The Savage Blue

The Vicious Deep #2

by Zoraida Córdova

A Storm is Coming...

The ocean is a vicious place. Deeper and darker than Tristan could have imagined. Beneath its calm blue surface, an ancient battle is churning—and no one is safe.

In the quest for the Sea Throne, Tristan has already watched one good friend die. Now he must lead the rest on a dangerous voyage in search of the trident that will make him king. But while Tristan chases his destiny, the dark forces racing against him are getting stronger, and the sea witch of his nightmares is getting closer.

Battling sea dragons and savage creatures of the deep, Tristan needs his friends' support. But they each have their secrets, and a betrayal will force Tristan to choose between his crown and his best friend Layla—the only girl he's ever loved.

Praise for The Vicious Deep:

"A great read."—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

"With non-stop action, hilarious dialogue, and sincere emotions that tug at your heart strings, this story has it all."—YA Bound

"A delicious debut that pulled me in and kept me entranced."—Leanna Renee Hieber, author of The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Mermaids, Paranormal, Romance, Mythology, Magic

414 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2013

About the author

Zoraida Córdova is the author of many fantasy novels for kids and teens, including the award-winning Brooklyn Brujas series, Incendiary, and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: A Crash of Fate. Her short fiction has appeared in the New York Times bestselling anthology Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View, Star Wars The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark, Come on In: 15 Stories About Immigration and Finding Home, and Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft. She is the co-editor of the bestselling anthology Vampires Never Get Old. Her debut middle grade novel is The Way to Rio Luna. She is the co-host of the podcast Deadline City with Dhonielle Clayton. Zoraida was born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, New York. When she isn’t working on her next novel, she’s planning a new adventure.

NOTE: Direct messages on this account may not be seen. Send her an email at zoraidabooks@gmail.com

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome sequel... But can't compare to the first.

There were aspects I really liked, liked and as with all books didn't like.

I'm not sure how I feel about the whole Kurt thing but I loved getting to know Brendan and Marty. Gwen.... I never saw that coming but I liked it I think. I mean I was beginning to like her even more than Layla and that wouldn't have wroed because Tristan would never give his heart to anyone other than her.

Can't wait for book 3!

[Zoraida · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brings a song to my mermish heart.

[Alanna (The Flashlight Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is going to be short and sweet because this book did not impress me. I really enjoyed The Vicious Deep. I was on pins when it ended-- I couldn't believe that scene was the end of the first book. So naturally, I was anxious to read The Savage Blue and find out what happened next.


Unfortunately, this book dragged on for-ev-er. I looked at my status updates and saw it took me a month to read this book. An entire month! That is unheard of. I am a book-a-day kind of gal. That right there speaks volumes. Why did this story lag? I really don't know. There was some special something that seemed to be missing from the first 350 pages. No spark. No pizzaz. Just fizzle. Tristan didn't really grow as a character. Layla felt more like a supporting actress in a B list movie than the love of his life. And everyone else was just there.


So that was the bad of it, but there was enough good at the end to make me want to keep reading this series. Just like in The Vicious Deep, there is an amazing cliffhanger. I mean, sit on the edge of your seat biting your nails kind of intense. Those final 50 or so pages opens a serious can of worms that will be resolved in book 3, and I must know what happens. Must!


So the short run of it is, this was not my favorite read. It is, however, necessary to read in the series. Just be prepared to muddle through the slow plot and lackluster action scenes before you get to the good stuff.

[Kayla Silverss · Rating 2 out of 5]

Um... I couldn't honestly care at this point

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know what I like about these books?
Tristan doesn't sound like a girl. I mean, he's not one of those over-the-top alpha guys, but he's not all touchy-feely.

I thought the plot in this one was better than the first book for some reason, but I honestly can't remember what happened in the first book, either. Sooo. Yeah, I just liked it better...I guess.

Check it out if you're looking for something with mermaids.

[ke-sha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings sort of. On one hand I loved it and on the other I have a few problems with it. but Over all its still an awesome read & I cant wait for the next book :D

[Carmen]

...betrayal? That doesn't sound good.

[Sarahdactyl ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

♥ Find my reviews here: Literary Meanderings

- - -

*This review may contain spoilers for The Vicious Deep (book 1)!*

The Savage Blue picks up right where we left off in The Vicious Deep.

Tristan and his diverse troupe of supporters & friends are still in the midst of the Sea King championship. Tristan holds one piece of the trident and is on the hunt for the oracles who hold the other two.

But time is not on their side.

“It's happening,” [...] “Now that the trident is broken, the king's seal is loosening.”

Sea demons and long-banished creatures are slithering from the depths of the ocean, ready to attack and devour everything in their path.

Then there's the ever-present threat of the silver mer-witch, Nieve; the mermaid who is raising an army to take over the entirety of the seas—and plans to claim Tristan for herself.

And so, in a race against the clock, our characters journey to places both magnificent and terrifying in order to try and save both merfolk and humans alike. Tristan and his friends will learn secrets long forgotten, and hear prophecies that scream hopelessness. Trust is broken, friends are lost, and the fight to become Sea King shifts into something scarier than Tristan could've ever imagined.

- - -

Oh my lord. Zoraida has floored me with this sequel!

My only negative is that there was a lack in refresher information. It took me several chapters to remember some of the events and from the first book. This could be a potential issue for not only people like me who have pretty awful memories, but for someone who may pick up this book without realizing it's part of a series. They'd be completely lost. I don't need a bunch of info-dumping, but a little bit of a refresher would've been fantastic.

Aside from that, I have lots of fangirling to spread around!

First of all, I have to applaud Zoraida Córdova for writing a series that doesn't revolve around romance. Yes, there is a romantic element to the story, but it is not at the forefront of the plot—it's not even secondary. To me, this makes the romance bits more high-impact and special once you do get to them. Those moments between Tristan and Layla are few and far between, but let's face it: sometimes less is more. These characters have a very special relationship. They are best friends, closer than can be. There's a muddled line between that friendship and something more—love and lust. Even when Tristan isn't around Layla, she never leaves his mind. Every woman is compared to her and, in his eyes, no one will ever be able to hold a candle to her. I am thoroughly happy with the fact that Córdova kept the action and fantasy elements center-stage, leaving the romance in the rear.

The characters are just as colorful and unique in this book as they were in the first. There are characters both old and new, and each of them is painted clearly through the author's words. They are multidimensional and full of personality. Especially Tristan himself. I have to say, as I did with The Vicious Deep, that I ADORE a male POV in Young Adult novels. It's funny that a female author has written one of my most favorite male POV novels out there. lol I mean, I have read some written by males that didn't feel as realistic. Tristan has quite the ego and is quite the ladies man, but his insecurities really come out in this book. He second-guesses himself many times, and wonders if he has what it takes to be Sea King. But even through his fears, Tristan is full of strength and determination. He is a very admirable character and I am absolutely in love with him. :)

Layla isn't present in too much of the novel, but when she is, her quirkiness and girly-stubbornness make for quite the impression. The interaction between her and Tristan is absolutely adorable and funny. Same goes for Tristan and Kurt. Kurt is the most hilarious character I think I've ever come across. Pair him with Tristan and you will have a barrel of laughs! I can't even count how many LOL moments there were in this book. It's definitely worth reading if even just for the hilarity Kurt brings to the table.

As for the rest of the characters, from the eccentric oracles to the nasty Merrows, they are all unique and memorable. This book is chock-full of paranormal creatures and elements. Monsters both in the sea and on land, dragons, fairies, vampires, shapeshifters, and of course the merfolk.

The storyline takes some drastic turns in this installment of the series. Tristan not only learns new things about himself and his family, but he learns who his true friends are. This book contains a boatload of broken trust and heartbreaking betrayals. It also contains new alliances and friendships. It's a wonderful balance! I don't want to throw out specifics and spoil the book, but the twists are very unexpected and have a huge wow-factor. It definitely leaves a gal eagerly anticipating the next piece of the story! Should you go out and pick up this book, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Along with her wonderful plotlines, Zoraida also has a beautiful way with words. Her words present you with a vivid picture and make it easy to fall into the amazing world she's created.

“Ahead of me, the girls have already shifted and I follow the gleam of their sparkling tails.

For miles, there is nothing. No fish, no stones, no boulders. No shadows of ships drifting above us. For miles, it's just swimming.

Kai leads the way. Her scales are a powdery green. The tips of her tail look like bursts of chiffon trailing along. Everything about her is grand and slender. Like watching a flower dance underwater.
Gwen, on the other hand, is a strong and fast swimmer. Her scales are white with splotches of black. Her hair is like a white cloud melting into water. Where Kai is delicate, graceful, Gwen swims with a confidence I recognize in myself. She even sings a wordless melody that fills the whole sea.”

That's just one small piece that I particularly loved. :) It's magical. I could read her books all day long.

All in all, I was completely taken away with this book. The Savage Blue is packed with action and magic, creatures both beautiful and horrifying, love and betrayal, secrets, lies, revelations, and a never-ending supply of interesting and odd characters; ones you will love and ones you will hate. The villains are extra villainous and the good guys are the self-sacrificing type that we all love, especially our Tristan. Zoraida Córdova takes her readers from Coney Island to the darkest depths of the ocean, to places non-existent in the real world—all the while enthralling you with the enchanting, yet savage world she's created.

The Savage Blue is a top-notch sequel. The characters change and grow and so does the plot. The author didn't waste any time diving right into the story. It's incredibly fast-paced and comes to an insane climax with a cliffhanger ending. It's the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers. One of those cliffhangers that could potentially make your readers angry... unless you're like me and enjoy a good cliffhanger. Way to go, Zoraida! ;) I, for one, will be coming back for more of Tristan and his journey! If you haven't started this series yet, what are you waiting for?

- - -

Book source: NetGalley
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

[usagi ☆ミ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars.

Oh, "Savage Blue". While I love your basic story, I do feel like you could have been so much more. I definitely can't wait to read book #3, if just for the showdown with Nieve, but I do feel you could have had so much more happen with this installment. But if you're a fan of Tristan and co., I think you'll enjoy "Savage Blue" regardless of my nitpicks. If you're looking for some vicious mermaid action this year with some old friends, definitely check out "The Savage Blue".

My biggest complaint about this book: the pacing. It was very, very slow - up until the last third. So there was a good amount of dragging up until that final third of the book. I can see why many early reviewers are all saying the same thing, because I too felt that it was turning into an oracle hunt, and with not much else going on. "Savage Blue" picks up several months after the end of "Vicious Deep", and Tristan is still participating in the championship, trying to find the rest of the pieces of the trident before anyone else can. Layla, who was one of the most important characters of book one, has been reduced to almost a cameo in this book, making the audience wonder - what's really driving him? Is it lust for power? Is it for Layla? Is it to go after Nieve, after the events of book one? Is it all three? If it is all three, Layla is a tiny concern (as is Thalia) compared to the first two.

We get more characters in this book, and some there's neglect going on to ones introduced in book one (Thalia and Layla the biggest examples). We get tons of new maneating merprincesses, a vampire, lots more mermen, and more oracles. This is what aided bogging down the pace, I think - introducing all of these characters. I'm not sure the entire COURT of merprincesses was needed (especially considering the last few Big Reveals of this book), but they were there nonetheless. Not that they were useless - far from it. Expanding the Thorne Hill Alliance was great, especially in the last third of the book. But in terms of merpeople, I'm still not entirely sure we needed everyone we got in this book.

There were some places I wanted to linger a little more - Eternity being one of them, as well as the oracle we only got the barest glimpse of seeing before it all went to hell. I definitely wanted more time there, and I do feel like that was one part of the book we could have lingered without losing pacing since it was so important and such a vital part of Nieve's quest for vengeance and an essential plot point to so much of keeping the sea monsters sealed, it seemed. So if we get a novella about it, or maybe some outtakes or something in the final edition? That'd be pretty awesome.

The Big Reveals were well done - it made a lot of behavior throughout the book make a lot more sense, and that feeling that a certain mermaid might be a little shifty? I won't spoil you, but I'll definitely tell you to trust that feeling. It looks like book 3 isn't just going to be about finishing the championship, but mostly about all-out war with Nieve. Which I'm completely okay with - Nieve is one of my favorite YA villainesses, and I'm hoping some more expansion and insight into her character, aside from what we've been told about why she's doing what she's doing. And the one about one certain mermaid? I totally did not see that coming at ALL. Completely blew me away and makes this book worth reading for that reveal alone (aside from other reasons). Even if you do end up wanting to punch him repeatedly at the end of the book. Like I did. So I punched a pillow instead.

Final verdict? While I do feel like this one needed one more edit in ARC form before hitting the shelves, I'm happy with what I got, and I seriously can't wait until book 3. Team Tristan all the way (even if I do love Nieve). "The Savage Blue" is out now from Sourcebooks Fire, so definitely check it out when you get the chance! This is going to be a mermaid throwdown of EPIC proportions, guys, and you simply can't miss that.

(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)

[Books That Burn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Savage Blue continues Tristan's quest from The Vicious Deep, stretching him to his limits as alliances shift and loyalties are complicated. How long can he stand between two worlds before he must sink or swim?

I like the MC a little better in this book than the first one, but I think that what I'm enjoying the most in this trilogy is the way that expectations and destiny are stretched and misconstrued. The fetch quest/competition feels like it connects a series of character moments as the MC tries to balance the competing interests of the people and creatures he cares about without controlling their lives. It deals with legacy and generational trauma and I like the turn the story takes in the midpoint of the trilogy. I know that stories dealing with oracles often have some version of "you were wrong the prophecy actually meant this", but I was genuinely surprised by this one and I'm looking forward to how the trilogy wraps up in the next book. If book one set up the world and expectations, this one is about what the MC and secondary characters decide to do with those constraints, whether they're going to lean into them, challenge them, or shatter them entirely. I continue to love the creatures, there were a few that were brand new and a lot that we met in the first book. The designs for the various oracles in particular are really great.

In my review of The Vicious deep I noted how the MC was kind of sexist in a way that felt realistic for a teenage boy, but that I hoped he’d learn to be less sexist as the trilogy progressed. There wasn’t really a big moment where he learns better or something, but I’m happy to report that a lot of the sexual focus on other people’s bodies went away in this book and it felt a lot better to read. He’s still a teenager in love and trying to figure out what he wants and with whom, but it feels like it’s more about the people. It does feel like character growth and not just a dropped personality trait, so I'm pretty pleased with how it's handled here.

Now for my usual book two check. This gives closure to a pretty big traumatic event from the first book in a way that has suitable gravitas without slowing the story down. I don't think it has a storyline which starts in this book but wasn't present in the first book. That's not a bad thing, but it means this is thoroughly part two of a longer story and can't really stand alone. There are some pretty big things left to be resolved in the third book and I'm excited to see how they turn out. I don't think this book would make sense if someone randomly picked it up and didn't know about the series. Again, it's book two of a trilogy, so that's fine, but it has a different feeling from, say, the author's later series in the same universe (Brooklyn Brujas) where you could pick up the second or third book and get 90% of what's happening.

CW for sexism (minor), vomit (minor), gore, violence, major character death, death.

[Carrie Ardoin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, the first book in this series, The Vicious Deep, left things with a cliffhanger so I was definitely ready to see what came next for Tristan after he found out the truth about what he was. Unfortunately, the second book in the series didn't live up to what I hoped it would be.

This book starts off right after, and I mean RIGHT AFTER the events of book one. It had been several months since I'd read The Vicious Deep, and I didn't have time to reread it before starting Savage Blue. But if you can, I definitely recommend you do so. The author doesn't give much context onto the events of the first book. I really struggled to remember who some of the characters were, and for that matter I didn't really recall the whole tournament of champions thing itself. There are very very few flashbacks or hints to help you if you don't remember, and for a series that has books many months apart, I just appreciate when the book drops subtle hints to help me not feel as lost.

Tristan seems to have grown and embraced his responsibilities a great deal more than he had previously. He's on a mission now to find Oracles that can lead him to the trident that will help him take rule of the sea. Even though he's joined by his friends Kurt and Thalia, he's still making slow progress. It doesn't help that his nights are filled with disturbing visions of the sea witch Nieve who hopes to derail him from his journey.

Like many second novels in any series, that's exactly what The Savage Blue was: a journey novel. To me, this was quite a slow journey though. I had a lot of difficulty getting into the story, and nothing really exciting happened until the last ten percent.

I wish I could have seen more from Layla and Tristan. Their romance seems promising, but Tristan is letting pretty much everything else in his life take precedence over her. I also barely heard from Thalia, who was one of my favorite characters in The Vicious Deep, and what she was doing I didn't quite follow anyway.

The ending was explosive but I wish I hadn't had to wade through 400 pages of slow moving plot to get there. Things are getting serious now, and I will be happy to join Tristan on the next leg of his adventure.

[Megalion · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm afraid I've done Ms. Córdova a great disservice. I didn't get the reviews written anytime soon after I finished this trilogy.

Many months later, I can't cite any specifics from the story but here's what I can say.

I've found that merpeople stories are a rarity. And not always good ones either. Which is probably why they're not as prevalent as other sub genres in YA urban fantasy.

This trilogy is rock solid. Great character development and a well developed story that is paced well over the three books.

Also, I was happy that the whole trilogy had been published by then as I blasted through all 3 books in one day.

When my TBR is in the thousands, it's a high compliment when I say that if I felt the need to read a good YA merpeople story, I'd be fine with re-reading this trilogy instead of taking a chance on a new book. Assuming I could find one, heh.

Highly recommended for all fans of YA urban fantasy.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay listen I don’t say this often but the second book was better than the first?? The first book had to focus on introductions and world building whereas here we got plot. I still rate it a low three stars cause the main character is annoying and I know that’s often a deal breaker. But it ended on a cliffhanger so I will be reading the last one.

[Chapter by Chapter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored The Vicious Deep by author Zoraida Cordova. It was such a fun read and at the time I had been reading a ton of mermaid-focused novels, out of them all The Vicious Deep was one of the most memorable. Mainly because the main character Tristan had been laugh out loud hilarious and the scene when he first discovers his merman tail has been stuck on my mind for quite some time (it’s one of my favorite comedic scenes ever guys). Getting to read The Savage Blue was awesome for so many reasons, I’ll just say that like the novel before it The Savage Blue ends on a cliff-hanger.

The Savage Blue takes place right where The Vicious Deep ended. Main character Tristan Hart has just found out that he is a descendant of mermaid royalty and, thanks to his grandfather, is now part of a quest to become ruler of the sea and get the Sea Throne. Tristan and co. go on a journey to find the remaining pieces of the trident so that Tristan may become king. Tristan searches for the oracle that will have the next piece of the trident.

During all of this Tristan battles against monsters in the sea (like sea dragons and water demons). However when Tristan does find the oracle a secret is revealed and Tristan is betrayed by one of the people closest to him. Nieve is getting stronger and somebody in Tristan’s group of friends is working with her. In the end, Tristan is left with a choice between the Sea Throne and Layla who he has fallen madly in love with.

The first thing I noticed while reading The Savage Blue was that the novel throws you into a ton of action. That’s what got me hooked. Right from the opening scene where Tristan and Kurt are fighting each other to when Kurt and Tristan are going at it with a sea demon that should have the upper hand and be able to kill them both (it doesn’t). The Savage Blue had a lot more the amount of action that The Vicious Deep had which caused the storyline to become more addictive because, seriously, who wants to stop reading in the middle of an awesome fight scene?

The Savage Blue opens readers up to more of the supernatural beings that exist in the world that The Vicious Deep is set in. I found that in The Vicious Deep we only really got to look at mermaids/mermen and then either saw a few brief scenes with other supernatural creatures or saw mentions of those supernatural creatures in dialogue. The Savage Blue gives you nearly everything. Faeries, centaurs, demon-type-things, the whole she-bang. Definitely refreshing considering that I assumed the novel would only really have mermaids (and it made a pleasant surprise).

Tristan’s relationship with Layla does get a bit more serious and the romance left me wanting the two of them to end up together (and to kiss without getting interrupted). Personally, I thought that Tristan kissed or was almost-kissed by too many other girls that weren’t Layla and it made me question his feelings for her. Besides that, my only other issue with the novel would just be a bit of the pacing about half-way through the novel when things start to get pitchy. Other than that it was actually really fantastic.

The last hundred or so pages honestly left me with my jaw smacking the ground. There is a major plot twist and the ending seriously broke my heart. I don’t know what to assume will happen in the next novel, all I know is that I am very, very excited to find out what happens next to Tristan and his friends. Will he win the Sea Throne and defeat Nieve? I need to know!!!

I’d recommend The Vicious Deep novels to readers that are big fans of mythology, mermaid lore and readers that are looking for a novel with supernatural elements and a comedic main character.

[Liviania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last year was the year of the mermaid books, and THE VICIOUS DEEP was my favorite. THE SAVAGE BLUE lives up to its predecessor and then some. Tristan is one of several contestants for the throne of the Sea King. He's in the lead, with one of three pieces of the trident, but that's far from enough to win the crown.

However, Tristan's fellow competitors aren't his main antagonists. In fact, they tend to be pretty alright guys. Tristan, by the end of THE SAVAGE BLUE, still strikes me as the best choice for king, but his opponents aren't mustache twirling villains. Perhaps the worst thing Tristan faces are secrets. The merfolk are excellent at keeping secrets and many of them are coming home to roost. (Down to the fact that if Tristan had known he was half merman he might be better prepared for a deadly competition for the crown.) Then there's Nieve, the leader of the merrows, who makes it clear she has designs for Tristan. Deliciously creepy designs.

I love the relationships in THE SAVAGE BLUE. Tristan's relationship with his parents is strained by his quest, but they're still present in his life. He's growing ever closer with his entourage and Layla, his best-friend-almost-girlfriend. The book could've used even more Layla, but maybe that's just me. But as people grow together, they can also grow apart. I am very curious as to how Zoraida Córdova will play everything out in the final novel, THE VAST AND BRUTAL SEA. (I suspect one of those adjectives will disappear between now and publication in summer 2014.)

Honestly, THE SAVAGE BLUE combines so many things I love. Quest narratives, politics, alluring villains, friends who become family, dragons . . . how could I not like this book? Sourcebooks invited me to be a part of the blog tour, and I really regret that I was moving and couldn't take part. Because I love this book and this series.

If you're skeptical about mermaid books, pick up THE VICIOUS DEEP and THE SAVAGE BLUE. If you're already a fan, you should definitely be reading these. They're dark and funny and romantic and just the absolute best.

[ke-sha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5


...that's what I imagine Tristan like against all the forces. He's the tiny clown fish (can't remember his name).

Definitely a great sequel to The Vicious Deep. It took me awhile to get into the book, and not because it was slow the action is practically non-stop, but once I did I couldn’t set it down!

Tristan’s has a lot to go through in this book. With a sea dragon, crazy mermaid princesses, demanding and loony oracles (though I suppose I’d be a bit nuts too having to see the future in everyone), blood-thirsty merrows, the landlocked and all his competitors (which some didn’t seem too bad, they all have their reasons). You’ll meet new characters, some are awesome, others a bunch of psycho’s. And tons of secrets, everyone's got secrets.

Goodness, the betrayals! I wasn’t really expecting them but looking back now at the first book I remembering thinking Gwen reminded me a lot of Nieve, gut feelings!. And Kurt! I feel sad for him and shaking him all at the same time, along with Gwen.

I came across a few mistakes, especially about mythology, and I’m guessing that because it’s an advanced copy? This is my first so that’s what I’m assuming.

-Won on Goodreads First Reads

[Step Into Fiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

I said it in my review of The Vicious Deep and I will say it again, this is probably one of the best books I've read that's written by a female author but told from a male's POV. He sounds like any teenage boy I work with and it's just amazing how real he sounds. It's hard to come across books told from a boy's POV but written by a woman and it seem so real. So hats off to you, Zoraida!

That being said, I loved The Savage Blue. The friendships that were formed in The Vicious Deep formed to become so tight throughout most of this book. The end is where friendships fell apart and I'm still torn on how I feel about some of those falling outs. But I'm jumping ahead of myself. Tristan has grown so much in such a short period of time. He's the King's chosen champion, as being the only male heir remaining as the King's grandson and is already ahead of the other champions with one third of the trident already.

Read full review at Step Into Fiction

Review completed by: Jessica

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like there's something missing between the first book and this one, a missing link from point A to point B--particularly when it comes to Tristan and Layla. Somehow they're kind of together in this book. And at least he's very dedicated and faithful to her, shutting down the mermaid princesses.

Tristan is more likable in this book, probably because he's living up to his reputation concerning girls. He's forced to grow up and accept responsibilities in this competition, take stock of what things actually matter to him.

Where it ends: Adaro is dead, and Nieve has the staff. Gwen is a traitor, Nieve's daughter. She and Nieve have kidnapped Layla and want Tristan's scepter. Kurt is actually the king's bastard son, but he didn't know until Lucine (his oracle lover) revealed it to him and gave him the trident. Kurt and Tristan are at odds. Brendan has shown up to help Tristan wake the sleeping giants to defeat Nieve and save Layla.

Note: Some language. A little non-sexual mermaid nudity. Possibly implied sex.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing in these books can be beautiful, but unfortunately it's obscured by the poor progression of action, i.e. it's not quite clear who is doing what where at all times. The book feels a bit like a first draft, and while I appreciate how quickly the plot moved, a lot of action got lost between chapters. The big problem of this book isn't that it dragged, as is usually the problem with middle books, but that too many things happened. Still, I enjoy Tristan as a main character, and Córdova writes with a good sense of his voice. Really, this series is just fun.

[Randi (The Artist Formerly known as Guitar Chick) · Rating 5 out of 5]

asdfjk;l. Like it's predecessor, The Savage Blue is my favorite summer blockbuster in book form. Tristan's Tony Stark wit, Thor-like mythos, Steve Rogers-esque heroism is a winning formula. I love this book to death, and cannot WAIT until the next one.


Full review at merbooksblog.blogspot.com to come.

[Ashley]

Grabby Hands
GIVE MEEEEEE, OR YOU SHALL DIE

Okay, have to put this on hold since I realized I have many blog tour books I have to review first... T______T wait for me guys!

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series! Review to come!

[Dallas Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I WANT IT:)

[Lauren Cascio · Rating 5 out of 5]

More please :D

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book couldn't put it down can't wait till the third book plus Layla and tristin are so cute together

[Ricky · Rating 5 out of 5]

And so continueth the adventures of Tristan the Merman! More action, more mayhem, more wacky humor...and some seriously twisted stuff right at the end. Man, the feels...

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series started out with some promise even though I didn't find Tristan to be that likeable of a character at first. However, this second book was a struggle to get through and I most likely won't read the third, unless it's to skim through quickly to get the gist of the story.

The Savage Blue was in dire need of editing. Whole chapters and chunks could have been cut out of the book to make the storyline faster paced. There were just bizarre things thrown in (some random card game?) and overall, I just lost interest in exactly what Tristan was doing by the end of it.

The premise of this series was interesting - despite the abundance of YA mermaid novels right now, I haven't come across one with a male main character, even if his narrative voice does not strike me as authentically male. I think the author just plain lost her way and ultimately could have done much better with input from several editors. The idea was there and was developing fine in the first book, the execution was just a total mess after that.

[Chaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one just a smidgen better than the first one. This one picked up right where the other one left off. While Tristan isn't anything special besides who he is, I'm genuinely enjoying the story being told from his perspective. I think in this book he grew and matured. There is a lot that happened to him and to Layla. I'm so glad that, even though the didn't admit it fully, that Tristan and Layla finally showed that they loved each other. The side characters also made this enjoyable. There are still issues that I have with this story. Mostly to do with the plot. It seems very all over the place and making it hard to keep up. There isn't a good flow from situation to situation. It reads more like a rough draft, but the ambiance is damn good. The betrayal was unexpected, especially after the first book. I'm really upset about it considering how much I liked this character. I'm not sure I want to continue the series but I've got to because I need to know what happens.

[Julia O'Connell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tristan continues his quest to find all the pieces of the trident and become sea king. But it soon becomes apparent that first he will need to face his most fearsome enemy: the sea witch Nieve.

This book had a bit of an episodic feel rather than a cohesive arc, and it jumped around to different locations with different subsets of the main group of characters. Tristan didn't get to spend as much time with Layla as in the first book, and their interactions are always my favorite. But I also loved learning more about the wider mermaid community, as well as the Thorn Hill Alliance!