few pages of Monstrous Beauty were lovely and lyrical, but as the story progressed, my interest in it waned as well. Don't get me wrong. I could very well imagine the small coastal town that Hester inhabited. Fama does a good job with world-building and letting readers envision themselves facing the treacherous waters of the sea with the wind blowing salt-laced sprays through their hair. The interpersing POVs - especially the historical one - brought out the true flavor of the story as well. With everything else being stunning, I would have to say that my problem lies with the characters. Believe me, I loved Syrenka, but that was it. All the others, I didn't care about. I didn't particularly hanker for the typical instantaneous spark between Hester and Ezra. I didn't want to root for Hester when the sea witch (who could have easily passed as Ursula) was chasing after her because she was changing the course of their reality. 

Monstrous Beauty wasn't much of a thriller from me. I had an inkling of the progression of the story, and I didn't plow through it the way I did. All I thought of was that it was quite a shame that this could have been a really great read.

Despite the predictability of the plot and the strange progression of events, Fama's Monstrous Beauty made use of stunning world-building, and a pretty interesting take on mermaids. I can definitely see myself reading this down by the river near my grandmother's  area. Who knows? Given the eery atmosphere the river provides, my feelings for Monstrous Beauty just might improve.

Rating: