Keeping Merminia

Merminia #2

by Emm Cole

In the concluding sequel to Merminia, Ulric and Selinne are both about to find out just how much they stand to lose.

Upon seizing Dencur with Adessia’s ring, Ulric leaves everything beyond the city walls in chaos. As Selinne tries to save Merminia from ruin, she finds a hesitant group to aid her in the perilous journey to Dencur.

But while Selinne works to stop Ulric from destroying all that she holds dear, friendships are tested to their breaking point. The final battle is brewing between Humans and Enchanteds.

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

First published September 18, 2013

Reviews

[S.K. Munt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emm Cole’s writing calls up visions of tinkling chimes, delicate lace and all things beautifully fragile. You only need to read one paragraph for this to be clear, but the delicacy with which Ms Cole scripts her words is a smokescreen (a lilac-coloured, fluffy and aromatic one) that she uses to lull the reader into a sense of beauty and peace before driving the poison-coated spear into your heart with precise accuracy.



Keeping Merminia might sound like something sweetly fantastical, and if you were to skim the pages for a sense of the genre, you might be fooled into believing that the world Ms Cole had crafted could be located at the top of the Faraway Tree, and perhaps you’d be right. But then the clouds spin and you’ve gone from tickling the bellies of pretty little seahorses, to be-heading one snorting fire from its nostrils. And that is what I love about the Merminia series the most; the contrast. You go into the Enchanted Wood and end up in The Labrynth but without a hint of comic irony.



In Keeping Merminia, The Little Mermaid has lost her fins, so she's gonna grab a wagon and a weapon instead.



Ms Cole has written what is a truly dark story, of suffering and struggle and good versus evil, then given it gossamer wings and flight into the furthest reaches of the imagination. I compared book one, ‘Merminia’ to Disney’s ‘The Little mermaid’ in my first review, but book two definitely twists into something darker and I was astounded by how she took the story from the ocean to the land without flailing.

Nope, not in Kansas anymore!



Think of the difference between ‘The Wizard Of Oz’ and ‘Return to Oz’ (the latter being one of my favorite films) and that is how drastically the mood of the novels shift. Only in this case, the transition is effortless and not even slightly jarring. Not once do you forget that Selinne is a Mermaid and in my mind, she swum across the land as she had beneath the surface in the first. 



There are a few fantastic plot twists that I’m loathe to give away so I’ll just say that Keeping Merminia starts off exactly where the first novel left off- Selinne, Aramis and Gabriel are following Ulric into Dencur to try and reclaim the ring which created the Mermaids, Enchanteds and chaos to begin with. And there is a plethora of new characters and new Enchanteds, from vicious Krollers to cranky elves and wayward mystics, Dencur is overrun with people either in need of Selinne’s help or trying to stop her. I particularly loved her spin on Vampire mythology- how they feast only on the blood of those who have taken a life. A point which comes into player later in a very satisfying way. Creatively, this author gives J.K Rowling not only a run for her money, but a sprint through a glitter-filled marsh on the back of a unicorn.

And on the other side of the coin we have the story as told from Ulric’s point of view. Although the Litiant general is the antagonist within the series, his love for his Zara, and hers for him, is beautiful and redeeming- as is the way she continues to love him despite her horror for all he has done.

‘Dencur couldn’t be more stunning.’ She remarks. ‘You dyed the skyline in pale coral. And I can feel the love in it.’


Selinne becomes a truly amazing heroine within this book, as delicate as she is strong, and there is a very grown up moment towards the end with Aramis that will put a smile on the faces of Aramis fans :)

Bushes you say?



However, I can imagine that the ending of this book probably knocked some readers on their ass, and not onto cushioning but to be honest, I actually really liked that final twist and thought it rounded out the overall mood of the series beautifully. Would I love to read a third installment? Absolutely. But thanks to Miss Cole’s finesse, one is not required. It is a rare cliff that you could happily fall from forever.

Read if you are a fan of fantasy, regardless of the creature in the spotlight, or which genre/ age group you might usually select. There is something in the Merminia series for everyone.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoyed Merminia, you will be utterly blown away by the second in this series! Cole delivers a Mermaid fantasy beyond comparison to others in what is fast becoming an extremely popular genre. Cole successfully provides a vivid escape from reality in this fantasy world set in a time where Merfolk are not just mysterious secrets of the sea. Although not comfortably, they live alongside the humans. In this instalment Cole introduced all of my favourite paranormals (Enchanteds). Faeries, elves, witches and vamps, Oh My! Each confined, and living peacefully in their own land. That is until Ulric, son of the now comatose Merconius gets his hands on Adessia's ring.

If you are like me, you may have been disheartened by the romance or lack thereof in the first book (Merminia) you shouldn't let that prevent you from continuing on to this instalment. Certain revelations will bring about a feeling of understanding as an alluring love story unravels.

I must agree whole heartedly with another reviewer... Cole is a master story teller! Keeping Merminia is an emotion evoking adventure ride with plot twists that will leave your head spinning!
Whether you love or hate the heart stopping ending, the ending to this epic story will stay with you for a very long time!

[Howard Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are all familiar with the old conversational chestnut that “something” is going to be a tough act to follow. We have all seen examples of that pronouncement ringing true. When this reviewer learned that Emm Cole was working on a sequel to Merminia, he said the same thing to his faithful cat, Rankin, who was sleeping behind his PC monitor at the time. Today, as Rankin sleeps behind the monitor once more, this reviewer is pleased to say that Emm Cole has more than successfully followed her own “tough act” with her sequel, Keeping Merminia.

In Merminian pre-history, two princes fought an ever widening war over their late father’s estate. Adessia, daughter of one of the warring brothers, implored them to end their fratricidal war but to no avail. Desperate to end the conflict that swept up innocent commoners in what was a simple dispute over what had been bequeathed to each son, Adessia created a ring from tokens gifted by her father and uncle and then threw it and herself into the sea as a sacrificial offering to the fates that controlled the world. The fates complied and the armies of Adessia’s father were engulfed by the sea and transmogrified as merfolk. Although, they had gotten the better part of the bargain, the merfolk devolved into warring clans, all the while searching for the ring of Adessia and the ultimate power it gave to it’s possessor. In the concluding pages of Merminia, Ulric, of the Litiant clan obtains the ring and invades the land in what is essentially a continuation of the original conflict.

In Keeping Merminia, Ulric has taken over the land-based kingdom and changed its environment to suit himself and his Litiant followers. They are here to stay and the sea has suffered for it. Food becomes scarce while more and more merfolk, Merminians as well as the neighbouring Julgrenians give up the sea in the hope of surviving on land even though this change of venue robs them of their scales and their powers. Things are becoming dire and it falls to Selinne, leader of the Merminians, to act; to end the turmoil and chaos that is affecting her clan and her beloved sea.

In the back of my mind, I recognize what I’m supposed to do next. I remember my dream. I can hear my dead father’s message on repeat. The fates want you to take the ring back from Ulric, he said.
Even with the ocean crying out, even as the bravest mermen flee from the waves—I hesitate. I can’t imagine the horror of being without my tail. How can I leave my home? If I do manage to stop Ulric, will there even be a home left to come back to?

And so, Selinne and Arimis, her protector, embark on a perilous quest to leave the sea behind and stop Ulric at any cost. They are not alone on this journey as they are accompanied by Gabriel, the Litiant who was Selinne’s first love, and Walter, the parentless 9 year-old child who saw Ulric first come ashore near the south coast fishing village. Their guide on this journey will be Yuri, an odiferous, drunken ale trader.

It is at this point that your reviewer dates himself by comparing the party’s perilous journey to that taken by the commando team in the 1957 movie, The Bridge on the River Kwai. The task of the commando team was to destroy the Japanese railway bridge. The task of Selinne’s party is to destroy Ulric. In both cases, the overland journey is long and arduous. The commandos will have to deal with Japanese patrols while Selinne’s party will have to deal with wild beasts and enchanted beings that pose an even greater threat than the patrols. There are hardships and wounds. As the movie-goer wondered if the commandos would reach the bridge in time, the reader wonders if Selinne and her followers will arrive in time to end Ulric and take back Adessa’s ring.

As one might imagine, an overland journey is not easy on those whose usual method of travel is in and through the water. Emm Cole brilliantly articulates the sense of loss and separation from the sea experienced not only by Selinne but by other merfolk – both Merminian and Litiant – as well. This longing is best expressed by Zara, the wife of Ulric.

Her hands dip into the pond. She traces the surface, making the water curl under her fingertips. “I miss the salt of the ocean soaking into my fins. I miss the way the current rocked me to sleep. I think about the freedom of somersaulting through a lit haze of jellyfish. I’m scared I’ll forget how the morning tide sifted sunlight. I’m lost in this place. I hate not being able to float, Ulric. These weighted legs make me feel like I’m constantly sinking to the ground.”

Aramis is Selinne’s long-time body-guard and unrequited lover. He will strike up an easy-going relationship with Gabriel even though they were once sworn enemies and had both sought her affections. Although Gabriel was her first love and Aramis was treated more like a long-term close friend by her, the reader will see the tide shift from Gabriel to Aramis. Gabriel is meant for other things and though he loves Selinne like no other mermaid, he understands that the tide is turning and must turn in Aramis’ favour.

You captured my heart because you weren’t afraid to look Merconius in the eye when his trident was at your neck. I’d never had that kind of confidence in front of him before. I adored you because you insisted on being yourself for better or worse. You refused to accept his judgments. I’d give anything to go back—to tell him that I didn’t need his acceptance and love if it came with conditions. I want to believe you’re still that fiery soul—the one who wasn’t twisted by him. I want to trust that this hideous war hasn’t changed you like it has changed Ulric. But if you’re going to let your fear of what the fates might do—or how I might feel about it stop you from going after Aramis—”

Most of Keeping Merminia takes place on dry land rather than in the sea and while this reviewer had potential reservations about mer-fiction where the venue was dry land rather than salt water, Emm Cole has indeed made it work and work very well. Ms Cole is an author of no mean talent and it shows in every word, sentence, and paragraph of this story. Emm Cole has accomplished something very special here and this reviewer is eager to what she will bring to future works The only adjective that is adequate for Keeping Merminia is Brilliant.

Regrettably, this story is most likely the last that readers will hear of Merminia. Emm Cole has no plans to extend the series and has turned her considerable talents towards other projects. Though her fans will miss additional stories from the hidden gardens of Merminia, they will nonetheless be grateful for the time she has taken to build and share this underwater world with them. If this is the first you have heard about Merminia, then do not read this story and expect to somehow fill in the gaps. The story of the Merminian world is much too complex and enthralling to be absorbed and understood in one go. Read Merminia first before embarking upon Keeping Merminia. Getting caught up in Emm Cole’s underwater world is perhaps one of the best things that a reader can do.

[Pete Tarsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This past spring, I read the book Merminia by Emm Cole and gave it four stars. The book was definitely well-written with lush language and vivid imagery, and the mermaid princess heroine Selinne was a delightful main character, but a war among mermaid factions in a Game of Thrones style wasn’t so much a plot for me. Still, the book is about mermaids, and I had the sequel also on my Kindle, so I thought I’d give it a read.

Since this is a review of a sequel, I can’t guarantee it will be spoiler-free for part one, but I’ll do my best to keep it so for part two.

Keeping Merminia is a very different book. There’s an underlying bleakness to it, as the two factions—the Merminians and the Litiants—are in the middle of the war started at the end of the first book. Selinne, the reluctant leader of the Merminians after the death of her father and brother, is searching for Adessia’s ring which will give her the power to end the war. Meanwhile, Ulric, the leader of the Litiants after the death of his bloodthirsty father, possesses the ring and wants control not only of the seas but also of the land of Dencur.

Thus, a majority of the story takes place on land—something I didn’t expect. Selinne ventures toward Dencur, accompanied by Aramis, the since-childhood friend of her deceased brother, and Gabriel, the Litiant who protected her in the first book and now is a mer without a faction. A love triangle develops, but it’s handled subtly without drawing much focus from the main plot. I won’t spoil it by revealing who—if either—she ends up with, but I wasn’t disappointed in the least, and the one(s) not with her in the end is given an appropriate resolution.

Another surprise was the narration. Where the first book is written in a third-person omniscient narrator, the sequel is written in first-person points of view, alternating chapter by chapter (for the most part) between Selinne and Ulric. It was an excellent choice, and author Emm Cole uses it effectively. The two leaders are on opposite sides, but the structure shows their differences and similarities, as both of their lives are upturned by the war between them. There are casualties and obstacles in both of their journeys, and both are war-weary.

There are some fun new characters introduced in the book, particularly a young human boy named Walter who travels with Selinne. His inclusion provided an intriguing counterpoint to the action. He’s heard the war stories and wants to be in one, yet he also represented hope of the future—a future that Selinne and company want to protect for everyone whether they have fins or legs.

Like in her first book, Cole excels at world building. I found this part much easier to keep track of characters on the opposing sides, mostly because of the alternating narration. The climactic big battle scene is vivid and gripping, and there were some surprising developments about Selinne’s lineage that I liked. The underlying theme of war and its effect on both sides is strong, and beautifully summed up in one of my favorite lines from the book:

“I miss it, the way the ocean washes it all away. Here the blood stains everything it touches. It makes it so hard to forget—to forget what I’ve done.”

Even though Ulric has the upper hand, he realizes that he can’t simply wash away the actions he has committed. Selinne has a similar realization, and the alternating narration juxtaposes those thoughts quite nicely. They say that neither side wins a war; there are just different degrees of losing. The book shows that theme very well without it coming across as preachy.

The story has a solid resolution, and all the major characters experience believable personal growth. The alternating narration works very well for the most part, though I thought it was a little slow in the middle. If you enjoyed Merminia, you’ll enjoy this. Keeping Merminia is a keeper at FOUR STARS.

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

A beautifully plotted, well written, fantastic trip back into Cole's world.
This is a largely relationship driven book, which at first I had mixed feelings about, but as Cole develops her characters, it becomes even more enjoyable than her first book. Definitely give it a look. although you REALLY need to read Merminia

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books about mermaids!!!!! This book was no different. In this book we get to learn about a young mermaid princess who wants revenge upon her brother's death. This book kept me in suspense even after the end. I loved the romance in the book because I am a sucker for any kind. If you are obsessed with mermaids, you'll love this book!!

[Tysha · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed Merminia then I definitely recommend picking up a copy of this book, it continues the story wonderfully. If, however, this underwater world is new to you, you will probably find this volume a bit difficult to get into without the background the first book provides.

[aprille · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been through the emotional wringer.
Review to come.

[Victoria Zigler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the descriptions were better in the first book, though the insight we get in to the main characters thoughts due to the change to first person viewpoint goes some way towards compensating for that. I also felt the ending should have included the answer to the question of a certain character's fate, which I felt was left unanswered. Other than those things, however, I thought this book was a great read.

[Nat]

This is a largely relationship focused book even though fantasy elements are fantastic but as Cole develops his characters, it becomes even more enjoyable than his first book. Definitely take a look at it.

[Jacquie Bolton · Rating 4 out of 5]

*NOTE: This is BOOK 2 of the Merminia Series, so be warned that this review has book one spoilers. You can also see this review complete with the GIF's @ http://thisisnotacliffhanger.blogspot...

At the end of Meminia (Book 1) Ulric has possession of Adessia's ring giving him powers over land and sea that no man with his ego and aggression levels should have. He's just gone all creeptastic and waltzed onto shore to start some serious shit with the land dwellers.

Selinne has buried her brother, become lead Merminian, been abandoned by Gabriel, and has just had a friendly chat with her dead father. Her father delivers a message from the Fate's themselves declaring Selinne must get back Adessia's ring, it's her destiny.

Book two begins with Ulric continuing his rampage and seizing Dencur with Adessia's ring. He leaves everything beyond the city walls in complete chaos, because he's Ulric, and he can.

Selinne must attempt to save Merminia from ruin by journeying into Dencur to battle it out with the crazy warlord giant and finds a hesitant group to aid her on her trek.

However while Selinne works to stop Ulric from destroying all that she holds dear, her friendships are pushed to their breaking points.

With the final battle between humans and Enchanteds looming on the horizon, both Seline and Ulric will find out just how much they both stand to lose.

First of all... I must say, I'm very surprised by this series. I usually can't get into a mermaid series. I'm not sure if it's because they all seem to have that human meets mermaid and falls madly in love romance element or if I just can't connect with fins. Whatever the case may be, they generally just aren't my thing.

Merminia is different though. For one, Selinne is not in love with a human and humans are not in love with her. Why it took so long for me to find a series that operates this way, I don't know, but I'm ecstatic about it.

Also, it's just a good story, and even though the characters possess fins, I found them easy to connect with. Cole does a great job of creating well rounded characters that are flawed enough to make them believable. I found her characters very easy to love... or hate... depending on who we're discussing, but they each did things that completely surprised me.

Speaking of surprise... very few things went the way I expected them to go in this book. If we narrow down to important things that went the way I expected, not a damn one of them went the way I thought it would. NOT A SINGLE FREAKING ONE! So either I'm really losing my touch here, or Cole is a master with plot twists. I'm going with master of plot twists.

Oh, and the end of the book... yeah... it was one of those things I totally got wrong. Yeah, I'm all sunshine and rainbows and then here comes Cole with a big shiny metaphorical dagger to stick in my metaphorical side and twist. Then she just leaves it there... to linger and fester and drive me completely insane.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the ending AT ALL. Like I have said before, I love a cliffhanger. I really do. I loved this one too. It was, however, one of the cruelest cliffhangers I've seen in awhile.

It's really a fantastic Indie read, and I'm so, so glad that I decided to volunteer for it. The only thing that I will say is kind of odd about the series is the POV switch. Book one is 3rd person, switch POV, and Book two is 1st person, dual POV. It kind of threw me when I hit chapter one of book two. HOWEVER, I will say that I really PREFER 1st person POV, so I wasn't too brokenhearted over the switch. It was just strange to see in the middle of the series. Other than that, I give mad props to Emm Cole for creating an amazing story... with mermaids... that I actually want to read.

BTW... Ms. Cole... when is book three coming out???

[Ari Ovalle · Rating 5 out of 5]

*A complimentary ecopy of this book was gifted by the author in exchange for my honest review.*

Oh, the Fates, what am I to write here while still reeling from those last words of the last chapter from Aramis? All I can say is, "Wow!!" I have never read a book to where the author lets YOU decide how it ends. Tears were falling as I read the very end. This story may be Fantasy but it has you feeling feelings as if you were reading a Contemporary Romance. Cole has become one of my favorite authors. And I'm not just saying that because I got a free book. I'm saying it because of her storytelling ability. It's how she manages to take me, the reader, from reality to a dream-like state where her words are thoroughly played out. For me, only a few have managed that.
So, Keeping Mermina picks up right where the first left off. In this book we get a POV from Ulric & Selinne. With an exception from the last chapter but I am not going into that. Ulric wants claim to sea & land, but he's destroying everything within them, with Adessia's ring. Now it's up to Selinne to take back the ring & set things right. She has Gabriel, Aramis, little Walter, and a mysterious guide named, Yuri to accompany her to the city of Dencur, where Ulric is holed up. Along the way we meet fairies, elves, krowlers, vampires, and witches. They all unite for one purpose: For Adessia to take her ring back from the destroyer who upset the balance of the land & sea. I will not say anything more about the plot.
Here are a few thoughts I had, though. From the first book I was wondering who Selinne's mother was. Was it Adessia? I got my question answered in this book. The story of Selinne's mother was heartbreaking. Would Lucia ever get her comeuppance? Oh yea, she most certainly does. One thing that bothered me that probably shouldn't have, was Merconious. Was that his fate? More than likely it was but it had me thinking. Really, though, it's not like he can do anything in that state. Selinne & Gabriel, that whole thing got situated. She chose her mate, the Merminian way. Oh, that brings me to the very end with Aramis. Cole, you made me cry. I chose to cry happy tears because sad tears just would not do.
I love this story just the same as Merminia. Once again, Cole tells a thrilling story full of adventure, heartbreak, & romance that combines into an epic journey from sea to land, back to the sea, once and for all.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy, in exchange for an honest review*

Ulric has the ring of Adessia and has taken his merclan to land. Selinne want his death, for the death of her brother. Ever faithful Aramis goes with her to land. It is there that they find Gabriel, who has been living among the humans, learning their ways and surviving. Most of the Merminia clan is already on land, due to lack of food from the storm brewing. Selinna, Aramis and Gabriel must travel thru dangerous lands, that are inhabited by Enchanteds; unicorns, elves, fairies, witches, vamps, etc. Along with other scary things that would sooner kill you then let you pass. It is during this time, that Selinne realizes her true feelings towards Gabriel and Aramis. But is she too late? Will he understand? Will he accept her?

Ulric also realizes his folly in this story. He has lost his people, they no longer respect him or listen to him. Even his own wife, Zara disregards him. Lucia, his half sister never listened to him, she is just a tool. The action in this book is amazing, the war that is being waged is good Vs. Evil. Can Selinne end it all? Or will Ulric over come and keep them out of the sea?

The ending is tragic and I cried, because I feared the worst! I even tweet Emm, just to make sure things were okay! I wouldn’t have been able to sleep if the worst happened!! Oh dear, NOOOoooooooo!!! Ms. Cole is a very good weaver of stories, my emotions were all over the place in this book. I loved Walter and how they all interacted with him. Tending after him, like he belonged to all of them. It was so sweet!!

[Lauri Schlierman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was wonderful! It was even better than the first one, and concluded the overall story very well. Before I began reading I was warned that this book was geared towards an older audience than the first one. There is one scene in particular that may be inappropriate for younger audiences, but it was very tastefully written and not gratuitous at all.

Throughout the book the characters were developed more fully, and I fell even more in love (or hate) with each of them. I didn't anticipate any of the fun little twists in the plot at all, and I love the direction the story took. The very end made me wish for just one more chapter, but other than that I was satisfied with where everyone ended up and how the various loose ends of the story were tied up.

[Joseph McGarry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sounded a little familiar. A group of warriors crossing over land searching for a ring. It was a little jarring at first, switching from 3rd person in the original to alternating 1st person here. After a while I got used to it. I thought the ending was open ended. I wanted to find out what happened to everyone. *Spoiler alert* I didn't realize until the end that Walter was speaking in the prologue. If there isn't going to be a 3rd book, I would have liked to see an epilogue with Walter to round out the story. Otherwise, a good book.

This review also appears on Amazon.com.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.

[Alayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had not read the first book, so my review must take that into account. I couldn't finish the book. I found the characters flat and the story didn't grip my attention. Each chapter was written from the point of view of one of the characters, but all the voices sounded the same to me. I found I was procrastinating in picking the book up to read on, so I gave up on it. If I had read the first book, I may have found this one to be more enthralling, but as it is I could not recommend it.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing I want to say is... what great world-building in this series! I loved every part of it. I also liked how there were different types of merfolk and other creatures (Enchanteds)in this story, it kept things new and fresh throughout. The writing is good, it kept me engrossed most of the time. "Keeping Merminia" is full of mystery, romance, action, suspense, all the good stuff. I highly recommend it to both mermaid and fantasy fans alike!

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading "Keeping Merminia", as I was a big fan of Emm Cole's first book "Merminia" and was excited to see how the story would conclude. There were mythical creatures galore, sword fights, dragons and eventually...true love. Emm is an excellent Fantasy writer with an amazing immagination and I can't wait to read more of her works. It is always a pleasure.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! I always enjoy and appreciate a book that I can't predict the ending . This book has twists, turns and unexpected surprises!
I was completely captivated!
Looking forward to the next installment!

[Aliesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the world building and character development in this book.

[Angela]

22 February 2014: $0.00 FREE on Kindle

[Sherlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come asap!!

[Tiffany Holme · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many feelings right now. these books are a must read!! Full review to come in September