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Waterfire Saga #2
Rogue Wave
Six mermaids battle to save their hidden world.
Serafina, Neela and four others have successfully escaped Captain Traho and his men after their hideout with the river witches was stormed. They must stop an ancient evil from escaping its icy prison by finding six talismans hidden by Serafina's ancestor hundreds of years before. With all the Mer nations looking for them and no clue where to start, will the mermaids find the talismans before the monster is released?
The second book in the Waterfire Saga.
339 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2015
About the author
Jennifer Donnelly
42 books8,354 followersJennifer Donnelly is the author of fourteen novels - Beastly Beauty, Poisoned, Stepsister, Lost in a Book, These Shallow Graves, Sea Spell, Dark Tide, Rogue Wave, Deep Blue, Revolution, A Northern Light, The Tea Rose, The Winter Rose and The Wild Rose - and Humble Pie, a picture book for children. She is a co-author of Fatal Throne, which explores the lives of King Henry VIII's six wives, for which she wrote the part of Anna of Cleves, Henry's fourth wife.
In 2023, she published Molly's Letter, the first in a series of novella-length stories called Rose Petals set in the world of her three-volume Tea Rose series -- followed by Where Roses Fall in August, 2024.
Jennifer grew up in New York State, in Lewis and Westchester counties, and attended the University of Rochester where she majored in English Literature and European History.
See Jennifer's full bio on Wikipedia.
In 2023, she published Molly's Letter, the first in a series of novella-length stories called Rose Petals set in the world of her three-volume Tea Rose series -- followed by Where Roses Fall in August, 2024.
Jennifer grew up in New York State, in Lewis and Westchester counties, and attended the University of Rochester where she majored in English Literature and European History.
See Jennifer's full bio on Wikipedia.
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July 24, 2015
4 UNDERWATER STARS!
You can find the full review and more about this book on my blog!
Rogue Wave by Jennifer Donnelly
Book Two of the Waterfire Saga
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
As always,I must talk about the cover.You may know that,I am not a big fan of covers with persons,but to be honest this one pulled it out great.I really like the colors.So great job on that!
Rogue Wave is the second book in the Waterfire Saga.It is a fantasy mermaid story.I am not a fan of mermaids,never was,so I am not going to judge the book by my likeness,but in general because for people who like these creatures this book is so worth reading.
I had a problem getting in this book,because I have not read the first one.I checked it on,learned about the plot of the first,but I would have liked this better if I read the first book.Anyway I can't say I didn't enjoy this,it was a fun read.
The story follows 2 mermaids,the main character Serafina and Neela(her "sidekick") and their journey to discover the enemy.Also this adventure includes Serafina finding her tailsman,and also her growing relationship with Mahdi.
I liked the writing style.Also the characters.Serafina is a great character with all the qualities,but Neela shined for me in this one.I really liker her.I like the way she handles things,her depth,the situation,she is a hell of a smart person.
I recommend this book to every fantasy reader out there,especially if you like mermaids and if you read the first book.Read the first before this one:)
October 14, 2016
Actual rating 4.5 stars
HOLY SHIT!! I did not see that coming
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
Check out my series review here: https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/...
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
This book definitely stepped this series up a notch. It’s intricate, exciting and action packed. It’s full of twists and turns that I definitely wasn’t expecting and betrayals that caught me off guard. I felt much more connected to the story and the world wasn’t as pushed on in this book. The romance was also increased in this book but it’s still not the main attraction.
Writing Style – 3 out of 5 stars
Definitely not my favorite of Jennifer’s styles but it’s really easy to read and fast to get through. It’s simple and still filled to the brim with puns. However, after the events of the first book, the characters are more mature and that definitely shows through in the writing style. It’s descriptive and fast paced and keeps it’s feminist edge.
Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
As we continue with the series, other characters get more of a spotlight while we continue with the original POVs.
Serafina is a lot stronger and a lot more mature. The events of the first book have definitely shaped her view of the world and what her part is in it. She’s brave and smart and determined but still very scared of the things she feels she needs to do. I loved that she didn’t just magically become a heroine all of a sudden.
Neela also has more of a focus in this book and I absolutely loved her character development this far. She was a ditzy, kind of ignorant sort of girl and in this book, she really gets down to it and becomes so fierce. She’s still bubbly and sweet, but she’s brave and mature and she knows there are things she needs to do for the good of everyone and she gets shit done.
Unfortunately, in this book, the other mermaids are very separated so we don’t get to see a lot of the others but there were some new characters introduced that our girls meet on their journeys and I really liked them.
Emotionally
HOLY SHIT!! I did not see that coming
This review was originally posted at https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/
Check out my series review here: https://freadomlibrary.wordpress.com/...
Critically
Plot – 4 out of 5 stars
This book definitely stepped this series up a notch. It’s intricate, exciting and action packed. It’s full of twists and turns that I definitely wasn’t expecting and betrayals that caught me off guard. I felt much more connected to the story and the world wasn’t as pushed on in this book. The romance was also increased in this book but it’s still not the main attraction.
Writing Style – 3 out of 5 stars
Definitely not my favorite of Jennifer’s styles but it’s really easy to read and fast to get through. It’s simple and still filled to the brim with puns. However, after the events of the first book, the characters are more mature and that definitely shows through in the writing style. It’s descriptive and fast paced and keeps it’s feminist edge.
Characters – 4 out of 5 stars
As we continue with the series, other characters get more of a spotlight while we continue with the original POVs.
Serafina is a lot stronger and a lot more mature. The events of the first book have definitely shaped her view of the world and what her part is in it. She’s brave and smart and determined but still very scared of the things she feels she needs to do. I loved that she didn’t just magically become a heroine all of a sudden.
Neela also has more of a focus in this book and I absolutely loved her character development this far. She was a ditzy, kind of ignorant sort of girl and in this book, she really gets down to it and becomes so fierce. She’s still bubbly and sweet, but she’s brave and mature and she knows there are things she needs to do for the good of everyone and she gets shit done.
Unfortunately, in this book, the other mermaids are very separated so we don’t get to see a lot of the others but there were some new characters introduced that our girls meet on their journeys and I really liked them.
Emotionally
April 30, 2016
Review posted on Fafa's Book Corner !
Beware spoilers ahead!
This book series was recommended to me from my dear GR friend Alyssa ! Click on her name to read her review.
After I finished reading Deep Blue I so badly wanted to read the rest of the series! I was only able to get to it now due to my reading schedule. I am happy to say that I enjoyed this!
The book begins with a prologue. In the point of view of the man with fully black eyes. He watches Serafina from a mirror. He could kill her that way at least he won't have to worry about her getting in his way. As he watches her he realizes that killing her now would be pointless. If he kills her later on there's a good chance that she'll have the talisman's. Once he steals the talisman's from her and destroys everything she holds dear, then he'll look into her eyes proving to her that darkness has won.
We are then taken to the first chapter which is in Serafina's point of view. She and the rest of her friends fled into the mirror so that they could escape Traho's army. While Sera is trying to get a way out of there she runs into Dolim. The man in charge of the mirror realm who eats people's fears.
Dolim confront Sera and asks where she is going. She lies and says she's going home. He eventually figures out that she's lying and start feeding of off her fears. Sera feels absolutely helpless as Dolim continues to feed. When Dolim starts talking again Sera regains her strength. Sera tells Dolim everything she is afraid of until Dolim becomes so fat that he can't move.
It is then revealed that Sera plans to go to the capital of Atlantis. Sera is hoping to find a clue and then she'll make her way home. When she reaches the capital Sera runs into Ling. Ling explains that Ava was worried so she offered to go after Sera. After doing some investigating they decide to ask Lady Thalia some questions. Lady Thalia is one of the mirror people and from her the two find out a bit about Orfeo's past, what some of the talismans are, and a particular person who was working with Orfeo.
Before finding out anymore the creatures guarding the capital come and start to attack the girls. Then Dolim appears with the man with fully black eyes. Sera has no choice but to destroy the mirror. The two of them fight off the monsters and manage to escape. Ling and Sera feel somewhat accomplished with the information they got from Lady Thalia. They wish each other luck and go their separate ways.
I didn't like this book as much as Deep Blue but I enjoyed it nonetheless! You get two point of views in this book. Sera and Neela. Serafina thinks that she can find the location of the talismans through Merror's progress. She doesn't find what she's looking for but with the help of some new friends she is able to pin point the locations. Sera focuses on finding Merrow's talisman whom she is descended from. Along the way she finds out about the Black Fins rebellion. She also runs into Madhi her fiance. Throughout her journey Sera learns to accept her role as a future queen and becomes an amazing leader.
When Neela arrives home her parents think that she is an impostor judging by what she's wearing. After they realize that she isn't an impostor they welcome her with open arms. But after some time they believe there's something wrong with Neela. She isn't eating her favourite sweets and she still insists on keeping the outfit she came home in. Neela tries to explain her parents the situation with the talisman's. Much to her surprise her parents think that she's crazy. They actually call in a doctor and keep her locked in her room. Sera is able to contact her and tells her about the talisman Neela has to look for. Neela runs away from home and goes to search for the talisman. Neela gets some help from a friend to retrieve the talisman. Throughout her journey Neela learns to do what she wants and her way.
Ava does come in for one scene. Ling comes in with Serafina and at the end of the book. You are not sure what is happening with Astrid and Becca. Despite this you could feel the friendship between all the girls.
Just like Deep Blue there is some action and lots of twists and turns. Old and new characters come in this book. I didn't expect some of the old characters to be working with Traho let alone that they became main characters. I loved Sera and Neela's character development! It was also nice to read about the Black Fins and Madhia and Yaz (Neela's brother). I did not see some of those twists coming. Just like Deep Blue there is barely any romance but when it was present it was adorable!
I only had three problems with Rogue Wave. I felt that Deep Blue was much better than Rogue Wave. The book felt really jumpy and once Ling and Sera separate not much happens for awhile. I also felt that it lost some of it's magic because the girls were separated and didn't meet until towards the end. Nonetheless I enjoyed this!
Overall this was a really good book! I recommend this series to anyone looking for a good mermaid series.
Beware spoilers ahead!
This book series was recommended to me from my dear GR friend Alyssa ! Click on her name to read her review.
After I finished reading Deep Blue I so badly wanted to read the rest of the series! I was only able to get to it now due to my reading schedule. I am happy to say that I enjoyed this!
The book begins with a prologue. In the point of view of the man with fully black eyes. He watches Serafina from a mirror. He could kill her that way at least he won't have to worry about her getting in his way. As he watches her he realizes that killing her now would be pointless. If he kills her later on there's a good chance that she'll have the talisman's. Once he steals the talisman's from her and destroys everything she holds dear, then he'll look into her eyes proving to her that darkness has won.
We are then taken to the first chapter which is in Serafina's point of view. She and the rest of her friends fled into the mirror so that they could escape Traho's army. While Sera is trying to get a way out of there she runs into Dolim. The man in charge of the mirror realm who eats people's fears.
Dolim confront Sera and asks where she is going. She lies and says she's going home. He eventually figures out that she's lying and start feeding of off her fears. Sera feels absolutely helpless as Dolim continues to feed. When Dolim starts talking again Sera regains her strength. Sera tells Dolim everything she is afraid of until Dolim becomes so fat that he can't move.
It is then revealed that Sera plans to go to the capital of Atlantis. Sera is hoping to find a clue and then she'll make her way home. When she reaches the capital Sera runs into Ling. Ling explains that Ava was worried so she offered to go after Sera. After doing some investigating they decide to ask Lady Thalia some questions. Lady Thalia is one of the mirror people and from her the two find out a bit about Orfeo's past, what some of the talismans are, and a particular person who was working with Orfeo.
Before finding out anymore the creatures guarding the capital come and start to attack the girls. Then Dolim appears with the man with fully black eyes. Sera has no choice but to destroy the mirror. The two of them fight off the monsters and manage to escape. Ling and Sera feel somewhat accomplished with the information they got from Lady Thalia. They wish each other luck and go their separate ways.
I didn't like this book as much as Deep Blue but I enjoyed it nonetheless! You get two point of views in this book. Sera and Neela. Serafina thinks that she can find the location of the talismans through Merror's progress. She doesn't find what she's looking for but with the help of some new friends she is able to pin point the locations. Sera focuses on finding Merrow's talisman whom she is descended from. Along the way she finds out about the Black Fins rebellion. She also runs into Madhi her fiance. Throughout her journey Sera learns to accept her role as a future queen and becomes an amazing leader.
When Neela arrives home her parents think that she is an impostor judging by what she's wearing. After they realize that she isn't an impostor they welcome her with open arms. But after some time they believe there's something wrong with Neela. She isn't eating her favourite sweets and she still insists on keeping the outfit she came home in. Neela tries to explain her parents the situation with the talisman's. Much to her surprise her parents think that she's crazy. They actually call in a doctor and keep her locked in her room. Sera is able to contact her and tells her about the talisman Neela has to look for. Neela runs away from home and goes to search for the talisman. Neela gets some help from a friend to retrieve the talisman. Throughout her journey Neela learns to do what she wants and her way.
Ava does come in for one scene. Ling comes in with Serafina and at the end of the book. You are not sure what is happening with Astrid and Becca. Despite this you could feel the friendship between all the girls.
Just like Deep Blue there is some action and lots of twists and turns. Old and new characters come in this book. I didn't expect some of the old characters to be working with Traho let alone that they became main characters. I loved Sera and Neela's character development! It was also nice to read about the Black Fins and Madhia and Yaz (Neela's brother). I did not see some of those twists coming. Just like Deep Blue there is barely any romance but when it was present it was adorable!
I only had three problems with Rogue Wave. I felt that Deep Blue was much better than Rogue Wave. The book felt really jumpy and once Ling and Sera separate not much happens for awhile. I also felt that it lost some of it's magic because the girls were separated and didn't meet until towards the end. Nonetheless I enjoyed this!
Overall this was a really good book! I recommend this series to anyone looking for a good mermaid series.
December 2, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Rogue Wave by Jennifer Donnelly
Book Two of the Waterfire Saga
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
In this exciting sequel to DEEP BLUE, Serafina uncovers more clues about the talismans, Neela ventures into a sea dragon's nest, and Ling learns the identity of their foe.
Serafina, Neela, Ling, Ava, Becca, and Astrid, six mermaids from realms scattered throughout the seas and freshwaters, were summoned by the leader of the river witches to learn an incredible truth: the mermaids are direct descendants of the Six Who Ruled-powerful mages who once governed the lost empire of Atlantis. The ancient evil that destroyed Atlantis is stirring again, and only the mermaids can defeat it. To do so, they need to find magical talismans that belonged to the Six.
Serafina believes her talisman was buried with an old shipwreck. While researching its location, she is almost discovered by a death rider patrol led by someone familiar. . . . The pain of seeing him turned traitor is devastating.
Neela travels to Matali to warn her parents of the grave threat facing their world. But they find her story outlandish; a sign that she needs to be confined to her chamber for rest and recovery. She escapes and travels to Kandina, where her talisman is in the possession of fearsome razormouth dragons.
As they hunt for their talismans, both Serafina and Neela find reserves of courage and cunning they didn't know they possessed. They face down danger and death, only to endure a game-changing betrayal, as shocking as a rogue wave.
What I Liked:
This was such a quick read, which is fantastic! I had a blast reading this one, because it went by so quickly, and I wasn't bored at all. On the contrary, I was quite engrossed, and read it in one sitting. That's always a good sign! Also, I didn't have too much trouble getting into the sequel novel. It shouldn't be too hard for readers to remember important events from book one (Deep Blue), or to jump into book two after not reading book one for a while.
This book focuses on the mermaids finding the talismans of their ancestors, so that they will have the power to defeat an ancient, unknown evil. In this book, Serafina discovers where her talisman is... along with other secrets that she didn't expect. Neela's concerns and cries for help are ignored by her parents and clan, so she takes matters into her own hands. Ling has problems of her own... the girls are scattered in the ocean, but they must work for each end in order to band together and destroy what is haunting the ocean.
Like I said, this book goes by quickly. I feel like compared to book one, not much happens in this book, but what happens is really critical and important, Serafina succeeds in finding her talisman, but she also learns the truth about some things, in the process. For example, she sees Mahdi. In his death riders uniform, with other death riders.
Eventually, Serafina and Mahdi clash. Serafina is sure that he is a traitor, but readers know that this is not so. Serafina finally learns the truth - that Mahdi is acting as a turncoat, but he is trying to stay on the "good side" of the death riders and Portia. This means swimming with the death riders... and pretending to date Lucia (Portia's daughter)... which infuriates Serafina. Rightfully so.
Nevertheless, I'm really glad that Serafina finds out the truth. We all knew this was going to happen, so I don't consider this a spoiler. What happens after she finds out would be a spoiler... trust me, it's some craziness. I NEED book three, if only to know what happens to Mahdi and Serafina's relationship.
Neela is prominent in this book as well. She returns home, only to be called deranged and crazy, because she has been through a lot. Nobody believes what she says about the dark evil in the ocean, about Abbadon, about anything. So she goes back out, taking matters into her own hands, and runs into a familiar face...
In terms of plot, things are moving right along, in both this book, and in the series in general. Serafina has her talisman, and something huge is revealed at the very end of the book, about the evil that the girls must defeat...
I must say, I really liked Serafina in this book - and Neela. Both of them show their character growth, wear it proudly. Serafina especially though. She is thinking not only about herself and the other five girls, but about her kingdom. I approve!
I mentioned the romance a bit - well, the romance in this book (and series, it seems) is between the Principessa Serafina and the Crown Prince Mahdi - I ship them so hard! They were arranged to be married in the beginning of the series, before everything got crazy and everyone went to war or ruins. Mahdi and Serafina love each other and totally belong together... we'll see where Donnelly takes their relationship, in the next book. It should be interesting. NO love triangle, don't worry about that at all.
Let me repeat that - there is NO love triangle, in neither book one nor book two. The romance is solely between two people!
Overall, I'm quite pleased with this sequel! I can't wait to read book three - I wonder if this is a trilogy, or not? Goodreads says there will be four books in the series. Either way, I'm excited to read next chapter in Serafina and the other girls' journey.
What I Did Not Like:
I'm disappointed that Serafina and Neela are the only two mermaids that we really get to follow - Ling is present, and Ava's voice is around (in Serafina's head, through their awesome telecommunication thing), but the other girls aren't really present. I especially wanted to see more from Astrid, but oh well. On the other hand, it would have gotten confusing, to follow each of the girls. And book one really focused on Serafina. So, pros and cons.
Would I Recommend It:
If you read book one, Deep Blue, then I would highly recommend you continue with the series. It only gets better! I'm not the biggest fan of mermaid-related books (I've had bad luck in the past with many series), but I really like this series. I would recommend the series to anyone who hasn't started it, as well!
Rating:
4 stars. No sequel slump for this series! The second book is as amazing as the first book - and check out the covers! They seem to get prettier and prettier, in my opinion.
Rogue Wave by Jennifer Donnelly
Book Two of the Waterfire Saga
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Publication Date: January 6, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
In this exciting sequel to DEEP BLUE, Serafina uncovers more clues about the talismans, Neela ventures into a sea dragon's nest, and Ling learns the identity of their foe.
Serafina, Neela, Ling, Ava, Becca, and Astrid, six mermaids from realms scattered throughout the seas and freshwaters, were summoned by the leader of the river witches to learn an incredible truth: the mermaids are direct descendants of the Six Who Ruled-powerful mages who once governed the lost empire of Atlantis. The ancient evil that destroyed Atlantis is stirring again, and only the mermaids can defeat it. To do so, they need to find magical talismans that belonged to the Six.
Serafina believes her talisman was buried with an old shipwreck. While researching its location, she is almost discovered by a death rider patrol led by someone familiar. . . . The pain of seeing him turned traitor is devastating.
Neela travels to Matali to warn her parents of the grave threat facing their world. But they find her story outlandish; a sign that she needs to be confined to her chamber for rest and recovery. She escapes and travels to Kandina, where her talisman is in the possession of fearsome razormouth dragons.
As they hunt for their talismans, both Serafina and Neela find reserves of courage and cunning they didn't know they possessed. They face down danger and death, only to endure a game-changing betrayal, as shocking as a rogue wave.
What I Liked:
This was such a quick read, which is fantastic! I had a blast reading this one, because it went by so quickly, and I wasn't bored at all. On the contrary, I was quite engrossed, and read it in one sitting. That's always a good sign! Also, I didn't have too much trouble getting into the sequel novel. It shouldn't be too hard for readers to remember important events from book one (Deep Blue), or to jump into book two after not reading book one for a while.
This book focuses on the mermaids finding the talismans of their ancestors, so that they will have the power to defeat an ancient, unknown evil. In this book, Serafina discovers where her talisman is... along with other secrets that she didn't expect. Neela's concerns and cries for help are ignored by her parents and clan, so she takes matters into her own hands. Ling has problems of her own... the girls are scattered in the ocean, but they must work for each end in order to band together and destroy what is haunting the ocean.
Like I said, this book goes by quickly. I feel like compared to book one, not much happens in this book, but what happens is really critical and important, Serafina succeeds in finding her talisman, but she also learns the truth about some things, in the process. For example, she sees Mahdi. In his death riders uniform, with other death riders.
Eventually, Serafina and Mahdi clash. Serafina is sure that he is a traitor, but readers know that this is not so. Serafina finally learns the truth - that Mahdi is acting as a turncoat, but he is trying to stay on the "good side" of the death riders and Portia. This means swimming with the death riders... and pretending to date Lucia (Portia's daughter)... which infuriates Serafina. Rightfully so.
Nevertheless, I'm really glad that Serafina finds out the truth. We all knew this was going to happen, so I don't consider this a spoiler. What happens after she finds out would be a spoiler... trust me, it's some craziness. I NEED book three, if only to know what happens to Mahdi and Serafina's relationship.
Neela is prominent in this book as well. She returns home, only to be called deranged and crazy, because she has been through a lot. Nobody believes what she says about the dark evil in the ocean, about Abbadon, about anything. So she goes back out, taking matters into her own hands, and runs into a familiar face...
In terms of plot, things are moving right along, in both this book, and in the series in general. Serafina has her talisman, and something huge is revealed at the very end of the book, about the evil that the girls must defeat...
I must say, I really liked Serafina in this book - and Neela. Both of them show their character growth, wear it proudly. Serafina especially though. She is thinking not only about herself and the other five girls, but about her kingdom. I approve!
I mentioned the romance a bit - well, the romance in this book (and series, it seems) is between the Principessa Serafina and the Crown Prince Mahdi - I ship them so hard! They were arranged to be married in the beginning of the series, before everything got crazy and everyone went to war or ruins. Mahdi and Serafina love each other and totally belong together... we'll see where Donnelly takes their relationship, in the next book. It should be interesting. NO love triangle, don't worry about that at all.
Let me repeat that - there is NO love triangle, in neither book one nor book two. The romance is solely between two people!
Overall, I'm quite pleased with this sequel! I can't wait to read book three - I wonder if this is a trilogy, or not? Goodreads says there will be four books in the series. Either way, I'm excited to read next chapter in Serafina and the other girls' journey.
What I Did Not Like:
I'm disappointed that Serafina and Neela are the only two mermaids that we really get to follow - Ling is present, and Ava's voice is around (in Serafina's head, through their awesome telecommunication thing), but the other girls aren't really present. I especially wanted to see more from Astrid, but oh well. On the other hand, it would have gotten confusing, to follow each of the girls. And book one really focused on Serafina. So, pros and cons.
Would I Recommend It:
If you read book one, Deep Blue, then I would highly recommend you continue with the series. It only gets better! I'm not the biggest fan of mermaid-related books (I've had bad luck in the past with many series), but I really like this series. I would recommend the series to anyone who hasn't started it, as well!
Rating:
4 stars. No sequel slump for this series! The second book is as amazing as the first book - and check out the covers! They seem to get prettier and prettier, in my opinion.
March 11, 2016
Wow! This is such a great sequel, I'm impressed :D
May 17, 2019
I FIGURED OUT WHAT THIS SERIES REMINDS ME OF!
A BARBIE MOVIE. Minus addicting pop songs and adorakable cameos from Ken.
But everything totally fits. The emphasis on girl power. The obsession with disguises and fashion. The dangerous adventures that should feel suspenseful but somehow aren't. The annoying use of words like merl instead of girl every few sentences.
Oh yeah, this is totally a Barbie movie.
Except a Barbie movie that mostly left me going:
I suppose for better or worse, this book picks up where the first book leaves off and chugs ahead with little recapping or prolonged reminders about who characters are. Unfortunately, this means a continuation of the mer-slang. It is toned down...but still prevalent. Goggs and TideSide and ostrokon and Idon'tknowwhatanyofitmeans
Then there is the really confusing world of mermaids which continually to leaves me...baffled. Multi-story farmhouses, hot tea, and a mermaid going into labor are just a few of the unanswered features of life underwater.
Add on top of all that a crazy number of characters and places with weird sounding names and I just gave up trying to figure out what was going on and strapped in for the ride.
This series is just...its own little world.
But despite my confusion, it is fun. It is non-stop danger with dragons and ghost ships and enemy soldiers randomly popping up behind every rock. The story focuses on just two of the girls which helped frame the story somewhat. Two girls. Two precious talismans. Two journeys. Go.
Alas, even this framing fell apart rather quickly. The girls don't figure out their mission till about halfway through the book which means the first half felt confused and rambling. Then they accomplish their missions with almost laughable ease and leave the last quarter of the book to ramblingly reveal what the reader already learned.
So why three stars? Because gosh darn it, I like Barbie movies and for as much as this book left me wailing whhhhyyyyyy it seriously kept me entertained. Confused, but entertained.
A BARBIE MOVIE. Minus addicting pop songs and adorakable cameos from Ken.
But everything totally fits. The emphasis on girl power. The obsession with disguises and fashion. The dangerous adventures that should feel suspenseful but somehow aren't. The annoying use of words like merl instead of girl every few sentences.
Oh yeah, this is totally a Barbie movie.
Except a Barbie movie that mostly left me going:
I suppose for better or worse, this book picks up where the first book leaves off and chugs ahead with little recapping or prolonged reminders about who characters are. Unfortunately, this means a continuation of the mer-slang. It is toned down...but still prevalent. Goggs and TideSide and ostrokon and Idon'tknowwhatanyofitmeans
Then there is the really confusing world of mermaids which continually to leaves me...baffled. Multi-story farmhouses, hot tea, and a mermaid going into labor are just a few of the unanswered features of life underwater.
Add on top of all that a crazy number of characters and places with weird sounding names and I just gave up trying to figure out what was going on and strapped in for the ride.
This series is just...its own little world.
But despite my confusion, it is fun. It is non-stop danger with dragons and ghost ships and enemy soldiers randomly popping up behind every rock. The story focuses on just two of the girls which helped frame the story somewhat. Two girls. Two precious talismans. Two journeys. Go.
Alas, even this framing fell apart rather quickly. The girls don't figure out their mission till about halfway through the book which means the first half felt confused and rambling. Then they accomplish their missions with almost laughable ease and leave the last quarter of the book to ramblingly reveal what the reader already learned.
So why three stars? Because gosh darn it, I like Barbie movies and for as much as this book left me wailing whhhhyyyyyy it seriously kept me entertained. Confused, but entertained.
July 5, 2015
OMG, OMG, OMG! HOLY SH*T!!! What in the world just happened?!?!? Ok you guys laying it down there, books NEED WARNING LABELS! Like massive need and yeah this book is on that list of needing that label, because I can’t even comprehend everything that just happened, my mind is in overload right now and I can already feel the effects of a book hangover starting. I think that sums this book up like completely and I haven’t even said anything about it. Deep Blue was good, but Rogue Wave was beyond FANTASTIC!!! I mean so much happens and yeah a lot happened in book one, but this, this is like on all time I’m going for the touchdown and nobody is gonna stop me, here is the only problem you don’t get to see if your team makes the touchdown or not, it just stops. Like this book has one of the best cliffhangers I have ever read. There were aspects of the book that I guessed and got right and then there were parts where I was like what? What just happened? I mean so big that it gave me goose bumps all over my arms.
Ok so about our characters, Serefina, we get to basically stay with her the most in this book and omg I love the mermaid she is becoming and I definitely think it’s because of how book one ended, not saying it’s the definite reason but that it definitely did help. She goes from being this young mermaid who knows she can’t stop fighting, to a young mature mermaid who doesn’t stop fighting. It’s a completely different person just with the same love that she carries in her heart and that love just gets bigger in this book. All of the things that she faces in this book, omg, it just grabs at my heart and yeah. It’s big, I’m not gonna lie, but I’m not saying what happens. You just need to read this to find out.
I really love who Neela becomes in this book, I’m just so happy to see the mermaid she is becoming and everything in between. Even though she isn’t 100% there yet, she is so much more closer than what she was in Deep Blue.
Then all of the other characters, wow, let’s just say my mind feels like it’s gonna explode. Remember in my review for book one saying there are a ton of characters, well getting ready to learn more because you are going to need space in that brain. But yeah, I need book three now, I have no idea when it is coming out, but if I have to wait till next year I don’t think I will survive lol.
Ok so about our characters, Serefina, we get to basically stay with her the most in this book and omg I love the mermaid she is becoming and I definitely think it’s because of how book one ended, not saying it’s the definite reason but that it definitely did help. She goes from being this young mermaid who knows she can’t stop fighting, to a young mature mermaid who doesn’t stop fighting. It’s a completely different person just with the same love that she carries in her heart and that love just gets bigger in this book. All of the things that she faces in this book, omg, it just grabs at my heart and yeah. It’s big, I’m not gonna lie, but I’m not saying what happens. You just need to read this to find out.
I really love who Neela becomes in this book, I’m just so happy to see the mermaid she is becoming and everything in between. Even though she isn’t 100% there yet, she is so much more closer than what she was in Deep Blue.
Then all of the other characters, wow, let’s just say my mind feels like it’s gonna explode. Remember in my review for book one saying there are a ton of characters, well getting ready to learn more because you are going to need space in that brain. But yeah, I need book three now, I have no idea when it is coming out, but if I have to wait till next year I don’t think I will survive lol.
January 17, 2015
Wow what an ending!
I have to start off again by saying the ending was perfect and I totally didn't see that coming. It was like that throughout the book; twists and turns that had me in shock. Things that I should have seen coming but still threw me for a loop once everything happened.There are betrayals, romance that could make you swoon, and mermaid friends that have each others backs until the end. What more can you want in a novel????
In Rogue Wave, we are left with Seraphina and Neela, the two protagonist of the story, both looking for the talisman that will help defeat Abbadon. The thing is, they don't know where to start. Let alone begin to look for these talisman without finding answers first. How will they get them before the bad guys get them first? After all, Sera and Neela have to be ten steps ahead of the game, not behind. In order to do everything the mermaids need to do, they all split up. I have to say that it took me awhile to get used to the writing style when I first read Deep Blue. But once I caught on to it, I was hooked. In this book it's no different and I loved being able to get the POVs from two mermaids instead of one.
The book was non stop action, I seriously had my eyes glued to the pages in anticipation of what would happen next. There is some romance but it takes a backseat to the storyline. I have to say though, what we did get, was absolutely romantic and beautiful. There are times that I wanted to throw my book against the wall for sure. Particularly during those last few chapters. I mean seriously, WTH! We are introduced to new characters who I thought were awesome.
One thing that I loved so much was being able to see Sera and Neela grow as characters. There's more to them than their fashion choices or the boys they love. Donnelly has truly outdone herself in making the girls well rounded and like-able. I don't possibly think I could wait for the next book seeing as how the storyline is getting better and better. Rogue Wave has a beautiful cover and even more beautiful set of characters in a magical underwater world. I look forward to seeing where the story takes us next.
5 STARS!
I have to start off again by saying the ending was perfect and I totally didn't see that coming. It was like that throughout the book; twists and turns that had me in shock. Things that I should have seen coming but still threw me for a loop once everything happened.There are betrayals, romance that could make you swoon, and mermaid friends that have each others backs until the end. What more can you want in a novel????
In Rogue Wave, we are left with Seraphina and Neela, the two protagonist of the story, both looking for the talisman that will help defeat Abbadon. The thing is, they don't know where to start. Let alone begin to look for these talisman without finding answers first. How will they get them before the bad guys get them first? After all, Sera and Neela have to be ten steps ahead of the game, not behind. In order to do everything the mermaids need to do, they all split up. I have to say that it took me awhile to get used to the writing style when I first read Deep Blue. But once I caught on to it, I was hooked. In this book it's no different and I loved being able to get the POVs from two mermaids instead of one.
The book was non stop action, I seriously had my eyes glued to the pages in anticipation of what would happen next. There is some romance but it takes a backseat to the storyline. I have to say though, what we did get, was absolutely romantic and beautiful. There are times that I wanted to throw my book against the wall for sure. Particularly during those last few chapters. I mean seriously, WTH! We are introduced to new characters who I thought were awesome.
One thing that I loved so much was being able to see Sera and Neela grow as characters. There's more to them than their fashion choices or the boys they love. Donnelly has truly outdone herself in making the girls well rounded and like-able. I don't possibly think I could wait for the next book seeing as how the storyline is getting better and better. Rogue Wave has a beautiful cover and even more beautiful set of characters in a magical underwater world. I look forward to seeing where the story takes us next.
5 STARS!
October 19, 2017
4 outta 5 STARS
let's be real, i could never dislike a book about mermaids. MERMAIDS, YALL. THEY'RE EVERYTHING.
^^^^ same
what i liked:
1. as fun as the books in this series are, they're also really well written. this one was no exception. like, it was actually GOOD.
2. the world building of all the kingdoms of the sea is awesome and magical
3. it actually deals with much darker themes than i thought a book on mermaids would, and that made me like it all the more. these mermaids are entangled in dangerous business and the start of a war, and the books don't shy away from the realities of that.
not so much: there's elements of insta-love. everyone is falling in love so fast, here and there and everywhere. also, there was some chamber of secrets-esque anagram shiz if ya know what i mean.
RECAP: MERMAIDS. ADVENTURES. MENTIONS OF ATLANTIS. RESISTANCE GROUPS. TRAITORS. INSTA LOVE. LOTS AND LOTS OF MERMAIDS.
let's be real, i could never dislike a book about mermaids. MERMAIDS, YALL. THEY'RE EVERYTHING.
^^^^ same
what i liked:
1. as fun as the books in this series are, they're also really well written. this one was no exception. like, it was actually GOOD.
2. the world building of all the kingdoms of the sea is awesome and magical
3. it actually deals with much darker themes than i thought a book on mermaids would, and that made me like it all the more. these mermaids are entangled in dangerous business and the start of a war, and the books don't shy away from the realities of that.
not so much: there's elements of insta-love. everyone is falling in love so fast, here and there and everywhere. also, there was some chamber of secrets-esque anagram shiz if ya know what i mean.
RECAP: MERMAIDS. ADVENTURES. MENTIONS OF ATLANTIS. RESISTANCE GROUPS. TRAITORS. INSTA LOVE. LOTS AND LOTS OF MERMAIDS.
February 11, 2020
4/5
Yes I know it looks like it took a while for me to read a book that’s essentially 300 pages, but I read it rarely (it was my book I kept at school). With that being said, even with the huge gaps of time between times I read it, I still was able to follow the story smoothly. Although I wish we got Asterin in this book plus more romance (I just am becoming a sucker for it) it was a good book.
Yes I know it looks like it took a while for me to read a book that’s essentially 300 pages, but I read it rarely (it was my book I kept at school). With that being said, even with the huge gaps of time between times I read it, I still was able to follow the story smoothly. Although I wish we got Asterin in this book plus more romance (I just am becoming a sucker for it) it was a good book.
December 10, 2014
I'm really quite disappointed by Rogue Wave, and not just because it wasn't a too good, but more to the point that I can't just continue writing a letter to Serafina like I did with Deep Blue, because this time, it wasn't just Serafina, and that makes me mad. I appreciated the routes that Donnelly took in trying to flesh out some of the characters a little, but I personally don't think it worked too well, and I really still have glaring issues with this series which I somehow thing won't improve with time.
Lets start with Rogue Waves characters, because really, they felt like only real, solid feature worth talking about. Instead of just having Serafina perspective in this novel, we actually gained another one (and a half?) alongside her and yes, this did make the novel more interesting and made room for some more development, but I think the overall feel didn't work out with as much as I'd hoped. At this point in time, there's 6 mermaids, all looking for tailsman's that will help them bet Abbadon, so why would they split up after being told their strongest when together? Furthermore, why only show two (and a quarter?) perspectives instead of all six, unless you're going to delve into the other sets of two during the following two books, but realistically, it just felt like a waste. There were superb characters we could have followed, there were some real characters and personalities in that group of six, but instead, we got to focus on Serafina (again) and a bit more on Neela (which wasn't that bad..) Serafina, to her eternal credit, did improve in this novel by a small margin, but, surprise surprise, she let herself down again near the end of novel, but Neela, Neela was a good character once she escaped her holding cell- I mean, home, definitely home. She became more independent, grew a backbone, didn't whimper and whail about, she got the job done, she was firm, in control, started to make her decisions and did want she believed was right and I'll be damned if anyone could tell her anything other. She was definitely my favourite part of this novel for sure and her action scenes were really quite, dare I say, enthralling, I just wish we'd spent time with her than Serafina..
But don't even get me started on Mahdi and that romance, I just- *deep breath* What Donnelly did - *Spoiler* making it so Mahdi was actually Blu instead of two different guys *Spoiler* really got my back up. I was so invested in Blu, he was absolutely wonderful, loyal and kind, and generally, a really nice character who brought out the best in Serafina, but the minute Mahdi came along again and all was revealed, I have to say, I wasn't that impressed, I was far from impressed. I wasn't invested and I think the issue is that there's been no build up; from the minute we met them in Deep Blue, we were told about their future together, we were told about how they'd had these little moments together, we were told what they felt, but I never felt these things from the characters and the romance just continued to feel like it was built on faith that readers would belief their romance but I just couldn't. I didn't see much evidence of their feelings, neither was it slowly built up, it was BAM!, here you go, have some romance with our dish of the day. drowning in disappointment. I just didn't feel anything and I think considering a lot of Serafina's character relies on her feelings and the reader connecting to those feelings, it's just not quite good enough.
Once again, the world wasn't that strong, although I didn't forget as much that they were mermaids, and I did get some description, and I did get less about their clothes and their emotions, and the whole royalty aspect, but it just wasn't enough to save it. There wasn't even any twists or turns that really made me head spin and the lack of connection with the other mermaids was also disappointing. Granted, the twists that were there were okay, a few at the end surpassing my expectations and even that cliff-hanger which I disliked because of it's cliff-hanging nature was actually really good, I just think from a fantasy aspect, there's a lot of relying on your own imagination and that's not good with me. I was extremely close to putting this book down, much like it's prequel but I think that's just what this series does to me, it doesn't grab me by the shoulders and shake me saying 'oh my god, aren't I amazing!' because it just, isn't.. I confess though, I probably will continue subjecting myself to the series because those covers are absolutely gorgeous and I do, really want to see more of the other mermaids and their hunts for their tailsmans, and actually get to some deeper, juicer action, belief it or not, I do actually want to know what happens, but will I ever really enjoy this series that much? I really don't know..
2.5 stars.
July 28, 2020
This book! This BOOK! THIS BOOK! AHHHHH. I need the next one! Now, this one had so many bad reviews on the first book I almost didn't buy it... but boy am I GLAD I read it. Just warning you now this book is going to make you as helpless as me.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: 13 and older for images and violence.
PARENT NOTE: There is some images that could be scary to certain people. My younger sister would not like the images, they are not scary to me but they are about the equivalent of a harry potter movie.
LANGUAGE: A few words if any.
ROMANCE: Clean and there is some in it!
I have a clean romance group please join! https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
AGE RECOMMENDATION: 13 and older for images and violence.
PARENT NOTE: There is some images that could be scary to certain people. My younger sister would not like the images, they are not scary to me but they are about the equivalent of a harry potter movie.
LANGUAGE: A few words if any.
ROMANCE: Clean and there is some in it!
I have a clean romance group please join! https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
June 15, 2017
I really enjoyed reading this story. The characters were really well describes and the adventure was never ending. So many new characters and plot events keep appearing and made this book never have a dull moment. I can not wait to read the rest of the books in this series.
November 18, 2017
Well an improvement over the first book since a lot more happened than just pointless running around. Tho it only focused on Sera and Neela 99% of the time and like wth, this is supposed to be about the six of them??? Hopefully, the other girls will come back in the third book.
May 28, 2020
Rogue Wave was a bit harder to get into than Deep Blue, but it’s still a nice sequel. Also, that cover is absolutely gorgeous!
That final chapter made me so excited for the next book! I really love the world and the characters Donnelly created.
That final chapter made me so excited for the next book! I really love the world and the characters Donnelly created.
October 7, 2017
Fantastisch gedetailleerde worldbuilding en een soort van moraliteit erachter die ik enorm kan waarderen, ook supervlot geschreven maar ergens toch gewoon een dikke 4 ipv 5. Zat er niet 100% in al durf ik niet zeggen dat dat de schuld van het boek is hoor. Soit, op naar deel 3!
January 25, 2015
Rogue Wave, the sequel to Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly was definitely a roller coaster for me.
The Waterfire Saga, from the two books that have been released so far are at the top of my list for mermaid stories. I love the world in these books. The world has been so well thought out and Jennifer has successfully created an underwater world that you could easily imagine under the sea. She's descriptive and her characters, which there are many of, stand out against each other.
The storyline of these books are the reason why this book was a roller coaster. At some points it felt like not much was happening. It was slow in parts. I felt that there were chapters just to fill a blank space but when the action did come back I just couldn't turn the pages quick enough. When action was happening, it's been written out clearly and it makes easy to see the scenario in your head.
The covers of these books are so damn gorgeous. The cover was what caught my eye in the bookstore and it's perfect for the story. This is a world that I really, really wish was real. Because mermaids. Underwater worlds. Magical powers. It's captivating.
The Waterfire Saga, from the two books that have been released so far are at the top of my list for mermaid stories. I love the world in these books. The world has been so well thought out and Jennifer has successfully created an underwater world that you could easily imagine under the sea. She's descriptive and her characters, which there are many of, stand out against each other.
The storyline of these books are the reason why this book was a roller coaster. At some points it felt like not much was happening. It was slow in parts. I felt that there were chapters just to fill a blank space but when the action did come back I just couldn't turn the pages quick enough. When action was happening, it's been written out clearly and it makes easy to see the scenario in your head.
The covers of these books are so damn gorgeous. The cover was what caught my eye in the bookstore and it's perfect for the story. This is a world that I really, really wish was real. Because mermaids. Underwater worlds. Magical powers. It's captivating.
July 3, 2020
OH MY GOSH, JENNI KNOWS HOW TO FINISH A BOOK SO SHOCKING!
The book started so sad (something happened T.T about someone who made possible the strength among the 6 chosen mermaids).
Serafina is so persistent in the search of the six talismans and she was so brave when she had to explore a sunken ship where an important ghost lived. The love is part of her, and her people is her reason to save all of the seas.
WHEN SHE MET HER LOVER AGAIN, IT WAS LIKE ASFGHDKL ♥ !!!!!!!!
In this book, we can know Neela so deeply. She is not the same mermaid of the 1st book, she's scared but she has a heart so strong and brave: She is really worry for her kingdom.
I didn't know what happened to the other main female characters, but a few stuff about them were explained by the sequel, I hope I can read more about them in the 3rd book.
The book started so sad (something happened T.T about someone who made possible the strength among the 6 chosen mermaids).
Serafina is so persistent in the search of the six talismans and she was so brave when she had to explore a sunken ship where an important ghost lived. The love is part of her, and her people is her reason to save all of the seas.
WHEN SHE MET HER LOVER AGAIN, IT WAS LIKE ASFGHDKL ♥ !!!!!!!!
In this book, we can know Neela so deeply. She is not the same mermaid of the 1st book, she's scared but she has a heart so strong and brave: She is really worry for her kingdom.
I didn't know what happened to the other main female characters, but a few stuff about them were explained by the sequel, I hope I can read more about them in the 3rd book.
August 6, 2020
I need more Astrid (and Ling, and Ava, and Becca)
January 15, 2019
This series is getting really good! I love how much action scenes these books have, there’s no dull moment in here.
December 31, 2014
*A review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!*
After reading Deep Blue, the first novel in the Waterfire Saga, I felt like I was in some blur. In a good blur, by the way. I was just so happy and surprised to have found the perfect mermaid series for me. At the same time, I was hoping and praying that that the sequel; this book, would be just as good. Thank ‘gods’ it was. (Did you see what I did there? *winks* My mermaid vocabulary sure is expanding now, hehe.)
I feel like this review is going to be so difficult to write, mainly because this book was just so good. I’m sitting here, after 297 pages, aching and longing for more. Donnelly just shot us with a huge cliffhanger and I can’t get over it. Fuck, but that’s the amazingness of books. Now I’ve got to wait a whole other year to find out what’s going to happen next. And then, watch the same time happen all over again. Book-writing is a freaking cycle, people.
Mermaids are the ‘sickest’ creatures out there. I’d totally like to be one.
I feel like I have such a large amount of respect to these creatures. If you think I’m going nuts here, you just don’t understand. I love Serafina, I love Neela, I love EVERYONE in this book. Although I am giving it the same rating as the first book, there were improvements in some cases, as the characters and info-dumping took a different stand.
You know how everyone always says that sequels are like the mission books of a trilogy or series? Like in Divergent, Insurgent was were all of the rebellion and sad things happened. But the authors always suspect that you now know the main plot, and it’s time to get into the action. In this book, Serafina and the other 5 girls now know their roles, and they’re all off to find the talismans that belonged to the Six Who Ruled. I guess you can say that they all took their own strands, and throughout the book, we don’t find much about Becca, Astrid and Ava, but more of Sera and Neela as they’re overcoming challenges that they certainly weren’t used to in the first book.
Now, there was so much action here that my heart pounded and I didn’t know what to think half of the time. The Death-Riders took a stand and there was a huge plot twist in the middle of the book between both girls and mystery characters, and there even was a ghost. Something happened during every chapter and it was action-packed and just about perfect.
The plot was pretty awesome from the first page. As I saw that there was a glossary at the back of the book this time around (I was dumb with the first book and never even noticed until later), I seemed to get everything and Donnelly was great with giving us a mini-recap at the beginning so we got a clean picture in our minds.
Everything was new, and at the same time, there was a large continuation. But there was so much depth, and I actually loved it. So much was happening that I can barely think of it all in my mind.
Have I ever mentioned how much I love this setting? I think of The Little Mermaid and Atlantis all of the time. It’s so awesome how Donnelly uses the real world and relates known locations to those in the story. It’s like it’s possible to picture humans on land and all of the mer-people underneath us, in their own little cocoons.
I have a theory of what’s going to happen in the next book. So you better get ready for it:
IT’S NOT POSITIVE. YOU SHOULDN’T BE THINKING ABOUT UNICORNS AND MERMAIDS AND HAPPY THINGS.
My theory is… Someone will die in the next book. It just has to be. There were so many mind-blowing shocking moments in this book where we all expected for it to happen, but I guess Serafina was carrying a bag of four leaf clovers in her… pocket? Bra pocket? Tail? Anyways, it’s bound to happen. And really, we should keep gear for a sacrifice anytime soon. I just don’t want it to happen…
Serafina was kick-ass, more than she ever was. She’s a rebel, independent, and doesn’t give a shit about anyone who thinks poop about her. She’s like a gothic Ariel, but ten times more awesome. If she was a Disney Princess (which Disney-Hyperion should definitely keep in mind of) I’d worship her to the highest standards. And so would tiny little screaming girls. Ah, never mind, let’s not get the movie idea in our minds.
Also, how can we forget about Neela? This chick took badass to a whole other level. AND WHAT AWESOME FIGHTING SKILLS DOES SHE HAVE. Who would’ve thought?
AND THERE WERE MONSTERS, PEOPLE. There were like three monster appearances throughout this book, and I literally freaked out of happiness. We needed this, and we needed more fantasy. Without the monsters, this would’ve seemed like a simplistic mermaid story. The monsters added the bijazzzzzz.
So—what was missing from the perfect five-star rating? ROMANCE, PEOPLE. Okay, so I’ve always been a stronger shipper of Serafina and Mahdi. He makes me sweat hot chocolate because he’s just so smoking. And we only got a tiny appearance of him together with Sera in this book. :( BUT THAT SCENE, THOUGH.
I’ve had a fantastic two hours with this book, and now it’s all over. The sequel to this gorgeous Waterfire Saga was heart-pounding and racing. I’m still lost without words because it was just intact with my mind. I can’t wait for the rest of the world to read this.
After reading Deep Blue, the first novel in the Waterfire Saga, I felt like I was in some blur. In a good blur, by the way. I was just so happy and surprised to have found the perfect mermaid series for me. At the same time, I was hoping and praying that that the sequel; this book, would be just as good. Thank ‘gods’ it was. (Did you see what I did there? *winks* My mermaid vocabulary sure is expanding now, hehe.)
I feel like this review is going to be so difficult to write, mainly because this book was just so good. I’m sitting here, after 297 pages, aching and longing for more. Donnelly just shot us with a huge cliffhanger and I can’t get over it. Fuck, but that’s the amazingness of books. Now I’ve got to wait a whole other year to find out what’s going to happen next. And then, watch the same time happen all over again. Book-writing is a freaking cycle, people.
Mermaids are the ‘sickest’ creatures out there. I’d totally like to be one.
I feel like I have such a large amount of respect to these creatures. If you think I’m going nuts here, you just don’t understand. I love Serafina, I love Neela, I love EVERYONE in this book. Although I am giving it the same rating as the first book, there were improvements in some cases, as the characters and info-dumping took a different stand.
You know how everyone always says that sequels are like the mission books of a trilogy or series? Like in Divergent, Insurgent was were all of the rebellion and sad things happened. But the authors always suspect that you now know the main plot, and it’s time to get into the action. In this book, Serafina and the other 5 girls now know their roles, and they’re all off to find the talismans that belonged to the Six Who Ruled. I guess you can say that they all took their own strands, and throughout the book, we don’t find much about Becca, Astrid and Ava, but more of Sera and Neela as they’re overcoming challenges that they certainly weren’t used to in the first book.
Now, there was so much action here that my heart pounded and I didn’t know what to think half of the time. The Death-Riders took a stand and there was a huge plot twist in the middle of the book between both girls and mystery characters, and there even was a ghost. Something happened during every chapter and it was action-packed and just about perfect.
The plot was pretty awesome from the first page. As I saw that there was a glossary at the back of the book this time around (I was dumb with the first book and never even noticed until later), I seemed to get everything and Donnelly was great with giving us a mini-recap at the beginning so we got a clean picture in our minds.
Everything was new, and at the same time, there was a large continuation. But there was so much depth, and I actually loved it. So much was happening that I can barely think of it all in my mind.
Have I ever mentioned how much I love this setting? I think of The Little Mermaid and Atlantis all of the time. It’s so awesome how Donnelly uses the real world and relates known locations to those in the story. It’s like it’s possible to picture humans on land and all of the mer-people underneath us, in their own little cocoons.
I have a theory of what’s going to happen in the next book. So you better get ready for it:
IT’S NOT POSITIVE. YOU SHOULDN’T BE THINKING ABOUT UNICORNS AND MERMAIDS AND HAPPY THINGS.
My theory is… Someone will die in the next book. It just has to be. There were so many mind-blowing shocking moments in this book where we all expected for it to happen, but I guess Serafina was carrying a bag of four leaf clovers in her… pocket? Bra pocket? Tail? Anyways, it’s bound to happen. And really, we should keep gear for a sacrifice anytime soon. I just don’t want it to happen…
Serafina was kick-ass, more than she ever was. She’s a rebel, independent, and doesn’t give a shit about anyone who thinks poop about her. She’s like a gothic Ariel, but ten times more awesome. If she was a Disney Princess (which Disney-Hyperion should definitely keep in mind of) I’d worship her to the highest standards. And so would tiny little screaming girls. Ah, never mind, let’s not get the movie idea in our minds.
Also, how can we forget about Neela? This chick took badass to a whole other level. AND WHAT AWESOME FIGHTING SKILLS DOES SHE HAVE. Who would’ve thought?
AND THERE WERE MONSTERS, PEOPLE. There were like three monster appearances throughout this book, and I literally freaked out of happiness. We needed this, and we needed more fantasy. Without the monsters, this would’ve seemed like a simplistic mermaid story. The monsters added the bijazzzzzz.
So—what was missing from the perfect five-star rating? ROMANCE, PEOPLE. Okay, so I’ve always been a stronger shipper of Serafina and Mahdi. He makes me sweat hot chocolate because he’s just so smoking. And we only got a tiny appearance of him together with Sera in this book. :( BUT THAT SCENE, THOUGH.
“Oh, Mahdi,” Sera whispered. “I’ve loved you since the day I met you. Really met you. In the garden.” He smiled. “When you were listening to a conch and knocked the sea fan down to get my attention.” “What? I didn’t knock it down! It fell!” “Uh-huh. Sure it did.” “Mahdi!” she protested. And then she leaned over and kissed him. Slowly and sweetly.
I’ve had a fantastic two hours with this book, and now it’s all over. The sequel to this gorgeous Waterfire Saga was heart-pounding and racing. I’m still lost without words because it was just intact with my mind. I can’t wait for the rest of the world to read this.
July 5, 2017
Момента, в който отгърнеш поредната страница и осъзнаеш, че след нея следват благодарностите. Най-хубавото чувство <3
Признавам си почти нищо не помнех от първата книга, но докато четях тази успях да си припомня малко или много основната история, както и част от героите. Реалната ми оценка за книгата е 4.5 единствено и само заради Серафина. Това момиче хем ме дразнеше, хем ме удивляваше. В един момент бе супер смела, нахакана, с бистра мисъл, в следващия - така и не виждаше, това което и е под носа. wtf бе човек, как?
Като изключим това, всичко останало беше прекрасно. Историята бе продължена увлекателно, изпълнена с много приключения, тайни, морски обитатели и странни #морски думи. Определено книгата ми хареса и в момента се изяждам отвътре, че не си взех третата книга от библиотеката.
Признавам си почти нищо не помнех от първата книга, но докато четях тази успях да си припомня малко или много основната история, както и част от героите. Реалната ми оценка за книгата е 4.5 единствено и само заради Серафина. Това момиче хем ме дразнеше, хем ме удивляваше. В един момент бе супер смела, нахакана, с бистра мисъл, в следващия - така и не виждаше, това което и е под носа. wtf бе човек, как?
Като изключим това, всичко останало беше прекрасно. Историята бе продължена увлекателно, изпълнена с много приключения, тайни, морски обитатели и странни #морски думи. Определено книгата ми хареса и в момента се изяждам отвътре, че не си взех третата книга от библиотеката.
November 22, 2023
it kinda feels like it was written by a child, but in a weirdly enjoyable way. Enough to make me stay up at night reading anyway, which honestly doesn't mean much, but shhhhhhh... its fine.
It is strange that Neela's on the front cover but most of the chapters were from Serafina's POV...
Also the title names confuse me because they have nothing to do with the actual events in the story, which leads to me not knowing which book is which, which i hate.
It is strange that Neela's on the front cover but most of the chapters were from Serafina's POV...
Also the title names confuse me because they have nothing to do with the actual events in the story, which leads to me not knowing which book is which, which i hate.
June 1, 2016
Rating: 1/5
***Minor spoilers***
Rogue Wave follows both Serafina and Neela on their journey to recover their talismans. After visiting a vitrina who was able to tell them what three of the six talismans were, they split up. Serafina begins her search for a sapphire necklace, and Neela begins her search for a moonstone. Serafina returns to her home waters and finds that the palace is completely deserted and her mother is dead, but there are rumours that her uncle is returning. Here she meets the Black Fin Resistance, who are pretty much the only backup that Serafina can hope for. On the other hand, Neela returns home to the palace in Matali but upon telling her story to her parents, she is deemed crazy and is locked up in her room until the doctor can "fix" her. Along the way they discover that somehow, Traho knows what the talismans are and he is searching vigorously for them. They need to find the talismans first to prevent whatever Traho is planning.
I was extremely disappointed with this book. I know I didn't like the first book all that much, but I was hoping that this one would improve. I suppose I was drawn in by the pretty cover (I try so hard not to be, but sometimes I can't help myself) but it wasn't really worth it. Unfortunately I wasn't very interested in the story being told, so I found it extremely, extremely boring at times. I will say, however, this one felt a lot less silly than the first book in terms of the vocabulary, but that didn't make up for the boredom I experienced while reading this.
Unlike from what I remember of the first book, there were a lot of twists and turns in this one. I saw some of them coming, and I didn't particularly enjoy some of them, but they were there nonetheless. I wasn't a big fan of how Mahdi returned to the story, and I must say that his story arc was extremely predictable and not very entertaining in my opinion. There was another big reveal that I saw coming from a mile away, and it was also easy to predict that . There was a final twist at the end that I didn't really see coming and surprised me, but the manner in which it was revealed .
Overall, I wasn't too impressed with this book. The characters fell flat for me and the story didn't interest me which just made me bored the entire time. There were a lot of "surprises" in the book but only two reveals actually surprised me and I wasn't too impressed with either one. I had hoped this one would be better than the first, which I didn't like that much, but it really wasn't. I wouldn't really recommend this to you if you're looking for a mermaid fantasy. I read Of Poseidon and I found that one much better, so if you're interested in the whole mermaid thing, I'd check that book out first.
***Minor spoilers***
Rogue Wave follows both Serafina and Neela on their journey to recover their talismans. After visiting a vitrina who was able to tell them what three of the six talismans were, they split up. Serafina begins her search for a sapphire necklace, and Neela begins her search for a moonstone. Serafina returns to her home waters and finds that the palace is completely deserted and her mother is dead, but there are rumours that her uncle is returning. Here she meets the Black Fin Resistance, who are pretty much the only backup that Serafina can hope for. On the other hand, Neela returns home to the palace in Matali but upon telling her story to her parents, she is deemed crazy and is locked up in her room until the doctor can "fix" her. Along the way they discover that somehow, Traho knows what the talismans are and he is searching vigorously for them. They need to find the talismans first to prevent whatever Traho is planning.
I was extremely disappointed with this book. I know I didn't like the first book all that much, but I was hoping that this one would improve. I suppose I was drawn in by the pretty cover (I try so hard not to be, but sometimes I can't help myself) but it wasn't really worth it. Unfortunately I wasn't very interested in the story being told, so I found it extremely, extremely boring at times. I will say, however, this one felt a lot less silly than the first book in terms of the vocabulary, but that didn't make up for the boredom I experienced while reading this.
Unlike from what I remember of the first book, there were a lot of twists and turns in this one. I saw some of them coming, and I didn't particularly enjoy some of them, but they were there nonetheless. I wasn't a big fan of how Mahdi returned to the story, and I must say that his story arc was extremely predictable and not very entertaining in my opinion. There was another big reveal that I saw coming from a mile away, and it was also easy to predict that . There was a final twist at the end that I didn't really see coming and surprised me, but the manner in which it was revealed .
Overall, I wasn't too impressed with this book. The characters fell flat for me and the story didn't interest me which just made me bored the entire time. There were a lot of "surprises" in the book but only two reveals actually surprised me and I wasn't too impressed with either one. I had hoped this one would be better than the first, which I didn't like that much, but it really wasn't. I wouldn't really recommend this to you if you're looking for a mermaid fantasy. I read Of Poseidon and I found that one much better, so if you're interested in the whole mermaid thing, I'd check that book out first.
December 16, 2014
Really enjoyed this one! Focused on two mermaids and their very exciting journey towards fighting evil. Loved that some things were resolved and other things threw up more obstacles! This series is one I look forward to continuing.
Full review:
I have nothing but love for this series! I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Deep Blue, but Rogue Wave by Jennifer Donnelly took this series to another level for me. I had a few concerns while reading the first book but reading Rogue Wave made me forget all about them.
I loved that while this book features many different mermaids who are instrumental in the story's plot line, Rogue Wave is mainly concerned with two particular mermaids. Serafina, the main character in Deep Blue, and also her best friend, Neela. Both Sera and Neela (and, of course, the other mermaids, Ava, Ling, Becca and Astrid) are on the hunt for more answers concerning this evil thing that is infecting their waters and the talismans that are needed in order to defeat the bad guy.
Both Sera and Neela go on really exciting and dangerous adventures in this book that include shipwrecked ghosts and deadly dragons and honestly, my heart was in my throat and I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of this book! And while I think Sera is an amazing main character and I really feel for her, for me, this book was all about Neela's journey. I loved witnessing her go from a slightly ditzy, sweet-obsessed mermaid who was overly priviledged and maybe slightly spoilt into a mer who is strong and capable and pretty fierce. It was difficult at times to see how much her family and friends resented this change in her but I'm glad to see that she doesn't give up.
And at the same time, this book uncovers some very emotional and surprising truths about Sera's love life and about the betrayals she faced in Deep Water. It was the thing I was most looking forward to finding out more about this situation and I definitely came to the conclusion that it was definitely worth the wait! I know that mermaids and underwater stories won't be everyone's thing, but after reading these two books in this series I know for certain that it is definitely MY thing. Will be waiting impatiently for more!
Full review:
I have nothing but love for this series! I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Deep Blue, but Rogue Wave by Jennifer Donnelly took this series to another level for me. I had a few concerns while reading the first book but reading Rogue Wave made me forget all about them.
I loved that while this book features many different mermaids who are instrumental in the story's plot line, Rogue Wave is mainly concerned with two particular mermaids. Serafina, the main character in Deep Blue, and also her best friend, Neela. Both Sera and Neela (and, of course, the other mermaids, Ava, Ling, Becca and Astrid) are on the hunt for more answers concerning this evil thing that is infecting their waters and the talismans that are needed in order to defeat the bad guy.
Both Sera and Neela go on really exciting and dangerous adventures in this book that include shipwrecked ghosts and deadly dragons and honestly, my heart was in my throat and I was on the edge of my seat throughout most of this book! And while I think Sera is an amazing main character and I really feel for her, for me, this book was all about Neela's journey. I loved witnessing her go from a slightly ditzy, sweet-obsessed mermaid who was overly priviledged and maybe slightly spoilt into a mer who is strong and capable and pretty fierce. It was difficult at times to see how much her family and friends resented this change in her but I'm glad to see that she doesn't give up.
And at the same time, this book uncovers some very emotional and surprising truths about Sera's love life and about the betrayals she faced in Deep Water. It was the thing I was most looking forward to finding out more about this situation and I definitely came to the conclusion that it was definitely worth the wait! I know that mermaids and underwater stories won't be everyone's thing, but after reading these two books in this series I know for certain that it is definitely MY thing. Will be waiting impatiently for more!
May 9, 2015
в продължението на "в морските дълбини", "гибелна вълна", получаваме по умерено количество от всичко, което желаех от поредицата: много приключения, герои, които се развиват и стават все по-добри с всяка страница, интересни и напрегнати моменти, които те карат да разлистваш страниците и не можеш да оставиш книгата за часове.
понякога ми е наистина трудно да приема, че тази книга е предназначена за по-младата аудитория, тъй като немалко хора умират и биват пленени, поробени, и измъчвани. авторката никак не си спестява трагичните събития на войната, макар и да са написани по лек начин, който не натоварва читателя допълнително.
за съжаление, доста от събитията, които се случиха в книгата, ги бях отгатнала преди да се случат, но това мога да го простя, тъй като книгата не е предназначена за моята възраст. събитията като цяло не бяха нито твърде прибързани, нито твърде забавени, а всичко течеше гладко. и най-важното: авторката даваше информацията постепенно този път, а не наведнъж, както направи в първата книга, което ме зарадва.
имаше голям напредък в характерите на двете героини, от чиито гледни точки се разказва книгата. личностите на серафина и нийла бяха по-задълбочени и авторката ги беше развила доста, и то по добър начин. серафина най-накрая се държеше като една кралица, която трябва да се грижи за народа си и беше готова да се жертва за тях, а нийла беше доста променена и се класира в листа с любимите ми герои от книгите. само едно нещо не ме зарадва: другите четири русалки ги нямаше, а само бяха споменавани от време на време, и линг я видяхме веднъж. искаше ми се първа книга да беше само за нийла и серафина, втора - за други две, и трета - за останалите две и последната - за всички. но и с това, което получихме съм доволна, защото ако не беше така, тогава можеше и да не видим развитието на нийла и серафина.
втората книга, както и първата, завърша с отворен край и те оставя, искащ/а още и още. макар и да не го очаквах, беше по-добра от първата и със сигурност бих прочела и останалите книги, когато излязат.
искрено благодаря на издателство "егмонт", че ми предоставиха възможността да прочета тази прекрасна книга!
понякога ми е наистина трудно да приема, че тази книга е предназначена за по-младата аудитория, тъй като немалко хора умират и биват пленени, поробени, и измъчвани. авторката никак не си спестява трагичните събития на войната, макар и да са написани по лек начин, който не натоварва читателя допълнително.
за съжаление, доста от събитията, които се случиха в книгата, ги бях отгатнала преди да се случат, но това мога да го простя, тъй като книгата не е предназначена за моята възраст. събитията като цяло не бяха нито твърде прибързани, нито твърде забавени, а всичко течеше гладко. и най-важното: авторката даваше информацията постепенно този път, а не наведнъж, както направи в първата книга, което ме зарадва.
имаше голям напредък в характерите на двете героини, от чиито гледни точки се разказва книгата. личностите на серафина и нийла бяха по-задълбочени и авторката ги беше развила доста, и то по добър начин. серафина най-накрая се държеше като една кралица, която трябва да се грижи за народа си и беше готова да се жертва за тях, а нийла беше доста променена и се класира в листа с любимите ми герои от книгите. само едно нещо не ме зарадва: другите четири русалки ги нямаше, а само бяха споменавани от време на време, и линг я видяхме веднъж. искаше ми се първа книга да беше само за нийла и серафина, втора - за други две, и трета - за останалите две и последната - за всички. но и с това, което получихме съм доволна, защото ако не беше така, тогава можеше и да не видим развитието на нийла и серафина.
втората книга, както и първата, завърша с отворен край и те оставя, искащ/а още и още. макар и да не го очаквах, беше по-добра от първата и със сигурност бих прочела и останалите книги, когато излязат.
искрено благодаря на издателство "егмонт", че ми предоставиха възможността да прочета тази прекрасна книга!
March 5, 2017
What a perfect example of the saying, “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”.
It’s been quite some time since I read the first book in this series, and I distinctly remember not liking it. Any fiction novel that has a dictionary in the back of it, is typically not a good sign. But, I foolishly bought the first three books all at once because the covers were so darn pretty. You can probably gather by now… I didn’t like this one either.
Serafina is the princess of a broken empire. In the last book, we saw her parents slain, her home destroyed and beloved princess on the run. In this novel, the group of mermaids that are decended from powerful mages and will need to work together to find specific tailismen that will channel their powers and help defeat the powerful Abbadon!
This specific book focuses on Sera, Neela, and Ling. I would really like to avoid an entire plot summary, it was hard enough for me to get through this the firs time, so I will try to mention my likes and dislikes.
I LIKED Ling. I think she is a strong female character who isn’t afraid to go out on her own and I like that she seems to be in control of her powers. I like this book more than the last because the language was just easier, I didn’t need the dictionary as much. I didn’t like Neela or Sera. I thought Neela was a self-centered fool, and it’s not hard to see where she gets that from considering her parents. Sera has so much potential for being a good character. She is too trusting, too scarred, too timid, and too weak for me to really admire her character. She easily trusts and that has gotten her into trouble more than once. I feel bad for her though, to be betrayed by your only living relative is hard and I think Donnelly does a good job in that last bit. You can tell this series has a long way to go, as we didn’t even touch on the other three mermaids that are somewhere out there.
Overall, I think this story had a lot of potential but simply missed the mark: 2.5 stars.
It’s been quite some time since I read the first book in this series, and I distinctly remember not liking it. Any fiction novel that has a dictionary in the back of it, is typically not a good sign. But, I foolishly bought the first three books all at once because the covers were so darn pretty. You can probably gather by now… I didn’t like this one either.
Serafina is the princess of a broken empire. In the last book, we saw her parents slain, her home destroyed and beloved princess on the run. In this novel, the group of mermaids that are decended from powerful mages and will need to work together to find specific tailismen that will channel their powers and help defeat the powerful Abbadon!
This specific book focuses on Sera, Neela, and Ling. I would really like to avoid an entire plot summary, it was hard enough for me to get through this the firs time, so I will try to mention my likes and dislikes.
I LIKED Ling. I think she is a strong female character who isn’t afraid to go out on her own and I like that she seems to be in control of her powers. I like this book more than the last because the language was just easier, I didn’t need the dictionary as much. I didn’t like Neela or Sera. I thought Neela was a self-centered fool, and it’s not hard to see where she gets that from considering her parents. Sera has so much potential for being a good character. She is too trusting, too scarred, too timid, and too weak for me to really admire her character. She easily trusts and that has gotten her into trouble more than once. I feel bad for her though, to be betrayed by your only living relative is hard and I think Donnelly does a good job in that last bit. You can tell this series has a long way to go, as we didn’t even touch on the other three mermaids that are somewhere out there.
Overall, I think this story had a lot of potential but simply missed the mark: 2.5 stars.
December 22, 2025
She saw herself - being braver and stronger than she'd ever thought she could be.
Eerst en vooral: Dit boek hoort zonder twijfel op de lijst van Meest Fucking Knappe Kaften Die Er Bestaan. Kijk dan, kíjk dan. Die kleuren, jongens toch <3
Het verhaal zelf is nog steeds spannend en intrigerend, maar heeft wel iets minder schwung dan het eerste boek. Als je zes hoofdpersonages krijgt, dan verwacht ik ook wel op zijn minst dat die alle zes aanwezig zijn, en dat is helaas niet het geval hier. Sera en Neela krijgen alle aandacht, met een paar korte stukjes Ling erbij. Terwijl je mij niet wijsmaakt dat er doorheen de tijd waarin Rogue Wave zich afspeelt, die andere drie niks meemaken.
Verder heb ik eigenlijk weinig over dit boek te zeggen. Op het einde komt er een grote onthulling wat Mfeme betreft, maar eerlijk gezegd was ik daar zelf niet zo verwonderd van. Ik wist niet juist hoe de vork in de steel zat, maar wel dát er iets mis was. Daar is zijn naam te raar voor, om niks van betekenis te hebben.
Een beetje Second Book Syndrome, denk ik. Er gebeurt wel heel wat, en het is nog steeds zeker de moeite om te lezen, maar het kan nooit helemaal tippen aan Deep Blue.
7,8/10
Eerst en vooral: Dit boek hoort zonder twijfel op de lijst van Meest Fucking Knappe Kaften Die Er Bestaan. Kijk dan, kíjk dan. Die kleuren, jongens toch <3
Het verhaal zelf is nog steeds spannend en intrigerend, maar heeft wel iets minder schwung dan het eerste boek. Als je zes hoofdpersonages krijgt, dan verwacht ik ook wel op zijn minst dat die alle zes aanwezig zijn, en dat is helaas niet het geval hier. Sera en Neela krijgen alle aandacht, met een paar korte stukjes Ling erbij. Terwijl je mij niet wijsmaakt dat er doorheen de tijd waarin Rogue Wave zich afspeelt, die andere drie niks meemaken.
Verder heb ik eigenlijk weinig over dit boek te zeggen. Op het einde komt er een grote onthulling wat Mfeme betreft, maar eerlijk gezegd was ik daar zelf niet zo verwonderd van. Ik wist niet juist hoe de vork in de steel zat, maar wel dát er iets mis was. Daar is zijn naam te raar voor, om niks van betekenis te hebben.
Een beetje Second Book Syndrome, denk ik. Er gebeurt wel heel wat, en het is nog steeds zeker de moeite om te lezen, maar het kan nooit helemaal tippen aan Deep Blue.
7,8/10
November 24, 2015
I often feel like some writers are so strong with words, but their plot or world development is weak. With this series, however, I feel like it's the opposite. The idea of a race of merfolk descended from the lost isle of Atlantis, and possessing a magic based in song is fascinating. It's a testament to Donnelly's strong world development that each of the two books in this series have completely captivated me despite several areas of weak writing, most of which occurs because the author falls into the trap of thinking that in order to make a YA novel appealing to youth, you have to write dialogue the way they would talk. This is utter nonsense, as I think Harry Potter (not to mention The Lord of the Rings, the Miss Peregrine books, the Eragon series, and countless others) has demonstrated. If Donnelly would fix this, I think these would be 5 star books. The world she's building is truly fascinating.
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