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Water So Deep #1
Water So Deep: Book One
"Loveable characters and a compelling story, this book grabbed me from the beginning and pulled me in deep!" -New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Cora Carmack "A deliciously romantic story that will leave readers gasping for breath." -Elana Johnson, author of the Possesion series. Seventeen-year-old Emma Harris is drowning on dry land. No one knows what’s happening to her, and she’d like to keep her evolution from human to mermaid a secret, but the truth is getting harder and harder to hide. From her adoptive family, from her friends, and especially from the irresistible James Phelps. Her time in the ocean is spent dodging a possessive merman, while her time on land is split between caring for her special-needs brother and squeezing in every last possible moment of human life. She soon realizes falling for James is unavoidable when he constantly comes to Emma’s rescue and somehow manages to see through her carefully constructed icy facade to the vulnerability she lives with every day. Everything about James makes Emma yearn for a life on land she just can't have. When Emma’s brother disappears on her watch, James is the only person she trusts to help her save him. But even if they can save her brother, nothing can prevent her return to the sea. Whether she likes it or not, Emma is changing—unable to breathe without yielding to the tide—and it's only a matter of time before she's forced to surrender forever.
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 2, 2015
16 people are currently reading
819 people want to read
About the author
Nichole Giles
9 books87 followersNichole Giles had early career plans of becoming an actress or a rock star, but she decided instead to have a family and then become a writer. Writing is her passion, but she also loves to spend time with her husband and children, travel to tropical and exotic destinations, drive in the rain with the convertible top down, and play music at full volume so she can sing along.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
February 8, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Jelly Bean Press and NetGalley.)
“Love. We’re bound by love. I love him.”
This was an okay story, but it felt like it took forever to really get going!
I liked Emma and James, but I felt like Emma should maybe have made a bit more of an effort to find a way out of the situation she was in. It seemed like her only response was to ignore things, which really didn’t help.
“Fifteen moon cycles left.”
Emma squeezed her eyes shut, swallowing a knot of pain. “How could I possibly forget? I already struggle to breathe on land sometimes.”
The storyline in this wasn’t bad, it was just slow, and the slowness of the story really frustrated me. I felt like nothing was happening, and like I was constantly waiting for something other than Emma’s everyday existence to happen. I wanted James to know what was going on, I wanted things to escalate, I wanted there to be a bit of excitement!
“Mate? He has given me to you? But you’re way older than me.”
“Age has little to do with the will of the Sea King.”
The romance in this was also very slow. I appreciated that Emma and James needed to get to know each other, but it seemed like all she was doing was mooning over him, and then pushing him away, which got a bit old.
“Relationship. That word – that one word – snapped Emma back to reality.
How had she let this happen?”
The ending to this wasn’t really an ending, it was a pause before the next book. We got a monstrous cliff-hanger, and I really hate that I’m now stuck waiting for the next book to find out what will happen next!
Overall; a very, very slow mermaid tale,
6 out of 10
“He wouldn’t rest until he had her in his arms again.”
“Love. We’re bound by love. I love him.”
This was an okay story, but it felt like it took forever to really get going!
I liked Emma and James, but I felt like Emma should maybe have made a bit more of an effort to find a way out of the situation she was in. It seemed like her only response was to ignore things, which really didn’t help.
“Fifteen moon cycles left.”
Emma squeezed her eyes shut, swallowing a knot of pain. “How could I possibly forget? I already struggle to breathe on land sometimes.”
The storyline in this wasn’t bad, it was just slow, and the slowness of the story really frustrated me. I felt like nothing was happening, and like I was constantly waiting for something other than Emma’s everyday existence to happen. I wanted James to know what was going on, I wanted things to escalate, I wanted there to be a bit of excitement!
“Mate? He has given me to you? But you’re way older than me.”
“Age has little to do with the will of the Sea King.”
The romance in this was also very slow. I appreciated that Emma and James needed to get to know each other, but it seemed like all she was doing was mooning over him, and then pushing him away, which got a bit old.
“Relationship. That word – that one word – snapped Emma back to reality.
How had she let this happen?”
The ending to this wasn’t really an ending, it was a pause before the next book. We got a monstrous cliff-hanger, and I really hate that I’m now stuck waiting for the next book to find out what will happen next!
Overall; a very, very slow mermaid tale,
6 out of 10
“He wouldn’t rest until he had her in his arms again.”
February 21, 2015
Love is hard even under the best circumstances. For high school senior Emma Harris it's worse because she's changing into a mermaid, not to mention the fact that she's promised to a merman she doesn't know.
This current day mermaid story is sweet, full of angst, and alive with blooming love.
This current day mermaid story is sweet, full of angst, and alive with blooming love.
dnf
January 12, 2015I'm not rating Water So Deep because it's a DNF for me.
I really tried but I couldn't get into this book. I must admit that even though I'm fascinated by mermaids, books about them never seem able to hold my attention. Pretty much every book that has mermaids as the main character I have disliked. I wanted to like this book and the start felt promising but the more I read the more bored I became and I felt nothing happened in the book. Emma, the main character in this book was rather dull and I just didn't want to read about her anymore. The other characters or the writing couldn't interest me enough either. Starting the book I felt like a had missed a huge part of it already. I wanted to know how Emma knew she's actually a mermaid and although eventually that got explained I still felt like a lot was missing. Of course I didn't finish the book so there might be more but it just didn't keep my attention enough to want to find out. I do hope other people will give this a chance because maybe they will like it more. You never know.
I really tried but I couldn't get into this book. I must admit that even though I'm fascinated by mermaids, books about them never seem able to hold my attention. Pretty much every book that has mermaids as the main character I have disliked. I wanted to like this book and the start felt promising but the more I read the more bored I became and I felt nothing happened in the book. Emma, the main character in this book was rather dull and I just didn't want to read about her anymore. The other characters or the writing couldn't interest me enough either. Starting the book I felt like a had missed a huge part of it already. I wanted to know how Emma knew she's actually a mermaid and although eventually that got explained I still felt like a lot was missing. Of course I didn't finish the book so there might be more but it just didn't keep my attention enough to want to find out. I do hope other people will give this a chance because maybe they will like it more. You never know.
February 3, 2015
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
I liked Emma, and I felt sorry for her because of everything that happened with Tom, and the situation she was in was a hard one.
This started out alright, but after a few chapters it started to drag a bit. After that, It took some time to really get interesting again, By which point, the ending was near.
The ending wasn't a great one, as it was left very open. After going through the whole book wondering what would happen with Emma and James, after she pushed him away so many times, And then getting an ending like that, It really, really annoyed me.
Overall, Alright read, but it didn't get really interesting until near the end, which was followed up by a far from impressive conclusion.
I liked Emma, and I felt sorry for her because of everything that happened with Tom, and the situation she was in was a hard one.
This started out alright, but after a few chapters it started to drag a bit. After that, It took some time to really get interesting again, By which point, the ending was near.
The ending wasn't a great one, as it was left very open. After going through the whole book wondering what would happen with Emma and James, after she pushed him away so many times, And then getting an ending like that, It really, really annoyed me.
Overall, Alright read, but it didn't get really interesting until near the end, which was followed up by a far from impressive conclusion.
February 4, 2015
I was so lucky to be able to read two great mermaid books back to back! I really enjoyed the take on this one. It was very creative in how mermaids come to be.
Emma is such a great character and one that I absolutely adored! She has a younger special needs brother and she is so good to him. She's so helpful to her parents and is a good student, too. After a tragic incident at the end of her junior year, she's very hesitant to date again or to become involved with boys at all, especially since her time with her family is running out.
James is new in town and he's determined to break Emma's walls down. He's used to scrapping his way through life, fighting for what he wants. He's got a rough bad-boy image, but appearances can be deceiving. I fell in love with him and his tender heart. He reigns in his emotions so well and is great!
I love the way this story unfolded. It was suspenseful with a dash of mystery, full of toe-tingling romance, and very imaginative. It ended in a way that left me wanting more and I can't wait to see what happens next!
Content: moderately clean (some innuendo, attempted rape, boy and girl spending night in same house, but nothing happens, naked merman with no details, mention of Emma changing into swimsuit, not graphic); moderate language; moderate violence; very brief mention of a character going to church, but no details.
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
Emma is such a great character and one that I absolutely adored! She has a younger special needs brother and she is so good to him. She's so helpful to her parents and is a good student, too. After a tragic incident at the end of her junior year, she's very hesitant to date again or to become involved with boys at all, especially since her time with her family is running out.
James is new in town and he's determined to break Emma's walls down. He's used to scrapping his way through life, fighting for what he wants. He's got a rough bad-boy image, but appearances can be deceiving. I fell in love with him and his tender heart. He reigns in his emotions so well and is great!
I love the way this story unfolded. It was suspenseful with a dash of mystery, full of toe-tingling romance, and very imaginative. It ended in a way that left me wanting more and I can't wait to see what happens next!
Content: moderately clean (some innuendo, attempted rape, boy and girl spending night in same house, but nothing happens, naked merman with no details, mention of Emma changing into swimsuit, not graphic); moderate language; moderate violence; very brief mention of a character going to church, but no details.
*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*
March 12, 2015
I saw the beautiful cover and knew this would be about mermaids and that I had to have it!
Nichole Giles’ writing had me from the beginning.
Emma knows she only has 412 days, days before she must return to the water, 412 days left to be human, 412 days left before she is completely mermaid, 412 days left before she is to join Merrick, who will take her to Atlantis.
Emma – she was hatched. How funny is that? I never really thought of where mermaids come from, have you? I can’t help but chuckle as I write this. :-) I feel she will get what she wants, but I don’t know how. Since the change had begun, she needs both the air and the sea. Her gills are not fully developed, but as the end of her life as she knows it approaches, she requires more and more time in the sea. I love Nichole’s vivid descriptions of Emma’s underwater world, the colors, the coral, and the critters. I would love to swim with the fishes like she does.
Heather is her best friend, but the most important person in her life is her brother, Keith. How would she be able to leave him? Keith is handicapped, yet very observant. He is naive and gullible.
Merrick – how could he love her, he doesn’t even know her. The Sea King has given her to him, but does he have an agenda of his own? He is the Duke of Atlantis and determined to have her, at all costs.
Only two people know her predicament – her grandma and Merrick, until she meets James. No matter how she fights the attraction, it can’t be denied. How will she tell him? How will he take it? I am so eager to find out and I want her to be happy…with James, not Merrick, but how can that be?
James befriends Keith and he is surprised how much he comes to care for the little guy. That just shows us how we need to be open to people and experiences, otherwise we may miss something truly special in our lives. I really like that James does not allow high school peer pressure to dictate his actions. The romance between Emma and James develops slowly, making it realistic, with all its trials and tribulations.
I seem to be reading a lot of young adult books since blogging and have come to love them. Parts are predictable and cliche – two boys fighting over the same girl gets old, but when the writing is good I have to ride the wave with the author, wanting to share the characters experiences. The teenage angst of growing up is a big part of the story and Nichole did a great job of showing how Emma and James overcome their problems, at least, until…the cliffhanger. DRAT! I hate having to wait for the next book, so Nichole, I hope you are writing…and quickly.
I received an ecopy in return for an honest review.
Nichole Giles’ writing had me from the beginning.
Emma knows she only has 412 days, days before she must return to the water, 412 days left to be human, 412 days left before she is completely mermaid, 412 days left before she is to join Merrick, who will take her to Atlantis.
Emma – she was hatched. How funny is that? I never really thought of where mermaids come from, have you? I can’t help but chuckle as I write this. :-) I feel she will get what she wants, but I don’t know how. Since the change had begun, she needs both the air and the sea. Her gills are not fully developed, but as the end of her life as she knows it approaches, she requires more and more time in the sea. I love Nichole’s vivid descriptions of Emma’s underwater world, the colors, the coral, and the critters. I would love to swim with the fishes like she does.
Heather is her best friend, but the most important person in her life is her brother, Keith. How would she be able to leave him? Keith is handicapped, yet very observant. He is naive and gullible.
Merrick – how could he love her, he doesn’t even know her. The Sea King has given her to him, but does he have an agenda of his own? He is the Duke of Atlantis and determined to have her, at all costs.
Only two people know her predicament – her grandma and Merrick, until she meets James. No matter how she fights the attraction, it can’t be denied. How will she tell him? How will he take it? I am so eager to find out and I want her to be happy…with James, not Merrick, but how can that be?
James befriends Keith and he is surprised how much he comes to care for the little guy. That just shows us how we need to be open to people and experiences, otherwise we may miss something truly special in our lives. I really like that James does not allow high school peer pressure to dictate his actions. The romance between Emma and James develops slowly, making it realistic, with all its trials and tribulations.
I seem to be reading a lot of young adult books since blogging and have come to love them. Parts are predictable and cliche – two boys fighting over the same girl gets old, but when the writing is good I have to ride the wave with the author, wanting to share the characters experiences. The teenage angst of growing up is a big part of the story and Nichole did a great job of showing how Emma and James overcome their problems, at least, until…the cliffhanger. DRAT! I hate having to wait for the next book, so Nichole, I hope you are writing…and quickly.
I received an ecopy in return for an honest review.
January 25, 2015
4.5 stars...
Senior year is hard for most students, but for Emma it's even harder. Her ex-boyfriend Tom was sent to prison for attacking her and all his friends hate her. There's a new kid at school named James who has a locker right next to hers. And he's making it hard for her to keep her promise to herself to never trust another boy.
But the hardest thing about her senior year: Emma is a changeling, which means she is becoming a mermaid. Oxygen calms her mind, but seawater calms her body. Right now both are necessary for her survival, but her need to be in the water is increasing. The day will come when she needs to be in the water all the time... and she will need to leave all those she loves behind her. She doesn't want to do that, but she can't find a way to stop it from happening!
Merrick is the merman who meets her at the water sometimes and is teaching her about who she really is. He has informed her that the Sea King has promised her to him as a mate... and she wants nothing to do with him.
Her young brother, Keith, has special needs, and he really needs her. She has too many people to leave behind, but time is running out and she can't seem to find a way to stop the changes that are happening to her.
I wish the second book was already out! :) I am really curious to see where this story goes...
Content: Clean, swearing, a boy tries to attack a girl but it's stopped
Source: Review Copy (opinion is 100% my own)
Senior year is hard for most students, but for Emma it's even harder. Her ex-boyfriend Tom was sent to prison for attacking her and all his friends hate her. There's a new kid at school named James who has a locker right next to hers. And he's making it hard for her to keep her promise to herself to never trust another boy.
But the hardest thing about her senior year: Emma is a changeling, which means she is becoming a mermaid. Oxygen calms her mind, but seawater calms her body. Right now both are necessary for her survival, but her need to be in the water is increasing. The day will come when she needs to be in the water all the time... and she will need to leave all those she loves behind her. She doesn't want to do that, but she can't find a way to stop it from happening!
Merrick is the merman who meets her at the water sometimes and is teaching her about who she really is. He has informed her that the Sea King has promised her to him as a mate... and she wants nothing to do with him.
Her young brother, Keith, has special needs, and he really needs her. She has too many people to leave behind, but time is running out and she can't seem to find a way to stop the changes that are happening to her.
I wish the second book was already out! :) I am really curious to see where this story goes...
Content: Clean, swearing, a boy tries to attack a girl but it's stopped
Source: Review Copy (opinion is 100% my own)
April 14, 2017
I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Where do I begin?
The sexism and internalized misogyny in this book made this an accidental live hate-read for me. Seriously. I am so sick of 'those girl' being put down. Who are 'those girls' and what's so bad about being them anyways? And James is gross and a dickhole and has serious anger issues and just. I only finished this because I was hateblogging it.
Emma is boring. Merrick is gross. I don't know enough about disabled people to make a comment on Keith. The mermaid culture was irritating.
I'm just irritated that I read this.
I wish I could find a good mermaid series, one that involves a, an all mermaid cast this star crossed lovers shit is for the birds, and b, one that isn't sexist.
Where do I begin?
The sexism and internalized misogyny in this book made this an accidental live hate-read for me. Seriously. I am so sick of 'those girl' being put down. Who are 'those girls' and what's so bad about being them anyways? And James is gross and a dickhole and has serious anger issues and just. I only finished this because I was hateblogging it.
Emma is boring. Merrick is gross. I don't know enough about disabled people to make a comment on Keith. The mermaid culture was irritating.
I'm just irritated that I read this.
I wish I could find a good mermaid series, one that involves a, an all mermaid cast this star crossed lovers shit is for the birds, and b, one that isn't sexist.
April 2, 2015
*I received an advanced reader's copy of this book for purposes of an honest review (from Kathy at EbooksForReview.com / I Am a Reader, Not a Writer). The rating and review have not been influenced by receiving the book for free; these are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
When I saw this book available on Kathy's awesome ebooksforreview.com site, I knew it was one I wanted to review. As with anything in life, though, you never know what you're going to get when you agree to review a book; sometimes it makes me nervous to take on reviewing indie books, because what if it's dreadful and I hate it? Well, I needn't have worried ONE BIT when it came to WATER SO DEEP by Nichole Giles! As soon as I started reading, I was swept up into the world she'd created, and I was so glad I'd taken a chance.
I absolutely loved this story of 17-year-old Emma Harris, a seemingly normal human girl who is slowly evolving into a mermaid. Each chapter of the book has the countdown of how many days are left until her transition is complete, which I loved, because it made me really feel the urgency that she was feeling. No one knows about Emma's "condition" except for her grandmother, upon whose doorstep she was left as a baby. Apparently her birth parents figured she'd have an easier time spending the first 18 years of her life on land. Her grandmother has helped her try to ease into the transition, but otherwise Emma is all on her own as she faces the prospect of leaving her family and her life on land behind for good.
I loved the tension and chemistry between Emma and James, a boy she meets at school and tries to deny her growing feelings for - after all, why get involved with someone when you only have like 200 days before you must spend the rest of your life in the sea?? Plus, Emma has trust issues when it comes to boys, issues that are well-founded. *see "trigger warning" at the end of this review* On top of trying to deal with possible feelings for James as she counts down her days on land, she has to deal with Merrick, a merman who insists that the sea god has promised that he can "have" Emma as his partner when she is fully a mermaid. Emma insists, however, that she will never let that happen, and we are party to their push and pull throughout the book.
I really appreciated how much MEAT there was to this story. On top of the "contemporary paranormal" plot (yes, I made that up), the author presents a number of real-life issues that the characters struggle with. And it's not just our main character, Emma - James himself has a pretty rough life and his own serious issues to deal with. Again, Ms. Giles tackles issues head-on and presents them in very true-to-life fashion. I can't think of a better way to say it without giving anything away... I just thought that she did a great job of showing us how teens (and people generally) often have issues behind the scenes of school, athletics, flirting, parties, and all that "surface" stuff. There was so much to dig into, and I felt it enabled me to get closer to the characters and really become invested in their story.
And INVESTED I am!!! I am seriously anxious for book 2 - okay, let's just establish this: there BETTER be a book 2!! - and can't wait to see what happens next for Emma, James, Merrick, and the rest of the characters. While the story had a good wrap-up, it's clear that it's not over; there is more to come in Emma's struggle with her destiny/biology, and I can't wait to find out what it is! I'm curious to see if book 2 takes place mainly underwater, in the land of the merfolk; there's definitely more that we must find out about her parents and who Emma really is relative to the other mer-people. But I sure hope James is not left out of the story! I adore him and want more more MORE JAMES!
All in all, I had a great time reading this story and think it's fantastic! I highly recommend it. Although it's an indie/small-pub book, it's so professionally-done that you wouldn't know it. Fantastic editing, excellent story-telling, great dialogue, etc. One of the best indie books I've EVER read. I strongly recommend WATER SO DEEP!
Thanks again to the author and to Kathy for letting me take part in the review campaign for this book!
*trigger warning* (though I've tried to keep it spoiler-free):
Because I had no inkling it was coming, I wanted to issue a potential trigger warning for readers -- there is a scene of physical violence and attempted sexual assault that could be an issue for some readers who are sensitive to it. The scene comes pretty much at the beginning of the book, and it definitely took me aback; I was okay after getting through it, but I can see how it could be anxiety-inducing for some. At the same time, I DID appreciate how Ms. Giles was very real in her portrayal and didn't soften or sugar-coat it at all. I prefer a very realistic depiction to oblique references; after all, abuse is NEVER "soft" or sugary, right? It's in your face and raw and violent, and that's pretty much how Ms. Giles deals with it. Still, although I appreciate how she handled it, I did want to mention it as a possible trigger. Now you know!
When I saw this book available on Kathy's awesome ebooksforreview.com site, I knew it was one I wanted to review. As with anything in life, though, you never know what you're going to get when you agree to review a book; sometimes it makes me nervous to take on reviewing indie books, because what if it's dreadful and I hate it? Well, I needn't have worried ONE BIT when it came to WATER SO DEEP by Nichole Giles! As soon as I started reading, I was swept up into the world she'd created, and I was so glad I'd taken a chance.
I absolutely loved this story of 17-year-old Emma Harris, a seemingly normal human girl who is slowly evolving into a mermaid. Each chapter of the book has the countdown of how many days are left until her transition is complete, which I loved, because it made me really feel the urgency that she was feeling. No one knows about Emma's "condition" except for her grandmother, upon whose doorstep she was left as a baby. Apparently her birth parents figured she'd have an easier time spending the first 18 years of her life on land. Her grandmother has helped her try to ease into the transition, but otherwise Emma is all on her own as she faces the prospect of leaving her family and her life on land behind for good.
I loved the tension and chemistry between Emma and James, a boy she meets at school and tries to deny her growing feelings for - after all, why get involved with someone when you only have like 200 days before you must spend the rest of your life in the sea?? Plus, Emma has trust issues when it comes to boys, issues that are well-founded. *see "trigger warning" at the end of this review* On top of trying to deal with possible feelings for James as she counts down her days on land, she has to deal with Merrick, a merman who insists that the sea god has promised that he can "have" Emma as his partner when she is fully a mermaid. Emma insists, however, that she will never let that happen, and we are party to their push and pull throughout the book.
I really appreciated how much MEAT there was to this story. On top of the "contemporary paranormal" plot (yes, I made that up), the author presents a number of real-life issues that the characters struggle with. And it's not just our main character, Emma - James himself has a pretty rough life and his own serious issues to deal with. Again, Ms. Giles tackles issues head-on and presents them in very true-to-life fashion. I can't think of a better way to say it without giving anything away... I just thought that she did a great job of showing us how teens (and people generally) often have issues behind the scenes of school, athletics, flirting, parties, and all that "surface" stuff. There was so much to dig into, and I felt it enabled me to get closer to the characters and really become invested in their story.
And INVESTED I am!!! I am seriously anxious for book 2 - okay, let's just establish this: there BETTER be a book 2!! - and can't wait to see what happens next for Emma, James, Merrick, and the rest of the characters. While the story had a good wrap-up, it's clear that it's not over; there is more to come in Emma's struggle with her destiny/biology, and I can't wait to find out what it is! I'm curious to see if book 2 takes place mainly underwater, in the land of the merfolk; there's definitely more that we must find out about her parents and who Emma really is relative to the other mer-people. But I sure hope James is not left out of the story! I adore him and want more more MORE JAMES!
All in all, I had a great time reading this story and think it's fantastic! I highly recommend it. Although it's an indie/small-pub book, it's so professionally-done that you wouldn't know it. Fantastic editing, excellent story-telling, great dialogue, etc. One of the best indie books I've EVER read. I strongly recommend WATER SO DEEP!
Thanks again to the author and to Kathy for letting me take part in the review campaign for this book!
*trigger warning* (though I've tried to keep it spoiler-free):
Because I had no inkling it was coming, I wanted to issue a potential trigger warning for readers -- there is a scene of physical violence and attempted sexual assault that could be an issue for some readers who are sensitive to it. The scene comes pretty much at the beginning of the book, and it definitely took me aback; I was okay after getting through it, but I can see how it could be anxiety-inducing for some. At the same time, I DID appreciate how Ms. Giles was very real in her portrayal and didn't soften or sugar-coat it at all. I prefer a very realistic depiction to oblique references; after all, abuse is NEVER "soft" or sugary, right? It's in your face and raw and violent, and that's pretty much how Ms. Giles deals with it. Still, although I appreciate how she handled it, I did want to mention it as a possible trigger. Now you know!
March 16, 2015
First, don’t let the title fool you because there had better be a second book to this one or I just might explode! I might explode any way waiting for it! If I could give it 10 stars I would. Water So Deep sucked me in from the first page, so at the last page when the cliff hanger happened I was like, “NO. WAY.”! I want answers now! I was left so sad and furious at the ending!
Water So Deep is an easy to follow storyline. It isn’t totally original but it yet it had its own twist to it. Which I really liked.
We start off with Emma who has this horrific experience after prom one night. Her then sort of boyfriend wanted more than just dancing at prom and when Emma makes him take her home, he hangs around and follows her to her secret hiding place by the ocean. There she changes into her bathing suit and swims. She swims because she is changing into a mermaid and needs the salt water more and more as she gets closer to eighteen. Emma has learned that she is betrothed to Merrick, a merman. And he always seems to be there when she goes swimming. So when Tom (her scum bag prom date) sees her coming out of the cove and a very naked Merrick (the merman who can change and breathe air) arguing with her, he accuses her of being a slut and attacks her. She ends up in the hospital. Tom is sent to jail. Good riddance!
Emma was left on her Gran’s doorstep to be raised until it is time for her to go back to Atlantis. She is the only one who knows about who Emma is. And Gran and she decide it is best to keep it to themselves for the time being. I don’t get why!?! Emma is really likeable but since she has this secret, she has to lie. She needs her Gran help her to figure out what to do because ever since the day she was attacked everyone believes she is easy. She doesn’t correct them because she will be leaving. But it still hurts. She just wants to spend time with her special needs brother Keith, whom she utterly adores and will do anything for him, and her parents before she has to leave forever to live in a place she knows nothing about. To a place where she has to marry this merman she doesn’t like. To a place where her parents live, the ones who have never visited her. She wants nothing to do with it, but she will die if she doesn’t go and she so desperately wants to find a way to stay on land.
James is a sweet guy who happens to really like Emma. He is the new guy in school. James finds himself falling for her. He doesn’t take no for an answer, like for anything. The more time they spend together, the harder they fall for each other.
Emma goes hot and cold on him. She wants him, but doesn’t want to put him through the heartache when she has to leave and she doesn’t want the heartbreak either. But it is too late; they both are in too deep with each other. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to go somewhere all alone to a place she knows no one except this guy she doesn’t like.
So, Emma’s parents go to Greece and leaves Emma in charge. James is at the house when someone throws a rock in the window and it totally freaks Emma out. Is it Tom? Is it Merrick? Emma is scared and James, the good guy that he is, even though Emma sometimes treats him badly to save him from heartache, is there for her and helps her patch the window and stays on the couch overnight. How many guys would behave their raging teenager hormones and be what Emma needs?
The last quarter of the book, kept me on my toes. There was so much going on and so many twists, that I gobbled up the rest of the book and then bam! I need to know now what happens. Because Emma and James are good for each other and Keith needs Emma. I know a lot of people didn’t like it. I liked it because Emma and James are a little more mature than most teenagers. Emma loves her family. She wants to stay on land instead of live in a life she knows little to nothing about. Emma and James have been through a lot and I want to see them together.
Water So Deep is an easy to follow storyline. It isn’t totally original but it yet it had its own twist to it. Which I really liked.
We start off with Emma who has this horrific experience after prom one night. Her then sort of boyfriend wanted more than just dancing at prom and when Emma makes him take her home, he hangs around and follows her to her secret hiding place by the ocean. There she changes into her bathing suit and swims. She swims because she is changing into a mermaid and needs the salt water more and more as she gets closer to eighteen. Emma has learned that she is betrothed to Merrick, a merman. And he always seems to be there when she goes swimming. So when Tom (her scum bag prom date) sees her coming out of the cove and a very naked Merrick (the merman who can change and breathe air) arguing with her, he accuses her of being a slut and attacks her. She ends up in the hospital. Tom is sent to jail. Good riddance!
Emma was left on her Gran’s doorstep to be raised until it is time for her to go back to Atlantis. She is the only one who knows about who Emma is. And Gran and she decide it is best to keep it to themselves for the time being. I don’t get why!?! Emma is really likeable but since she has this secret, she has to lie. She needs her Gran help her to figure out what to do because ever since the day she was attacked everyone believes she is easy. She doesn’t correct them because she will be leaving. But it still hurts. She just wants to spend time with her special needs brother Keith, whom she utterly adores and will do anything for him, and her parents before she has to leave forever to live in a place she knows nothing about. To a place where she has to marry this merman she doesn’t like. To a place where her parents live, the ones who have never visited her. She wants nothing to do with it, but she will die if she doesn’t go and she so desperately wants to find a way to stay on land.
James is a sweet guy who happens to really like Emma. He is the new guy in school. James finds himself falling for her. He doesn’t take no for an answer, like for anything. The more time they spend together, the harder they fall for each other.
Emma goes hot and cold on him. She wants him, but doesn’t want to put him through the heartache when she has to leave and she doesn’t want the heartbreak either. But it is too late; they both are in too deep with each other. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to go somewhere all alone to a place she knows no one except this guy she doesn’t like.
So, Emma’s parents go to Greece and leaves Emma in charge. James is at the house when someone throws a rock in the window and it totally freaks Emma out. Is it Tom? Is it Merrick? Emma is scared and James, the good guy that he is, even though Emma sometimes treats him badly to save him from heartache, is there for her and helps her patch the window and stays on the couch overnight. How many guys would behave their raging teenager hormones and be what Emma needs?
The last quarter of the book, kept me on my toes. There was so much going on and so many twists, that I gobbled up the rest of the book and then bam! I need to know now what happens. Because Emma and James are good for each other and Keith needs Emma. I know a lot of people didn’t like it. I liked it because Emma and James are a little more mature than most teenagers. Emma loves her family. She wants to stay on land instead of live in a life she knows little to nothing about. Emma and James have been through a lot and I want to see them together.
January 17, 2015
Water So Deep was a much better read than I was expecting. I requested it on impulse (like, let’s face it, I do with pretty much everything I read on that amazing site) and it in only a few days. I requested it because a) gorgeous cover, and b) mermaids! I’ve been dying to read good mermaid YA for awhile now (ever since I realized Atlantia was in fact not about mermaids.) So looking at the rating I’ve chosen to give it, you might be wondering why.
I’ll start with the positives.
Mermaids! As outlined above, I love a good mermaid book. This one was both a positive and negative for me, though, but here I’ll stick to the positives. I think mermaids are so underrated in Young Adult fiction – or, you know what? any fiction – so when I come across one, my heart does a little jump of joy.
It was well written. Easy-to-read prose, a nice amount of description and backstory, which was nicely balanced out with enough romance, action, and intrigue to keep me interested in the characters and storyline. I never go into detail about storylines in my reviews, but Water So Deep pretty much went like this: girl is slowly dying on dry land and must join her mate in Atlantis. She has a finite amount of days left on land . . . and, of course, there’s a boy. Speaking of the boy, James, I liked how it alternated between his and her point of views (both in third person) as it was nice to see what they were both thinking.
One of our side characters – Emma’s younger brother, Keith – is a special needs kid. I loved him. He was pretty awesome, actually, and that comes from someone who is not usually fond of kids. I just think it’s nice to see a special needs kid in a story – and to actually have some sort of pivotal role in it, too.
But . . . as you can see I didn’t rate this higher than two stars.
My first bone to pick with the story is. that. ending. I mean, really!? My frustration stems from the fact that on Goodreads, a sequel is not listed. So we should assume, from this, that Water So Deep is a standalone, yes? I find this . . . odd. Because if so, then that ending was awfully open, leaving the reader confused and with a tidal wave (haha, get it? Mermaids? Waves? Tidal waves?) of questions that aren’t actually answered. It’s very hard to go into a deeper explanation of why it bothered me so much without spoiling the story for you guys. Now, I don’t, as a reader, generally need my endings finished with a shiny bow-tie, but I need some sort of closure.
And . . . the characters. Well – just one character, really. Merrick. He was a little bland for a so-called antagonized (I guess that was what he was supposed to be?) and a little under characterized for me to dislike him in any manner. The writer could have probably done a better job of integrating him into the story instead of just having him pop up every few chapters to have a conversation to Emma. Pretty much, their convos went like this:
Emma: I don’t like you! I’m not going to Atlantis with you! Leave me alone!
Merrick: But you must! I am your mate! It is your destiny!
Sigh. I wished there was something . . . more there.
Atlantis itself. The mermaid-y world was vaguely explored at the end, and we catch a glimpse into Emma’s true world, but it was scant compared to the amount of time which was spent on land, doing boring, human things. Like school. Again – this is why I think there might be a sequel in the future. The author just has so, so much more to explore!
Overall it was a fairly enjoyable read, but with some more fleshing out of characters, worlds, and some closure (if there is not indeed a sequel – I am really not sure at this point) it would have been ever better!
Thank you to Netgalley and Jelly Bean Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’ll start with the positives.
Mermaids! As outlined above, I love a good mermaid book. This one was both a positive and negative for me, though, but here I’ll stick to the positives. I think mermaids are so underrated in Young Adult fiction – or, you know what? any fiction – so when I come across one, my heart does a little jump of joy.
It was well written. Easy-to-read prose, a nice amount of description and backstory, which was nicely balanced out with enough romance, action, and intrigue to keep me interested in the characters and storyline. I never go into detail about storylines in my reviews, but Water So Deep pretty much went like this: girl is slowly dying on dry land and must join her mate in Atlantis. She has a finite amount of days left on land . . . and, of course, there’s a boy. Speaking of the boy, James, I liked how it alternated between his and her point of views (both in third person) as it was nice to see what they were both thinking.
One of our side characters – Emma’s younger brother, Keith – is a special needs kid. I loved him. He was pretty awesome, actually, and that comes from someone who is not usually fond of kids. I just think it’s nice to see a special needs kid in a story – and to actually have some sort of pivotal role in it, too.
But . . . as you can see I didn’t rate this higher than two stars.
My first bone to pick with the story is. that. ending. I mean, really!? My frustration stems from the fact that on Goodreads, a sequel is not listed. So we should assume, from this, that Water So Deep is a standalone, yes? I find this . . . odd. Because if so, then that ending was awfully open, leaving the reader confused and with a tidal wave (haha, get it? Mermaids? Waves? Tidal waves?) of questions that aren’t actually answered. It’s very hard to go into a deeper explanation of why it bothered me so much without spoiling the story for you guys. Now, I don’t, as a reader, generally need my endings finished with a shiny bow-tie, but I need some sort of closure.
And . . . the characters. Well – just one character, really. Merrick. He was a little bland for a so-called antagonized (I guess that was what he was supposed to be?) and a little under characterized for me to dislike him in any manner. The writer could have probably done a better job of integrating him into the story instead of just having him pop up every few chapters to have a conversation to Emma. Pretty much, their convos went like this:
Emma: I don’t like you! I’m not going to Atlantis with you! Leave me alone!
Merrick: But you must! I am your mate! It is your destiny!
Sigh. I wished there was something . . . more there.
Atlantis itself. The mermaid-y world was vaguely explored at the end, and we catch a glimpse into Emma’s true world, but it was scant compared to the amount of time which was spent on land, doing boring, human things. Like school. Again – this is why I think there might be a sequel in the future. The author just has so, so much more to explore!
Overall it was a fairly enjoyable read, but with some more fleshing out of characters, worlds, and some closure (if there is not indeed a sequel – I am really not sure at this point) it would have been ever better!
Thank you to Netgalley and Jelly Bean Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 14, 2015
“Love. We’re bound by love. I love him.”
Water So Deep is a captivating tale about a young girl slowly turning into a mermaid and falling in love.
Emma is a mermaid, but was sent away to live on land as a baby. As she's aging, she finds the need to go into the water more often.
This book starts off strong, as Emma is abused by her current boyfriend Tom on her prom night. Being broken by Tom, Emma has a hard time dealing with new people, until James Phelps comes to town and sweeps her off her feet. As Emma struggles to stay on land, her problems only grow deeper as she takes care of her special-needs brother, and does everything she can not to break James' heart.
I honestly fell in love with the book right from chapter one. This book gives you action and plot right from the first chapter, keeping you interested and wanting more.
The characters in this book caught me by surprise. I wasn't expecting to like Emma as much as I did, but I can definitely say that she was an incredible character and I couldn't get enough of her. Going through and event like that in her life, I feel like I would have acted the same exact way. She was hurt, and she learned from her pain and became extremely cautious around guys which is exactly what any real person would do in a situation like that. Overall, her character was intelligent and realistic and I loved reading from her point of view.
We also get to read the book from James' point of view. While I really liked him in the beginning, there was an incident about 22% through the book that caused me to dislike him a little.
Don't get me wrong, I still really admire him for his love for Emma and how hardworking and kind he is, but lets just say he's not my type.
Personally, I am not a huge fan of books where there are main characters with special-needs. While I'm not trying to discriminate against special-needs people here, I just personally found many books to focus in extreme detail about them and their problems in life, which I understand, but I'm usually not a big fan of reading about.
But I can honestly say that this book does not do that at all. As soon as I found out about Emma's brother I was like "Oh no, here we go again." Yet to my surprise, the author never talked about his problems or his past extensively. The author treated him just like any other character, the same way she treated Emma and James. I highly applaud Nichole for this because this is the first book where a chapter being special-needs is considered normal.
Nichole Giles' writing impressed me so much. No does she create a fantastic world filled with amazing detail, but she also creates a killer plot with action from beginning to end. I can honestly say that everything about her writing is brilliant.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to all fans of Romance and Fantasy. I loved everything about this book (except for little things about James), and I can't wait to read the rest of the series if the author decides to continue writing Emma's story.
Happy Reading,
Aneta
Water So Deep is a captivating tale about a young girl slowly turning into a mermaid and falling in love.
Emma is a mermaid, but was sent away to live on land as a baby. As she's aging, she finds the need to go into the water more often.
This book starts off strong, as Emma is abused by her current boyfriend Tom on her prom night. Being broken by Tom, Emma has a hard time dealing with new people, until James Phelps comes to town and sweeps her off her feet. As Emma struggles to stay on land, her problems only grow deeper as she takes care of her special-needs brother, and does everything she can not to break James' heart.
I honestly fell in love with the book right from chapter one. This book gives you action and plot right from the first chapter, keeping you interested and wanting more.
The characters in this book caught me by surprise. I wasn't expecting to like Emma as much as I did, but I can definitely say that she was an incredible character and I couldn't get enough of her. Going through and event like that in her life, I feel like I would have acted the same exact way. She was hurt, and she learned from her pain and became extremely cautious around guys which is exactly what any real person would do in a situation like that. Overall, her character was intelligent and realistic and I loved reading from her point of view.
We also get to read the book from James' point of view. While I really liked him in the beginning, there was an incident about 22% through the book that caused me to dislike him a little.
Don't get me wrong, I still really admire him for his love for Emma and how hardworking and kind he is, but lets just say he's not my type.
Personally, I am not a huge fan of books where there are main characters with special-needs. While I'm not trying to discriminate against special-needs people here, I just personally found many books to focus in extreme detail about them and their problems in life, which I understand, but I'm usually not a big fan of reading about.
But I can honestly say that this book does not do that at all. As soon as I found out about Emma's brother I was like "Oh no, here we go again." Yet to my surprise, the author never talked about his problems or his past extensively. The author treated him just like any other character, the same way she treated Emma and James. I highly applaud Nichole for this because this is the first book where a chapter being special-needs is considered normal.
Nichole Giles' writing impressed me so much. No does she create a fantastic world filled with amazing detail, but she also creates a killer plot with action from beginning to end. I can honestly say that everything about her writing is brilliant.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to all fans of Romance and Fantasy. I loved everything about this book (except for little things about James), and I can't wait to read the rest of the series if the author decides to continue writing Emma's story.
Happy Reading,
Aneta
April 10, 2015
Seventeen-year-old Emma Harris feels like she is drowning on dry land. Not only is that feeling partly due to her slow recovery from a prom night assault perpetrated on her by her boyfriend; it is also beginning to encroach on Emma's life, stealthily creeping into her reality and into her routine. No one really understands what's happening to her, and as much as Emma loves her adoptive family and her friends, she wants to keep her secret to herself - for as long as she can.
For the past two years, Emma has been struggling with her evolution from human to mermaid. So far, she has been fairly successful in dealing with the various bizarre impulses, cravings and strange indentations that are suddenly appearing on her body - hiding what she can from her family, her friends, and most especially, the new guy in school, James Phelps. Yet, Emma is finding it increasingly difficult to continue her charade. The truth is beginning to come out, and even her Grandmother - who knows Emma's secret - just doesn't know how to help.
Emma's time in the ocean is spent dodging a possessive merman, and her time on land is split between caring for her fourteen-year-old brother Keith, who has special needs and squeezing in every last possible moment from her life as a human. Time is short for Emma, and as much as she tries to avoid it, she is becoming more attached to her life on land. But a normal life is something that Emma is beginning to realize she may never have.
Falling for the irresistible James is also unavoidable apparently, especially when it seems he's constantly coming to her rescue. James somehow sees through Emma's carefully constructed icy facade to the vulnerability she lives with every day. He makes her yearn for a life on land that she just can't have.
When her brother disappears on Emma's watch, James is the only person she trusts to help her save him. But even if they can save Keith, nothing can prevent Emma's return to the sea. Whether she likes it or not, Emma is changing - unable to breathe without yielding to the tide - and it's only a matter of time before she forced to surrender forever.
I absolutely loved reading this book - I really felt for Emma and the situation in which she finds herself. Despite it being a rather fantastic dilemma, I could certainly sympathize with Emma. I was also pleasantly surprised to 'meet' a character with special needs. I haven't read that many books featuring characters with disabilities - so that was refreshing. I give this book a definite A! I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
For the past two years, Emma has been struggling with her evolution from human to mermaid. So far, she has been fairly successful in dealing with the various bizarre impulses, cravings and strange indentations that are suddenly appearing on her body - hiding what she can from her family, her friends, and most especially, the new guy in school, James Phelps. Yet, Emma is finding it increasingly difficult to continue her charade. The truth is beginning to come out, and even her Grandmother - who knows Emma's secret - just doesn't know how to help.
Emma's time in the ocean is spent dodging a possessive merman, and her time on land is split between caring for her fourteen-year-old brother Keith, who has special needs and squeezing in every last possible moment from her life as a human. Time is short for Emma, and as much as she tries to avoid it, she is becoming more attached to her life on land. But a normal life is something that Emma is beginning to realize she may never have.
Falling for the irresistible James is also unavoidable apparently, especially when it seems he's constantly coming to her rescue. James somehow sees through Emma's carefully constructed icy facade to the vulnerability she lives with every day. He makes her yearn for a life on land that she just can't have.
When her brother disappears on Emma's watch, James is the only person she trusts to help her save him. But even if they can save Keith, nothing can prevent Emma's return to the sea. Whether she likes it or not, Emma is changing - unable to breathe without yielding to the tide - and it's only a matter of time before she forced to surrender forever.
I absolutely loved reading this book - I really felt for Emma and the situation in which she finds herself. Despite it being a rather fantastic dilemma, I could certainly sympathize with Emma. I was also pleasantly surprised to 'meet' a character with special needs. I haven't read that many books featuring characters with disabilities - so that was refreshing. I give this book a definite A! I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
January 16, 2015
I received a free review copy of this book through Netgalley.
My reviews can also be found on my blog, Kittens and Books.
Emma is a changeling. When she was an infant, she was dropped off with a human - her Gran - to live on land for eighteen years. After this time passed, she would be physically forced to return to the sea.
This left Emma living with her parents and her younger brother. The only person who knew about her condition was Gran, who insisted they not tell her parents until the change happened. Emma, attached to her life and the people she loved on earth, did not want to leave for a mate and a new home in Atlantis.
I expected much different things from this story. Admittedly, that's not the book's fault. Going in, I thought that Emma's life would be split more evenly between water and land, when it actually all happened on land.
The lack of mermaid parts were disappointing, but I quickly got over it and took the story for what it is - which is, primarily, a young adult romance. Once I accepted this, I fell in love with Emma's story. And that is why the ending to this book upset me so much.
Without giving spoilers, I can say that this ending left a lot to be desired. I don't think the concept is bad, although it's disappointing. But my problem is how many plot points get started in the end, but don't follow through. There are connections that began to come together, then were left alone. A character did something completely unexpected, and that action was never explained.
I don't think this is a book that, if ended right, would have needed a sequel. I don't think the main story line requires a sequel, although I would love one for that too - but there were several important side plots that need more explaining. The side plots needed an ending too, and they just did not get one. As far as I know, this is a standalone, which disappoints me.
Still, I focused a lot on the negative in this review - and that is not entirely fair. While I had problems with the ending, the rest of the story was wonderful. I loved following Emma and her life, and I admired her strength throughout the story. I fell in love with James - although he thought far too much about Emma being 'different from other girls' because she was complex, which all girls are. I was rooting for them the entire way.
Ultimately, I cannot give this any less than four stars. But if a few more things had been wrapped up, I would easily give it five.
My reviews can also be found on my blog, Kittens and Books.
Emma is a changeling. When she was an infant, she was dropped off with a human - her Gran - to live on land for eighteen years. After this time passed, she would be physically forced to return to the sea.
This left Emma living with her parents and her younger brother. The only person who knew about her condition was Gran, who insisted they not tell her parents until the change happened. Emma, attached to her life and the people she loved on earth, did not want to leave for a mate and a new home in Atlantis.
I expected much different things from this story. Admittedly, that's not the book's fault. Going in, I thought that Emma's life would be split more evenly between water and land, when it actually all happened on land.
The lack of mermaid parts were disappointing, but I quickly got over it and took the story for what it is - which is, primarily, a young adult romance. Once I accepted this, I fell in love with Emma's story. And that is why the ending to this book upset me so much.
Without giving spoilers, I can say that this ending left a lot to be desired. I don't think the concept is bad, although it's disappointing. But my problem is how many plot points get started in the end, but don't follow through. There are connections that began to come together, then were left alone. A character did something completely unexpected, and that action was never explained.
I don't think this is a book that, if ended right, would have needed a sequel. I don't think the main story line requires a sequel, although I would love one for that too - but there were several important side plots that need more explaining. The side plots needed an ending too, and they just did not get one. As far as I know, this is a standalone, which disappoints me.
Still, I focused a lot on the negative in this review - and that is not entirely fair. While I had problems with the ending, the rest of the story was wonderful. I loved following Emma and her life, and I admired her strength throughout the story. I fell in love with James - although he thought far too much about Emma being 'different from other girls' because she was complex, which all girls are. I was rooting for them the entire way.
Ultimately, I cannot give this any less than four stars. But if a few more things had been wrapped up, I would easily give it five.
April 26, 2017
Water So Deep was a thrilling read for me. I inhaled it in two days. (Who needs to do housework?!)
This is the story of Emma, a girl who is destined to be a mermaid in only a few short months. Her Grandmother knows about this change, but she's the only one. Emma must face her family and friends every day knowing she won't see them much longer, but also knowing she can't tell them. If Emma doesn't enter the sea, she'll literally drown on land.
Emma was a great character to me. The beginning starts with a horrific scene where some terrible things happen to Emma. (Nothing graphic.) But months later, she has forged ahead, trying her hardest to make the best of the time she has left with those she loves. Namely her parents and handicapped brother. Then enter James. The new kid at school. He's kind, attractive, and totally into Emma. She really, really tries to scare James away. She warns him repeatedly that she's bad news.
In James' defense, he tries to listen. But, in the end, they just can't stay away from each other.
What I loved about this book was that there was so much MORE than just sappy eyed "I love yous" in this book. Emma and James make mature decisions and try to do what's best for each other. I felt like their attraction and "love" was more real that a lot of shallow YA love stories.
I couldn't put the book down. I had to know what happened!
I loved the mermaid theme and the world building. I felt like we just scratched the surface of Atlantis, and I can't wait to read more about it.
What I didn't love about the book was the ending. Not so much how it ended, but who James became in the end. I won't spoil it, but let's just say I was disappointed with him in a way.
There were also times when something happened and I was confused, like maybe I'd missed something. Then Emma explains it pages later. It happened more than once, and that was hard to get used ot.
None of this stops me from wanting so desperately to finish the rest of the series though. (I'm assuming there are more books to come.)
There is some language and an intense scene right at the beginning. Nothing graphic explicit, but it's painful to read - especially when Emma recounts it later in the book.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
This is the story of Emma, a girl who is destined to be a mermaid in only a few short months. Her Grandmother knows about this change, but she's the only one. Emma must face her family and friends every day knowing she won't see them much longer, but also knowing she can't tell them. If Emma doesn't enter the sea, she'll literally drown on land.
Emma was a great character to me. The beginning starts with a horrific scene where some terrible things happen to Emma. (Nothing graphic.) But months later, she has forged ahead, trying her hardest to make the best of the time she has left with those she loves. Namely her parents and handicapped brother. Then enter James. The new kid at school. He's kind, attractive, and totally into Emma. She really, really tries to scare James away. She warns him repeatedly that she's bad news.
In James' defense, he tries to listen. But, in the end, they just can't stay away from each other.
What I loved about this book was that there was so much MORE than just sappy eyed "I love yous" in this book. Emma and James make mature decisions and try to do what's best for each other. I felt like their attraction and "love" was more real that a lot of shallow YA love stories.
I couldn't put the book down. I had to know what happened!
I loved the mermaid theme and the world building. I felt like we just scratched the surface of Atlantis, and I can't wait to read more about it.
What I didn't love about the book was the ending. Not so much how it ended, but who James became in the end. I won't spoil it, but let's just say I was disappointed with him in a way.
There were also times when something happened and I was confused, like maybe I'd missed something. Then Emma explains it pages later. It happened more than once, and that was hard to get used ot.
None of this stops me from wanting so desperately to finish the rest of the series though. (I'm assuming there are more books to come.)
There is some language and an intense scene right at the beginning. Nothing graphic explicit, but it's painful to read - especially when Emma recounts it later in the book.
**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
January 26, 2015
It's really hard to read a book when you don't like the characters. Lucky for me, that wasn't the case with Water so deep.
I don't think there's anything I didn't like about this book. So, without further ado, here's The List:
- I really liked the MC, whose name I've already forgotten, because even though she didn't especially like what her future held, she didn't stand around moping all day, or use this as an excuse to be a bitch to everyone. She was also realistic about it, and although I would've enjoyed watching her move heaven and earth trying to find a cure while I was comfortably lying in my bed, I appreciated that she wasn't in complete denial.
- The love interest, whom I'll call LI because I also forgot his name, was the cliché bad-boy. Except not. Yes, he owns a leather jacket and a motorcycle which he probably used to screw half the school, but he's also caring, nice, and, you known not a jerk or a creepy stalker. Yes, Edward, I'm talking about you.
-The MC's relationship with her family, especially with her brother, was was fucking awesome. This sums it up really well:
-I hate romance. I loathe it, even. Every time I read about Bella who found the love of her life, and how when they kiss it's magic and sparks fly and the world stops moving and Edward starts to glow like a fucking diamond, I feel like throwing up. Come on, a sparkling vampire ? I can't think of anything more ridiculous.
Anyway, back to the book. Nichole Giles had the wonderful idea not to choke me with cheesy things. There was a little romance, don't get me wrong (honestly, what book these days doesn't?) but it wasn't the only thing the MC could think about. So, yay fpr you, Ms Giles.
Finally, the writing was good, and I didn't find an typo (not that I looked for them, mind you, but it's rare in an ARC so I thought I'd talk about it.)
The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was because it's really not a profound book and, although I read it in one sitting, I didn't enjoy it that much.
I received an ARC of tis book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. "Honest" being the operative word here, people.
I don't think there's anything I didn't like about this book. So, without further ado, here's The List:
- I really liked the MC, whose name I've already forgotten, because even though she didn't especially like what her future held, she didn't stand around moping all day, or use this as an excuse to be a bitch to everyone. She was also realistic about it, and although I would've enjoyed watching her move heaven and earth trying to find a cure while I was comfortably lying in my bed, I appreciated that she wasn't in complete denial.
- The love interest, whom I'll call LI because I also forgot his name, was the cliché bad-boy. Except not. Yes, he owns a leather jacket and a motorcycle which he probably used to screw half the school, but he's also caring, nice, and, you known not a jerk or a creepy stalker. Yes, Edward, I'm talking about you.
-The MC's relationship with her family, especially with her brother, was was fucking awesome. This sums it up really well:
-I hate romance. I loathe it, even. Every time I read about Bella who found the love of her life, and how when they kiss it's magic and sparks fly and the world stops moving and Edward starts to glow like a fucking diamond, I feel like throwing up. Come on, a sparkling vampire ? I can't think of anything more ridiculous.
Anyway, back to the book. Nichole Giles had the wonderful idea not to choke me with cheesy things. There was a little romance, don't get me wrong (honestly, what book these days doesn't?) but it wasn't the only thing the MC could think about. So, yay fpr you, Ms Giles.
Finally, the writing was good, and I didn't find an typo (not that I looked for them, mind you, but it's rare in an ARC so I thought I'd talk about it.)
The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was because it's really not a profound book and, although I read it in one sitting, I didn't enjoy it that much.
I received an ARC of tis book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. "Honest" being the operative word here, people.
February 12, 2015
This book gets a four star rating from me, because while I didn't love every page of it, the pages I did love I loved a whole damn lot, to the point of offsetting the pages I didn't.
I read a good amount of YA, but this is definitely the first mermaid story I've encountered in a long, long while. In terms of description and character drive, this crux of the story could not have been better for me -- the world Emma literally swims in contains some of Giles's best prose and most clear, concise writing. I literally felt like I was swimming along beside her, and it didn't feel cheesy at all, which I think it easily could have been. Emma's relationship with both James, and her wonderfully written little brother Keith, were heart-wrenching and heart-warming. The ending gutted me, and I'm a fan of angsty, open-ended endings... But this one kept me awake for a good hour after I finished reading it, trying to process how I felt about where it ended and what, if anything beyond what we were presented with, it could mean. On these merits alone, this book should easily be a five star stunner.
It is not, however, because in between the beautiful sea-life prose and steamy scenes between Emma and James was a good amount of what felt like a dramatic dumbing down of language, usage, and prose, and filling in trite details that only vaguely become relevant later on. For being an antagonistic character, Merrick is pretty wibbly in motivation and payoff, and the bullying Emma faces in her human school, while not unimpactful, seems undeveloped in a lot of ways. At times, I felt as though I was reading a book written half at a college level, then gets thrust down into middle grade level. The inconsistency is jarring, particularly when I see that Giles is clearly a much better writer than that, and leads me to wonder how closely this was edited for consistency before being published.
That huge flaw aside, I really enjoyed this novel. If more in this series were ever written, I'd read it with gusto.
***I received a free eCopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***
I read a good amount of YA, but this is definitely the first mermaid story I've encountered in a long, long while. In terms of description and character drive, this crux of the story could not have been better for me -- the world Emma literally swims in contains some of Giles's best prose and most clear, concise writing. I literally felt like I was swimming along beside her, and it didn't feel cheesy at all, which I think it easily could have been. Emma's relationship with both James, and her wonderfully written little brother Keith, were heart-wrenching and heart-warming. The ending gutted me, and I'm a fan of angsty, open-ended endings... But this one kept me awake for a good hour after I finished reading it, trying to process how I felt about where it ended and what, if anything beyond what we were presented with, it could mean. On these merits alone, this book should easily be a five star stunner.
It is not, however, because in between the beautiful sea-life prose and steamy scenes between Emma and James was a good amount of what felt like a dramatic dumbing down of language, usage, and prose, and filling in trite details that only vaguely become relevant later on. For being an antagonistic character, Merrick is pretty wibbly in motivation and payoff, and the bullying Emma faces in her human school, while not unimpactful, seems undeveloped in a lot of ways. At times, I felt as though I was reading a book written half at a college level, then gets thrust down into middle grade level. The inconsistency is jarring, particularly when I see that Giles is clearly a much better writer than that, and leads me to wonder how closely this was edited for consistency before being published.
That huge flaw aside, I really enjoyed this novel. If more in this series were ever written, I'd read it with gusto.
***I received a free eCopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***
February 3, 2015
Isn't this cover gorgeous! It perfectly reflects the story. When we are introduced to Emma, she is swimming. She knows she will eventually have to leave her life on land and live permanently in the ocean. Emma knows she came from Atlantis, but was left as a baby. Only her Gran knows her mermaid secret. Emma has a lot going on. She was given a bad reputation for an incident that happened with her ex-boyfriend, and the new boy James, finds himself not able to stay away from her, as she tries her best to stay away from him. Emma is a great character with so much heart. Her special needs brother attends her school, and while trying to deal with the rumors of her past, she finds herself attracted to James. Even though Emma knows she will have to leave everyone she loves behind, she can't stay from the ocean. However, the ocean isn't always the relief she needs it to be. Merrick, a merman who made a bargain for her, won't leave her alone.
4 out of 5 stars. I loved the turns the story took. There was a very enjoyable twist at the end, one that I didn't see coming. The whole story (especially Emma's history) was very cool, and I was eagerly turning pages to know how things were going to turn out. I did appreciate how Nichole didn't throw it all at the reader at once. Perfect way to keep me reading. Nichole wrote her characters perfectly, and the ending is ... WOW!
Content: some language and heavy kissing.
Received a MOBI copy in exchange for an honest review.
4 out of 5 stars. I loved the turns the story took. There was a very enjoyable twist at the end, one that I didn't see coming. The whole story (especially Emma's history) was very cool, and I was eagerly turning pages to know how things were going to turn out. I did appreciate how Nichole didn't throw it all at the reader at once. Perfect way to keep me reading. Nichole wrote her characters perfectly, and the ending is ... WOW!
Content: some language and heavy kissing.
Received a MOBI copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2015
Emma is turning into a mermaid and there's nothing she can do to stop it from happening. She also can't seem to do anything about Merrick, the horrible, obsessive merman she's been promised to.
For the most part, I liked Emma. But she wasn't perfect and there were a few times where she did things that were not very nice.She had a lot on her plate, dealing with her transformation, knowing she was going to have to leave her family, especially her brother who is special needs, and falling in love right before she has to leave forever.
Her ex-boyfriend tries to force himself on her and it causes her to put some walls up. Then James shows up and manages to get through to her and she can't deny that she's falling for him.James is determined and very persistent about wanting to know her.
I actually really liked the relationship between Emma and James. He seems to genuinely cares about her. I also love the fact that she trusted him and cared about him enough to actually tell him what was going on. She trusted him with her secrets and actually told him the truth.
Supposedly there is going to be a sequel and this book sets up perfectly for it. If that happens I will definitely read it. I am a big fan of mermaid books and I thought this one was pretty good.
*E-Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For the most part, I liked Emma. But she wasn't perfect and there were a few times where she did things that were not very nice.She had a lot on her plate, dealing with her transformation, knowing she was going to have to leave her family, especially her brother who is special needs, and falling in love right before she has to leave forever.
Her ex-boyfriend tries to force himself on her and it causes her to put some walls up. Then James shows up and manages to get through to her and she can't deny that she's falling for him.James is determined and very persistent about wanting to know her.
I actually really liked the relationship between Emma and James. He seems to genuinely cares about her. I also love the fact that she trusted him and cared about him enough to actually tell him what was going on. She trusted him with her secrets and actually told him the truth.
Supposedly there is going to be a sequel and this book sets up perfectly for it. If that happens I will definitely read it. I am a big fan of mermaid books and I thought this one was pretty good.
*E-Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 2, 2015
People can be so cruel. Emma has been wrongfully judged and accused of ruining someone's life and so others lives by default. She has closed herself off from people and will never let anyone in, especially guys. Until James... I loved watching Emma interact with her brother, Keith. I liked how she tried to treat him as an adult while being sensitive to his limitations due to his disability. It would be a difficult balancing act. I really liked how James took Emma's brother in. He was a very genuine, caring person who put others a head of himself. He tried not to judge people by others' assessments of them, but to find out about them for himself. He knew what his end goal was for himself to get him where he wanted to be in life and he worked hard to achieve that goal. He didn't let anything stand in his way, including himself. He was a person who would sacrifice anything for those he loved. There are some interesting twists and turns in the book. I'm curious to know how Tom and Merrick are tied to each other. I know this is written for a teen or YA audience, but I'd be a little hesitant to let my teen read it. I would have given it a 5, but the language prevented it. Not necessary, in my opinion. Scene of attempted rape, language, and innuendo. Looks as though there will be a sequel. The end sort of leaves you hanging. I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2015
This was my first mermaid book and it definitely won’t be my last. I really loved this story. Emma is a great character; she went through a very rough ordeal, but she managed to overcome it with the love and strength of her family. You can’t help but fall in love with her little brother Keith, and the friendship he and James formed was also one of my favorite aspects of the book. James is one of those guys that seems like the ladies’ man jock, and in a way, he is, since he could get any girl he wanted, but all the girls he dated were just substitutes for Emma, as she was the only girl he really wanted to be with. Parts of it were sad because Emma and James finally realized that they were just going to fall in love no matter how hard they fought it, but by the time they came to that conclusion, they had already lost a lot of the time they had to be together. It’s almost as if Emma has a terminal disease and they’re fighting to save her life. Emma will live a long life as a mermaid, but a life without her family, is as good as death in her eyes. I’m so in need of the sequel as it ended with quite the cliffhanger, but I also really want to see more of Atlantis and the lives of the merpeople there. I have to wonder if Merrick is really as bad of a guy as he’s sometimes painted. I get the feeling that he’s misunderstood. I can’t wait to read the rest of this story!
February 2, 2015
The story of seventeen-year-old Emma Harris is intriguing because she's human but she's slowly changing, turning into a mermaid. Nichole does an excellent job of helping the reader feel the intensity of this change and Emma's need for water.
I love the secondary characters in this book. Emma has a close relationship with her brother, Keith, who is disabled. She cares for him and it's great to see a strong sibling tie in a story with young adults.
Emma's friend, or more-than-friend, James adds another layer to the story as it notches up the romantic tension and challenges Emma's closed off trust skills. James interacts kindly with Keith and is a anchor in Emma's world. But the real question is whether a mermaid can ever handle an anchor. There's more to this story than you might think!
Nichole is an excellent writer with terrific skills at writing from a teenage perspective. This book has great clean romance, adventure, and a bit of mystery that will keep you turning the pages, gasping for breath along with Emma as you race to the finish!
This is a young adult novel with mild swearing and some innuendo.
I love the secondary characters in this book. Emma has a close relationship with her brother, Keith, who is disabled. She cares for him and it's great to see a strong sibling tie in a story with young adults.
Emma's friend, or more-than-friend, James adds another layer to the story as it notches up the romantic tension and challenges Emma's closed off trust skills. James interacts kindly with Keith and is a anchor in Emma's world. But the real question is whether a mermaid can ever handle an anchor. There's more to this story than you might think!
Nichole is an excellent writer with terrific skills at writing from a teenage perspective. This book has great clean romance, adventure, and a bit of mystery that will keep you turning the pages, gasping for breath along with Emma as you race to the finish!
This is a young adult novel with mild swearing and some innuendo.
February 21, 2015
A full review of this book will be posted on my blog.
I had a few problems with this book, although they weren't so huge that they caused me to dislike the book. I wish the story would have moved along faster. I feel like we didn't really reach the climax of the story until the last fifteen pages or so. This left the reader with little to go on at the end of the story.
I would like to applaud the author for including a diverse character set. As someone with a "dis"abled sibling, I loved Keith's character. I appreciated how is problems were very realistic, and how independent he was.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I certainly didn't LOVE it, but I didn't dislike it either. I would probably read more by this author.
FTC Disclaimer: I recieved a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had a few problems with this book, although they weren't so huge that they caused me to dislike the book. I wish the story would have moved along faster. I feel like we didn't really reach the climax of the story until the last fifteen pages or so. This left the reader with little to go on at the end of the story.
I would like to applaud the author for including a diverse character set. As someone with a "dis"abled sibling, I loved Keith's character. I appreciated how is problems were very realistic, and how independent he was.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I certainly didn't LOVE it, but I didn't dislike it either. I would probably read more by this author.
FTC Disclaimer: I recieved a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2015
I have to say I loved this story. I loved the cover as well. But this story was so fascinating that I couldn’t put it down. I don’t normally read fantasy or mermaid stories but this one was worth it to me.
The story is about Emma Harris, it is her senior year and she loves her family and loves living on land, not her fault that she was born a mermaid and has to return to the sea. She is a responsible person and loves her family. But her destiny was already made for her. She will return to the sea when she is 18 year old.
I loved how the author made me feel during the story. I really thought it was great, kept me wanting to keep reading. To me the book was captivating and felt so real. She goes through stuff similar to other girls her age. I am just glad I was able to read this book.
The story is about Emma Harris, it is her senior year and she loves her family and loves living on land, not her fault that she was born a mermaid and has to return to the sea. She is a responsible person and loves her family. But her destiny was already made for her. She will return to the sea when she is 18 year old.
I loved how the author made me feel during the story. I really thought it was great, kept me wanting to keep reading. To me the book was captivating and felt so real. She goes through stuff similar to other girls her age. I am just glad I was able to read this book.
April 1, 2015
Giles' beautifully scripted story of Emma was a tear jerk-er and at times had me so very proud of this strong willed girl that I wanted to share it with my daughter!
Giles' ability to take the fairy tale world of mermaids and mermen and intertwine them into the coming of age story of sweet Emma was intriguing. Emma has a whole hidden life that even her Mom and Dad know nothing about. A life she didn't choose and is having a hard time accepting.
Emma had the seemingly perfect high school life... cheerleader, big time basketball player boyfriend and lots of friends. When tragic events lead her to withdraw from her once popular status it seems there is nothing that will change her mind to enter back into that life.
Until...James.
You have to read it to find out how this fairy tale ends.
Giles' ability to take the fairy tale world of mermaids and mermen and intertwine them into the coming of age story of sweet Emma was intriguing. Emma has a whole hidden life that even her Mom and Dad know nothing about. A life she didn't choose and is having a hard time accepting.
Emma had the seemingly perfect high school life... cheerleader, big time basketball player boyfriend and lots of friends. When tragic events lead her to withdraw from her once popular status it seems there is nothing that will change her mind to enter back into that life.
Until...James.
You have to read it to find out how this fairy tale ends.
January 22, 2015
3 Things Ella Learnt From Reading This Book:
- Boys are obsessed with auburn hair.
- Mermaids just aren't for me.
- It is actually possible to want to eat your kindle in boredom.
I found the whole mermaid story totally uninteresting, but I think that's more to the fact that I've come to realize that Mermaid stuff just isn't for me. Having Emma flick her "auburn waves" EVERYWHERE got on my nerves. I liked the relationship that Emma had with her younger brother who had special needs, but Emma was really annoying and had such a childish voice I just couldn't click with.
-->Frabjous thanks to Jelly Bean Publishing and Netgalley for letting me review this!<--
- Boys are obsessed with auburn hair.
- Mermaids just aren't for me.
- It is actually possible to want to eat your kindle in boredom.
I found the whole mermaid story totally uninteresting, but I think that's more to the fact that I've come to realize that Mermaid stuff just isn't for me. Having Emma flick her "auburn waves" EVERYWHERE got on my nerves. I liked the relationship that Emma had with her younger brother who had special needs, but Emma was really annoying and had such a childish voice I just couldn't click with.
-->Frabjous thanks to Jelly Bean Publishing and Netgalley for letting me review this!<--
November 27, 2015
Transition Unwanted
This series must be read in order. This is the first book.
Emma is in transition... She is slowly becoming a full on all the time water breathing mermaid. She does not want to be a mermaid. She wants to be a normal human girl wiwater b a normal boring life and stay with her adoptive family and her best friend Heather. At least on land no one is selling her to Merrick! There is no way she is marrying that creepy merman! Will she find a way to become fully human? Will she be able to escape her forced "joining"?
***This series is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy a little reality in their supernaturl modern fantasy coming of age adventures :)
This series must be read in order. This is the first book.
Emma is in transition... She is slowly becoming a full on all the time water breathing mermaid. She does not want to be a mermaid. She wants to be a normal human girl wiwater b a normal boring life and stay with her adoptive family and her best friend Heather. At least on land no one is selling her to Merrick! There is no way she is marrying that creepy merman! Will she find a way to become fully human? Will she be able to escape her forced "joining"?
***This series is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy a little reality in their supernaturl modern fantasy coming of age adventures :)
January 16, 2015
Oh how I wanted to love this one! I really enjoy good mermaid books. The plot of this one sounded so promising! Emma did not want to become a mermaid and she was trying to avoid her betrothed merman all while trying not to fall in love with the human boy she knew she would have to leave behind. It sounded too good to be true, and unfortunately I was right.
I did not like Emma at all. I felt bad for her because of what happened to her with her ex-boyfriend and the fact that she could not stop her mermaid transformation but she was such a jerk to the people around her because of it.
Read the full review at http://angreads.blogspot.com
I did not like Emma at all. I felt bad for her because of what happened to her with her ex-boyfriend and the fact that she could not stop her mermaid transformation but she was such a jerk to the people around her because of it.
Read the full review at http://angreads.blogspot.com
February 5, 2015
I loved this book, the story was so original. Emma might look like a typical teenager to everyone around her but she carries with her a secret so deep. When her boyfriend beats her up on prom night everything changes. She will never date again, besides she doesn't have much time left of her human life so why bother. Enter James, who is all kinds of hot and he has his eyes set on Emma. Can Emma move past her fears, and let James in or will James get tired of chasing someone so out of his league.
Fate decides who walks into our lives, but our hearts chose who we love.
I hate how the book ends, I really hope that there is a second book.
Fate decides who walks into our lives, but our hearts chose who we love.
I hate how the book ends, I really hope that there is a second book.
April 10, 2015
Well first, let me say, look at that cover! Beautiful, right? This book was wonderful! Very different to be able to 'experience' Emma turning from a human into a mermaid and the struggles that she deals with in doing so! Without giving anything away, there are many trials for her, in many forms..This book does end in a cliffhanger & does leave some of the storyline open for more details. I look forward to seeing where this adventure takes us!
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