The Summer of Chasing Mermaids

by Sarah Ockler

From the bestselling author of Twenty Boy Summer comes a “compelling and original” ( Kirkus Reviews ) novel about a talented singer that loses her ability to speak after a tragic accident, leading her to a postcard-perfect seaside town to find romance.

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’ an ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother, Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly suppresses her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them…

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Retellings, Fiction, Summer, Young Adult Contemporary

416 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2015

About the author

Sarah Ockler is the bestselling author of six young adult novels: The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, #scandal, The Book of Broken Hearts, Bittersweet, Fixing Delilah, and Twenty Boy Summer. Her books have been translated into several languages and have received numerous accolades, including ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults, Girls' Life Top 100 Must Reads, Indie Next List, and nominations for YALSA Teens' Top Ten and NPR's Top 100 Teen Books.

Sarah is a champion cupcake eater, tea drinker, night person, and bookworm. When she's not writing or reading at home in New York City, she enjoys taking pictures, hugging trees, and road-tripping through the country with her husband, Alex.

Visit her website at sarahockler.com or find her on Twitter or Facebook.

Reviews

[aimee (aimeecanread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, you guys. THIS. BOOK. It's the holy-shit-my-brain-just-died kind of amazing. This is not a hyperbole--I'm a hundred percent serious.

First off, we have such an amazing heroine, Elyse. She's from the Caribbean and is a person of color, and she lost her voice in an accident that happened before the events in the book. Aside from being an amazingly diverse character, Elyse also proved to be such a strong, supportive and realistic main character. You are going to love the way she cares for other people so wholeheartedly, and how she works so hard to achieve her goals. She is going to be your next role model.

All the other characters were just as lovable and incredible as Elyse was. We have Christian, Elyse's cocky but charming and very ambitious love interest. At first you'll have your doubts about him, but once you really get to know him, you'll fall for him as hard as I did Elyse did. There's also Sebastian, Christian's younger brother, who just wants to do what he wants without being judged. He was such a sweetheart, and I can't decide who I want to marry: him or his older brother!

This book may seem light at first, but it's actually pretty deep and covers a lot of issues, including sexism, misogyny and many others. I especially loved that these issues were tackled in a The story was just enhanced by Sarah Ockler's heartfelt and gorgeous writing. (Believe me, I was actually interested in the little poetry this book had!)

Oh, let's not forget to talk about the romance. Elyse and Christian don't get along at first, but when they did, they formed such a deep connection with each other, the kind of connection that we readers can feel as well. This was the kind of romance that made me swoon, cry, and basically run out of breath. I ship these two so hard even if I want Christian for myself. And this book's also pretty sex positive, which I always appreciate in YA. There's also female masturbation in it, in case you were curious.

Bonus points because this book is a loose retelling of The Little Mermaid, which I adore.

The gist of this review is that you must read this book. Or else we can't be friends.

Deadly Darlings | The Social Potato | The Book Geek | Twitter | Instagram
---

Edit 5/28: I read this a few months ago, and I'm drafting up my full review now. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I loved it. So I bumped up my rating to 5. :)

02/15:
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! This book was just gorgeous, you guys. The story was engaging, the characters were super sweet (Christian Kane, will you marry me?) and the writing was very elegant.

PRE-ORDER THIS GORGEOUS THING, PEOPLE. And be sure to read the acknowledgements--Sarah shares some fabulous encouraging words for y'all.

Full review to come closer to the release date!

[Keertana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I blinked hard when I finished The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, both because of the sheer perfection of this novel and in a tireless effort to keep at bay the waves of emotion that Sarah Ockler's "Acknowledgements" section had inspired. Then, after a long moment of contemplation, I turned back to the beginning of the novel and re-read it, cover-to-cover, even more slowly and with ever more deliberation than before; desperately trying to make the experience last a lifetime, not a mere few hours.

I read The Summer of Chasing Mermaids in January. Only eight months later, in the summer heat of August, am I able to finally put words to my emotions. Ockler's latest hit me like a sucker punch to the gut; I didn't even know how desperately I yearned for this book. Elyse, the beautiful protagonist of our tale, is mute. Once a singer, about to embark on tour with her twin sister, Elyse is now merely a visitor in Oregon, a sea away from her home and at an arm's length from those around her.

As a singer myself, I understood Elyse's fear, tension, worry, and pain implicitly. Yet, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids did not resonate with me simply due to the fact that Elyse and I are both singers (obviously, she is MUCH better). No, the reason Ockler's novel hit so close to home is because it forced me to think of all the people in my life--myself included--who have felt as if they didn't have a voice, at some point or the other. Elyse literally has no voice but in losing her literal voice, she loses all other means of communicating her dreams, her hopes, and her desires. And for me, watching Elyse find a group of friends she could belong with, seeing her converse with a tight-knit group of females who are both inspirational and vulnerable, reading her fall in love with a guy who respected her boundaries and pushed her to be a better person--all of these pushed me to look beyond my own limitations in life, whether they be the literal loss of a voice or something else entirely, and persevere on.

Beyond the thematic, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids ticks off all the right boxes of what I seek for in Contemporary YA. Not only is Elyse a person of color, her heritage and culture is tastefully explored. Ockler has done her research and this novel truly pays homage to the diversity Elyse represents. Moreover, Ockler is, as always, one of the strongest proponents for sex-positive YA, which I appreciate on so many levels because it empowers her characters and allows them to be, without the pressure or stigma of society. I've already mentioned a host of strong female friendships but it's worth mentioning again: Elyse has at least two close female friends throughout the duration of this novel and, what's more, she has female role models she looks up to, respects, and can confide in. It's so rare to see such a strong host of woman-power in a YA novel so I appreciated the effortless manner in which Ockler incorporated her secondary characters.

Even more than the characters, though, this is a novel of place; time, wind, and the sun. This small coastal town in Oregon felt so real to me that I Googled it. I fell in love. For Elyse, being in Oregon is an escape; a way for her to avoid dealing with her twin sister, who is still pursuing the dream meant for the both of them, and the rest of her large family. Yet, place grows to take on a whole new meaning for Elyse as she begins to fight to keep the coastal town a place for natives, not tourists. Aiding her in this in Christian Kane, the gorgeous summer boy whose boat she helps to restore and vows to sail. Christian, at first glance, seems to be the classic womanizer. Known for the string of beach girls whose hearts he breaks, Christian seemed about as far away from swoon-worthy as you could get.

But then, the guy just charmed the pants off of me. I love how his relationship with Elyse begins as a firm partnership, something built on mutual respect, and grows into a genuine friendship. I began to look forward to their interactions not for the sexual chemistry but, rather, for the insight into their lives that I knew would accompany their dialogue. Christian's younger brother, Sebastian, is also an important character in his own right and the two brothers must deal with the baggage of never being quite "man" enough for their father. I really, really loved how Ockler explored both coins of the gender difficulties in this novel; the men, who face immense pressure to act a certain way and fulfill a quota of expectations and the women, who are meant to conform to a single "type". So much of the growth these characters experience is in learning to disregard those labels and feel comfortable in their own skin; in owning who they are, right now. And I love that.

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is wildly entertaining and vividly romantic, all while being the type of YA novel to inspire teens and propel them in the right direction; the path that leads to self-discovery. Needless to say, it's a favorite; not just of 2015, but of my entire reading career. I lack the appropriate words to fully express just how much this novel moved me, but know that it did; intensely. If I had to recommend just one Ockler novel, or even just one Contemporary YA novel of 2015, it would be The Summer of Chasing Mermaids. I only recently discovered that it is a re-telling of "The Little Mermaid" and, truly, is has become a part of my world.

-----------

Pre-Review:

Considering this book is out in June, I'm not completely sure I can post my full review of it just yet. I wish I could, though, because I genuinely, truly, LOVED this novel. I will post a section of Sarah Ockler's "Acknowledgements" which not only are a perfect summation of the strongest aspects of this novel, but also brought tears to my eyes:

As Elyse discovers, there are so many ways to lose one's voice. Elyse's initial loss is literal, but she comes to know and care for people who've experienced all kinds of silencing, both subtle and forceful, both accidental and purposeful.
The intentions and methods by which people silence one another may be wildly different, but the outcome is always the same: someone's voice goes unheard.
So, for anyone who has ever been hushed, shushed, shut down, shut up, shut out, shut off, cut off, flamed, shamed, silenced, suppressed, oppressed, dismissed, disempowered, discouraged, disrespected, rejected, ignored, intimidated, talked over, talked at, denied, cast aside, outshouted, outvoted, overlooked, unnoticed, unheard, or unacknowledged in any way: this is your acknowledgement, whenever you need it. I wrote this story for you and because of you. Know that you're not invisible. Know that your voice matters. And know that there are people out there who want and need to hear that beautiful voice of yours, whenever you're ready, however you're able to express it.
Believe in you. I do.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to my books, it's not that I have favorites, per se... but if I did, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids would be it. :-) Seaside town, flawed but loyal girlfriends, major life transitions, family struggles, a bit of mermaid lore, inspiration from The Little Mermaid (both Disney's adaptation and the original Hans Christian Andersen tale), and of course -- falling in love! I can't wait to share Elyse's story with you!

[Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yet another book I feel like I'm too old for, because I'm pretty sure a lot of readers will love it, and with reasons, really. Frankly, I would finish it if I had more reading time lately, but what can I say? I can't right now. For real? This is a meh 2-3 material to me, nothing more, because rip the (great) diversity vibes off, what do you get? Another broken girl in need for an equal broken loverboy guy for them to fix each other.

#NotImpressed


① What makes me want to finish it

✔ The writing, which is pretty good in my opinion.

✔ The fact that Elyse is from Tobago and then, introduces us to another culture. Yay to diversity!

✔ Sebastian, the little brother chasing mermaids. He's just so cute!

② What makes me quit

✘ Elyse's self-pitying narration : hey, don't throw me tomatoes, I get it, she lived a traumatic event (I guess, because of course we don't know what it is), but I'm not in the mood for another broken girl who needs saving. Plus, I found her voice boring. And I have to admit that I have no patience for being bored lately, sorry.

✘ Christian's womanizer status : Now, that's maybe me, but I feel really, really tired of these (rich) boys who can't get a grip on their love status.



✘ I kept reading until I realized that, basically, I don't care about the story. This whole regatta plot where a team of teens are out to save the city or whatever doesn't appeal to me and frankly? Call me a cynical bitch, but that makes me roll my eyes. I mean, it IS great and all, but realistic? Not really (in my cynical opinion anyway).

► Here I am, and if I'm almost sure that I'll finish it one day, I guess that today isn't an option anymore. Until then, it's a 2.5 for me, because it's okay, I guess.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Ratings: 4.5 stars



What if you already have your life planned ahead of you, and suddenly a tragedy robbed you of your dream? of your voice? of your ability to stand up for yourself? For your love ones? How do you move on? How do you live?

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids follow the story of Elyse, a girl from Tobago who decided to take refuge in Atargatis Cove after an accident that damaged her voice permanently. As the story progress she will see that her voice is something that comes within.

It’s almost impossible to review this book, without spoiling the entirety of the novel. Instead, I will briefly discuss why readers should give it a try and why this is quite important.

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is told from a point of view of Elyse. She is a disabled person, grieving with the loss of her voice. Naturally she is struggling to come terms with her new life.  Ockler handled it very well, she wholly captured Elyse’s heart, the ramification of the tragedy, her reluctance to open up, and to speak for herself. She also integrated bits of “Tobango” culture in the plot and in Elyse’s character.

This book does not shy away from censorship. We have sex scenes and masturbation. The sex positive message is very much appreciated and celebrated.

There are delightful supporting characters, female empowerment, and feminism or as we call feminist kill joy. There is plenty to offer. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids also addresses sexism and misogyny. It’s disheartening that this issue is still a problem, but this is the world we unfortunately live in. We need to demand change till we finally achieve the equality we rightfully deserve.

We also have a young gay prominent character.  This somewhat represents all young LGBTQ+ kids grappling with their identity. It’s so marvelous to read that Sebastian has a supportive group of friends.

In addition to these wonderful reasons, I honestly adore the lyrical writing and mermaid myth seamlessly woven into the plot.

“Oh, I see what’s going on, gyal. The devil keeping you company now,” she said, which is what she always said when one of us girls was being stubborn and mean-faced, but this time I wanted to tell her no, it wasn’t the devil. It was Death himself, shadowing me, lying in my bed, whispering against my skin. Death himself, come to remind me of his deal with the sea, and if I turned my back even for an instant, he’d drag me back to the depths to fulfill his end of the bargain. 
In so many ways he already had.

Bonus: plenty of kissing and swoon.

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is a slow burn story. An achingly beautiful tale. And if you have a time to spare, you should certainly give the acknowledgement a read.

To sum it up, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is a book you should not miss. There is romance, great friendships and wide variety of diverse and rich characters. This novel is tragic, exquisite and uplifting all rolled in one.

Review also posted at Young Adult Hollywood.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

4.5 stars

If I were to list all the reasons why I think everyone should read The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, we'd be here till we all were just a pile of skin and bones. Since I don't want that to happen, here's just 5 of the main reasons why Sarah Ockler's new book is glorious:

1. It's a contemporary novel that's a loose retelling of The Little Mermaid. Do I need to say more? Surely that has already got you jumping up and down in your seat because that's exactly what I did when I first laid my eyes on that synopsis. And trust me, the execution of it is absolutely spot on, and Ockler's beauteous writing only makes this even more joyous to read. Honestly, I just didn't want this book to end, and it's been quite a while since a book has made me feel that way!



2. There's a POC main character. HELL YES THAT'S RIGHT PEOPLES. Too often, we get books that are dubbed "diverse" because there's that one unimportant, side character that is of a different racial background. But not here, people. The main character, Elyse, is a person of colour and she completely lost her voice because of a recently tragic accident. That, is what I call a diverse book. I did take a little while to be fully engaged in Elyse's narrative, but when I did, my heart truly broke for her. Her whole world revolved around singing, and when she lost her voice, that door down that path just slammed her right in the face.

3. It's not just a fluffy summer read - there's a lot of deeper messages interwoven. Don't be mistaken. This isn't your generic fluffy summer read with a cutesy romance and about a girl who finds herself over the summer break. This is not just about a girl whose dreams were ripped away from her - this is also the story of Sebastian, (the love interest's little brother) who is enamoured by chasing mermaids and is teased about it by all the other men around him; and at it's very core, this is a story about finding your voice again, your stand, in this ever-changing world. 

4. There's a lot of swooning. Expect yourself to make some incoherent sounds that in reality probably sound like squawking. Why? Because Christian Kane. HE IS MINE, BACK OFF PEOPLE. I didn't like Christian to begin with because he's a player but you really do get to know him throughout the novel and I was shipping him and Elyse so SO hard before I knew it. Sarah Ockler certainly didn't forget to bring her fantastic romances to the table in The Summer of Chasing Mermaids. 



5. Also, this book comes with a lot of sex positive and pro feminism vibes. Sarah Ockler, my respect for you has only increased once again, because you addressed what many authors don't want to address. So THANK YOU.

In all, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is a perfect novel for the summer with it's brilliant characters (main characters and sides), glorious ship, realistic portrayal of teenage sex and it's strong underlying message about finding your voice. This is what all contemporary novels should be like.

~Thank you Simon and Schuster for providing the review copy!~

[Chelsea ✨Arielle’s Nebular Ally and Team Acrux✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

When one dream burns to ash, you don't crumble beneath it. You get on your hands and knees, and you sift through those ashes until you find the very last ember, the very last spark.
Then you breathe.
You breathe.
You fucking breathe.
And you make a new fire.

Oh dear sweet baby Jesus...this was just too good. You know when you start a book and you think, aw shit, this is so weird. Well...if ever a book started out oddly and made me emulate Anna's french frown, this one was it. I don't know about you guys, but I don't know a whole lot about boat lingo and the sea and, well, you get the picture. But somewhere along the line *cough* CHRISTIAN *cough* I found it in myself just not to care.

I am a mermaid, goddess of the sea.
Midnight is upon me.
Her lover is near.
Death, come take me home.

And ya know...I even ended up loving reading about their journey of fixing up the boat. Sure, I didn't know what they were talking about, but this was just such a small part of the book it didn't hinder my experience. And, even more than that, it only added to the beautiful prose in which this was written. Now, I'm not going to lie, it won't be for everyone. I love my books-everyone knows it-so I often read what I know I'll love. But here's the thing-My tastes change frequently and I never know what kind of weird books I'm going to pick up and love. Case in point-Yeah, this book had a hot male lead and two tortured main characters, but if you had handed me a story about boats and sailing centered in a town where mermaid folklore is part of everyday life a year ago, I'd have inwardly snarled but smiled oh-so-serenely and said, 'thanks but no thanks.'

As ever, the ocean laughed behind me. My first great love. My endless torment. How could something I knew so well, something that had been such a part of me, betray me like that? How could such golden, shimmering things so quickly turn black?

What a short sighted fool I was. Because, let me tell you all something-this contemporary, despite it's odd title and even odder plot (well, I guess it's not that odd-maybe I'm the odd duck?), had some grit to it. Yeah, yeah, it's about a tortured boy who's father doesn't accept he and his brother as they are-we've seen this before, right? I don't care. Each story has it's own taste, it's own flavor, it's own zest, and I felt, from page one (despite my raised eyebrows and french frown) that this one was different, it's own special little island of misplaced plot.

Hush, hush, little one, she warned.
Everything you wish for
I will take.
Everything you've ever dared to love
is already mine.

I loved how there were little references to 'The Little Mermaid'. The seashell necklace that Sebastian, Christian's little brother and an adorable adventurer searching for the existence of real mermaids, claimed held Elyse's voice, subtle little hints here and there of certain names I won't mention, and even just the idea that something existed in the sea so far beyond our imagination and comprehension-How can you totally discount that?

"Don't tell my old man," Noah said. "I'll have to deny it, say I'm interrogating her."
"You won't get anything out of her," Christian said, nodding in my direction. "My girl here's a vault."
"Your girl?" Noah raised his eyebrows. "When did that-"
"She's a girl." Christian swigged his beer, sighed. "She's my first mate. Simple."
"But you said-"
"Stow it, Katz."

Anyway, maybe it's just me, but this story felt so much deeper than the blurb boasts. The poetic writing, the vivid explanations, the awesome setting, and an unlikely love that made my heart stop beating at some point (I might have flat-lined, who the hell knows, it was too damn hot) and my stomach erupt into thousands of butterflies. And, what's so funny, it came out of nowhere. One minute, I'm in love with the book, naturally, and the next I'm in love with the damn thing. Like, I'd let it sleep next to me in bed I loved it so much. Perhaps I'm too easy, perhaps I look to love things from the very beginning, perhaps I just am a lover of love...but whatever the case, I'd like to think that each and every story earns a place in my little heart, and this one took residence deep in my soul.

With Christian, whenever we were together, whether it was working on the boat, breaking for lunch, inside Lemon's store, or anywhere else our paths crossed, he looked at me. He focused on my lips as I tried to form words, he repeated them to ensure he'd understood. He read the words I'd written for him in my notebook, on his hands, on mine. He noticed me.
He saw me.

Elyse is, essentially, Ariel. She loses her voice to the sea, and even though it never really says, you can surmise as to what happened. She leaves her home country to stay in this little town, to escape the reality that her dreams are forever crushed and she'll never sing-let alone speak-again. She stows away on a random boat she assumes is abandoned (she stays at a friend of the family's home-or is it a distant cousin?? Sorry, that was at the beginning when I wasn't sure wtf I was reading) and writes out all her thoughts, musings, poetic ramblings and short-comings onto the inside cabin of the boat. And then one night the owner of the boat catches her in there....and it's no other than my boy, Christian Kane.

"Lucky day, Stowaway. I'm about to bust your fish-'n'-chips virginity." And there it was, the smile that I'd come to know so well. Not the real one, not the rare one. But the version that broke through the clouds whenever they threatened to get too thick, too heavy.
Whenever he didn't want anyone to know he'd been hurt.

Christian!!! Gahd, if you can't tell, I'm obsessed with him-and his little brother, for that matter!! Christian is, shockingly, tortured. Shhh. I know. It's awesome, right?? lol And I'm so predictable, fangirling as per usual. Whatever....listen to his story before you judge (Anna, I'm side-eyeing your french frowning ass). So Christian's dad...he squelches dreams. He pushes what he wants. No matter how much Christian wanted love as a child, he never received it, until finally he just didn't care anymore...except that he does. And it hurts him that he and Sebastian are looked at so negatively. He loves Sebastian with all his heart, so he tries to encourage his dreams whereas his own were crushed. He races every year with his friend, Noah, in sailing. But this year, times are rough in their town and the mayor has proposed selling all the properties and adding condos to bring in revenue. This, naturally, crushes the town, but there's a bet at stake (and without Christian or Noah's consent). Christian's father and the mayor have wagered that, if Christian wins, the town doesn't sell and he gets Noah's pride and joy-the boat. But if Noah wins, things go according to plan, crushing the town. So, once partners, they are now forced to race against one another for totally different things...and Christian's father thinks he has no chance. Enter Elyse.

This is where fixing up the boat comes in. He and Elyse decide to rebuild the boat together even though she hasn't been in the sea since her accident. She wants to help the town and the handsome, mysterious, heart-crushing, tattooed Stanford boy who will never be good enough for his father. She wants to win. She wants to prove everyone wrong who says a girl can't sail during the race, and, after time, she suddenly realizes...she wants Christian.

Sometimes love was a tonic. Sometimes it was a weapon. And so often it was nearly impossible to tell the difference.

The romance was slow burn, only the best kind. But their relationship is deep, so much more than that. They are friends. They find solace and peace in one another. They speak (or write, in Elyse's case) about things they can't with anyone else. And, more than that, they end up finding themselves when they least expect it.

Just looking at him, a careful observer could see that he was there but not there, his thoughts in many places at once. Adrift, as I noticed earlier. But when he was with you, he was with you. In a shared moment, for however long it lasted-an instant, a minute, ten-he was the kind of guy who offered his undivided focus, no matter how many other girls might be in the room, no matter who he planned on taking home that night.
Clever? Yes. Cocky? Sure. But dismissive? Not part of his repertoire.

I don't know if my ramblings helped, hindered, or completely changed your mind. Frankly? I don't care. I never have time for long reviews anymore, so this fangirl review was for me. I loved this book so deeply with all my heart, and I hope that, in some way, I've convinced even one person to give it a try. But if not? At least I can find strength in the fact that I got to write a fun, happy review, and not some meh or whatever one. I love loving books, and I only hope my winning streak continues. I think many will find lots to love about this one, but it just needs to be given a chance. ♥



For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Hazel (Stay Bookish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Post-reading

Perfectly gorgeous prose, wonderful characters, a touching story. This one is a YA must-read!

Pre-reading


WAIT WHAT?



A NEW SARAH OCKLER BOOK?! AND IT'S A LITTLE MERMAID RETELLING?!



OMFG SO HAPPY!!!!!!



I NEED IT GIVE IT TO ME *GRABBY HANDS*



WHY IS IT NOT JUNE 2015 YET??

[Paula M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first from Sarah Ockler and don't worry because I'm trying to fix this problem by purchasing her previous novels...... so you can stop with the potato throwing now.

The moment I saw the cover of this novel, I know I want it. It was love at first sight. And then I read the synopsis and if it's possible, I just fell for the book even more. And then positive reviews started coming in that made me want to read the book even more. I think I was gonna combust from want.

And this, I found out, was not a good thing to do. I truly enjoyed reading Summer of Chasing Mermaids, but sadly I didn't love it so much like I thought I would. I didn't even swoon that much. But Ockler's beautiful and poetic prose really kept me reading. I'm such a sucker for beautiful prose. I feel like Sarah Ockler is one of those authors that will write a grocery list and I'll be interested in reading it. It was so amazing that way.

And I expected mermaids, so maybe that's one of my mistakes too. Anyway, Elyse was such a deep and well written character. I love her heritage. I love that her heart and words are so beautiful and that everything in her POV reaches out to me and made me FEEL. From the first part of the novel, Elyse did nothing but feel sorry for herself because of the tragedy that happened to her. That's why I admire how she slowly grew and emerged from the pity party that she created. This book is definitely character driven, it's one of those books where you do and feel nothing but root for the main character.

The characters besides Elyse was all wonderful. They were engaging and fun to read. Each character had their own way in helping Elyse realize that some parts of her may be broken, but that doesn't mean that dreaming again is not an option anymore. Christian may not be a big hit to me, but I couldn't think of any guy that would be perfect for Elyse. They're like two broken souls who found their missing pieces with each other (yes I know that's cheesy and cliche) But what can I say, Sarah Ockler brings out that part of me.

The pacing was perfect. One of the many things that was so done well in here was the pacing. Whether its about Elyse's character development or the romance... it was just right. And I like that. Because it made the book even more authentic and readable.

I'm absolutely a fan of Sarah Ockler now. Her words just slayed me and her lovely characters wiggled themselves into my heart. Summer of Chasing Mermaids is beautiful. The words. The theme. The cover. The whole reading experience. I definitely recommend it.

[Siiri (Little Pieces of Imagination) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can now listen to my fanmix for The Summer of Chasing Mermaids on 8tracks [listen]. See the tracklist here .

It’s the hardest ever to write a review for a book that has blown your mind in every way possible; climbed its way into the deepest parts of your heart and soul. How could I ever do justice to this inspiring story, its amazing, well-fleshed characters, a beautiful narration, magnificent setting and so, so much more?! The Summer of Chasing Mermaids was initially one of my most anticipated books of 2015, but it has easily become one of my favorite books ever!


“When one dream burns to ash, you don't crumble beneath it. You get on your hands and knees, and you sift through those ashes until you find the very last ember, the very last spark. Then you breathe. You breathe. You fucking breathe. And you make a new fire.”
(—taken from the ARC, 96%)


The Summer of Chasing Mermaids tells a story of Elyse, a talented and promising singer, who has lost her voice forever thanks to an accident. At the beginning of the novel we obviously don’t know the full story, but it’s clear that the Elyse we know isn’t the Elyse everyone remembers. As she opens up to the readers, and the people around her, we see her slowly, step by step, get closer to coming to a realization that her life isn’t over because of this accident, it's simply the beginning of something new. The character growth and soul searching Elyse goes through is absolutely gorgeously written: it’s raw, emotional and endearing.

My favorite character by far was Elyse, but needless to say that I adored all the other characters a lot too, especially Christian, Kirby, Sebastian, Noah, Vanessa and Lemon. They’re all so well-written, relatable and it was really hard to part with them as the story came to an end. Dear Sarah and Simon Pulse, would you please give Kirby and her love interest a book with lots and lots of cameos from everyone? That would literally be the dream, thank you!

I don’t want to tell you guys the whole story, plus I feel myself starting to ramble real soon, so I’ll just leave you with a few notes on what you can expect when picking up this beauty:

*there are a lot of poc characters and you'll get to experience the culture of Trinidad and Tobago through various flashbacks
*so many wonderful friendships and great, inspiring sisterhood relationships*THERE IS A GLORIOUS SHIP (and yes, there are many actual ships, but I'm talking about a metaphorical one) AND LOTS OF KISSING
*sex and female mastrubation topics aren’t shied away from—this is so. very. important!
*sexism and misogyny are touched upon and some of the values of the society are criticized in a beautiful manner
*you'll 99.73% cry a lot and this book will touch you with its gorgeous narrative, a beautiful and haunting story and a great set of characters

This book is hopeful, stunning and so very honest and raw. I loved every single second of it and I wish the story would go on and on forever, because it was truly, truly hard to part from these characters. With this magical novel, Sarah Ockler is now on my watch-list forever and I’m eagerly anticipating her next story! I can’t wait for my gorgeous physical copy of The Summer of Chasing Mermaids to arrive so that I can re-read it again and again, and I hope that you'll end up picking this up so that we can shout our love for this book in all caps, completely incoherent, because that's how this book will make you feel, I can promise you that (◡‿◡✿)

Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5.0

More of my reviews can be found on my blog.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler is the kind of YA contemporary read that drains you emotionally after you turn the last page, but also leaves you with an intense feeling of satisfaction and love. I knew from the very beginning that this would be a book that thoroughly charmed me and I was right.

Sarah Ockler proves once again that she excels at characterization with this book. Elyse was one beautiful character and for her and I, it was absolute love at first encounter. Having lost her voice in a boating accident, Elyse was shattered because it meant that she could never achieve her dreams of becoming a singer. She was a very vulnerable character who I wanted to give a huge hug to. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids was her journey to finally finding her "voice", about what she wanted out of life and coming to terms with her physical condition. Ockler also wrote her story that reflected her personality, from the gorgeous thought processes to the interactions she had with the people around her. Her journey wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. She encountered several obstacles throughout the story, but she learned from them and eventually stood up for herself. I had so much admiration for her and I loved how she grew from this frail character into a beautiful young woman who knew exactly who she was. Her love interest, Christian, also completely stole my heart. You wouldn't think that he was such a sweetheart given that he was described as being a playboy at the start of the book. But this boy was genuinely nice, supportive of Elyse and loyal to the core. His and Elyse's romance was one of my favorite romances that I've ever read. It was a slow burn relationship, built heavily on trust between two people. Sarah Ockler captured every emotion of their relationship so beautifully. There were so many moments between Christian and Elyse that had my heart fluttering. Plus, these were two people that helped each other grow throughout their relationship. Theirs was a relationship that was honest and heartfelt.

Besides the wonderful main characters and the lovely romance, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids also had some stellar secondary characters. Sebastian, Christian's little brother who is obsessed with mermaids, was a scene stealer. This little boy charmed me and was so delightful. Every time he made an appearance, he would brighten my day. I also loved Elyse's support system throughout the book. Her aunt and her cousin were both amazing and I loved how they were there for Elyse no matter what. Besides the great characters, The Summer of Chasing Mermaids also excelled at the diversity. What made it so good for me was how Elyse's diversity was never used as a plot tool. She just was from a different culture and it was never used as a source of issues. I loved that because it felt natural. The coastal setting was also beautifully captured, with the the town lifestyle being one of my favorite parts of the book. More than anything, however, I loved how sex positive this book was. Not only does Elyse engage in safe, healthy and loving sex, she also indulges in self-love, which came as such a pleasant surprise to me. I don't think I've read one YA book where the female character masturbated, so I was beyond happy to see it done so tactfully in The Summer of Chasing Mermaids.

I could go on and on about The Summer of Chasing Mermaids and how much I love this book, but it's not easy to capture the beauty of this book. It's one that you need to experience by yourself. All I'm going to say is, this is a book worth spending every penny on.

******
Thoughts after reading:

Absolutely perfect!
I'll be writing a full review, but here are some preliminary reasons why you should pre-order this book :

1. DIVERSITY + an interracial couple!

2. Beautiful and poetic writing - This is Sarah Ockler after all!

3. Gorgeous core message

4. Wonderful characters

5. Swoony romance

6. Female masturbation scene (YES, you read that right!) + sex handled beautifully!

7. My favorite part - Sebastian - a cute little boy obsessed with chasing mermaids.

READ THIS BOOK PEOPLE. It will be worth every penny!

[Danielle (Love at First Page) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When one dream burns to ash, you don't crumble beneath it. You get on your hands and knees, and you sift through those ashes until you find the very last ember, the very last spark.
Then you breathe.
You breathe.
You fucking breathe.

When I first heard that Sarah Ockler was writing a loosely-based, contemporary version of The Little Mermaid, I couldn't have been more thrilled. It was my favorite Disney movie growing up (I still know all the lyrics to "Part of Your World"), and I believe a message about a girl who can't speak finding her "voice" will always be important. I loved the many parallels to the original fairy tale - like Elyse's lost voice, a little boy named Sebastian, and the many references to mermaids. But The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is so much more than that. It's not lighthearted contemporary but a story with raw, painful emotions and hopeful undertones. It's a story about perseverance and finding your own path for the first time or for the second. It's truly one of the loveliest books I've read this year, with gorgeous, aching prose and one resilient girl at its heart.

Elyse had aspirations to be a famous singer, to travel around the world and from stage to stage with her sister. She had a beautiful voice and a carefree spirit. She was so close to realizing her dream, but then a boating accident takes her voice away from her. She can't sing, she can't even speak, and Elyse no longer knows who she is anymore. Wanting to get away from the memories and the pitying eyes, she leaves her home island Tobago and goes to stay with her aunt in Atargatis Cove, a small seaside town in Oregon. It's there she rediscovers family, finds love for the first time, and realizes she may not have lost her voice after all.

The full beauty and impact of this book did not hit me right away. It reminds me of a lullaby, how it pulls you in softly and slowly. I warmed to Elyse's voice gradually, until I was completely enamored with her story. Her thoughts read like poetry, which is why I had to get used to it, and she writes poems in her head and in her notebook and on a sailboat's walls. Her loneliness and pain were difficult to read, and we're given the full tale of what happened to her only in snippets. My heart broke for Elyse because her dreams were cut off so suddenly. I can understand why she felt like she no longer knew who she was or what she wanted to do. Despite her despondency, though, she's a tough girl who grows so much in this book. There are many different ways to lose your voice and to be silenced, but there are just as many ways to speak out and make yourself heard. It was a joy to watch Elyse conquer her fears and grow into her own person again.

There is of course a romance, and at first I was quite wary of Christan Kane. He's the town playboy, and I'm so over that type of love interest in YA, but I was eventually won over. He's very gentle, supportive, and patient, and he connects with Elyse on a much deeper level than she was expecting. It was sweet the way he could almost read her thoughts and how he would write messages on her arms. I enjoyed the progression of the romance very much, and there were plenty of swoons to be had.

I loved, too, the many important themes woven throughout the story. There is a cast of fierce, bold, and unapologetic female characters; in particular I enjoyed Elyse's aunt, who wears empowerment like a second skin. But the supporting character who stole my heart is Christian's little brother, Sebastian. He loves mermaids and would rather dress up as a mermaid than a pirate in the town's upcoming parade. It brought tears to my eyes the way he was silenced for not exactly fitting in, but then seeing Elyse and Christian encourage and stand up for him brought on a different kind of tears. Its messages like these, told with conviction and passion, that made the book so powerful for me.

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is the perfect summer read - an inviting setting, a heart-wrenching but hopeful story, a swoony romance, some light humor, and strong, diverse themes. You will fall in love with its characters and its sleepy town, and you'll wish you had a sailboat of your own. Put this one in your beach bag, friends, and let its tide pull you in.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for approving my request in exchange for an honest review!

This review can also be found at Love at First Page.

[Tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Sarah Ockler book, and I’m glad that it lived up to expectations. Ockler paints a gorgeous West Coast landscape to bring to life a story of finding the power and strength to make your voice heard. Elyse, the main character, is a Tobagonian girl who has had her beautiful singing (and speaking) voice ripped away from her in an accident. Elyse was destined to be a great singer along with her twin sister, but has now escaped to the coast of Oregon as refuge while she rebuilds her self and world. There, she gets drawn into a bet between the mayor and a local businessman where the very house she is living in could be destroyed as developers come into the town.

The secondary characters, including new friends Kirby and Vanessa, and love interest Christian make this a fun, sexy, and meaningful read. I sank deeply into the lulling, oceanic world of Cove Bay, and the mystical mermaid legends and Wiccan lore that accompanied it. Ockler’s writing is gorgeous and lyrical, with plenty of swoon and great banter. The brilliance of the book lies in how well Ockler ties together these themes with feminism and power. A fantastic summer read with a lot of substance. I will definitely be picking up the rest of her books.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

From the bestselling author of Twenty Boy Summer, a talented singer loses her ability to speak after a tragic accident, leading her to a postcard-perfect seaside town to find romance.

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom—until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn't: An ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry—except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy—insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn't treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn't the only thing making waves, though—swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn't what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them . . .

What I Liked:

Awww, boo, a Sarah Ockler book I didn't completely love. Granted, I've only read The Book of Broken Hearts and #scandal (and now this book), but that's a pretty good sample, right? I loved The Book of Broken Hearts, and really enjoyed #scandal, Believe me, I thought I would love this one! I thought it was just okay. It's certainly unique, but it didn't grab me, throughout the story.

Fun fact about me: I'm Trinidadian Indian. My parents were born and lived in Trinidad for most of their lives, and then came to the U.S. in the late eighties. Both sides of my family has lived in Trinidad for several generations - I think my great-grandparents came from India (on both sides) through slave trading back when Britain had possession of India and parts of the West Indies (if I'm getting my history correct). I've been to Trinidad, and Tobago, many times. I wanted that personal connection with this book, because Trinidadian is rooted in me - it's a part of me. We are rare and unique, and you'll never forget a Trinidadian once you meet one. I didn't connect with this connection as much as I'd like, and I blame the authenticity the author tries to present. But let's get to this review.

Months ago, something happened to Elyse, a terrible accident at sea involving her twin sister Natalie, resulting in the loss of Elyse's voice. No longer able to talk, let along sing with her sister, Elyse flees to a seaside town in Oregon. Christian Kane, a player and handsome sailor, is spending the summer sailing and enjoying his time from his first year at Stanford. When Elyse agrees to be Christian's first mate on a ship Elyse used to hide in, she's thinking of the town, of a bet the mayor and Christian's father made. Neither she nor Christian expect to fall for each other. Elyse doesn't know if she'll be able to be in open sea again, if she is strong enough to move forward from her past.

Like I said - I think I enjoyed this book? I certainly finished the book, and was not going to not finish it (always a good sign). Ockler always writes a good story and a great romance, and I especially liked the romance. But there is a complex and intriguing story, and I'm not only talking about Elyse's past.

The book is told in a way that we have no idea what happened to Elyse. All we know is that she has no ability to speak anymore, there was some sort of accident, and her twin sister was somehow involved. Everyone treats her like she's broken or a cause or charity... except for Christian Kane. He's never really acted like he's feeling sorry for her. He just sees her.

Christian and Elyse connect for the moment they lay eyes on each other. Elyse knows that Christian has a string of girls behind him, but she's attracted to him. Elyse is obviously quiet, but she's a girl that isn't throwing herself at Christian, and she's a difficult person to read in general. Christian and Elyse are friends, and then Christian asks Elyse to be his first mate on the Queen of. They're friends... until they're something more.

The progression of Christian and Elyse's relationship is really sweet! I think the romance was my favorite part of the book. That and Elyse's relationship with Sebastian, Christian's younger brother. I didn't really get a feel for his age but he must be really young? Probably ten years old or younger. Anyway, the romance. Christian and Elyse don't fall for each other from the start, though they do notice each other immediately. I like that they are friends first, and then the physical nature of their relationship changes.

I can't think of anything else specifically to say, so I shall move on to the next section!

What I Did Not Like:

I had a few issues with this book, and they were big enough for me to take down my rating some. I wasn't really feeling the tragic-past-story thing that Elyse has going on. I know, that sounds really callous and harsh. Thing is, I'm not a huge fan of tough-issue contemporary novels. It's just not my type of read. I don't like reading about such heartbreaking and severe issues that others have. I don't enjoy reading about these topics, so... I don't. It was hard for me to sit through this book, knowing that some deep dark secret was to be revealed about Elyse. For several reasons.

One reason I generally don't like tough-issue contemporary novels, and specifically in this book, is because the protagonist spends the majority of the book feeling sorry for herself. This book is no exception. Look. I get it. She went through something traumatizing, she's not past it and she hasn't gotten over it and she isn't willing to let go, etc. I do understand this. But again - I don't necessarily like reading about characters that mope or are depressed or are feeling sorry for themselves. So if you don't either... you are warned.

I wasn't entirely sucked into this book. Sure, it's unique and interesting, a retelling/story based off The Little Mermaid. The protagonist can't speak. But this book was weird, and I wasn't really impressed. It's entirely contemporary, but there's this element of almost magic. Mermaids are a huge part of this book, so it almost seems like there a magical part of this book. I wasn't really buying it, so you can imagine my overall not-amused attitude. I wasn't captivated by this magical aspect.

I didn't think Ockler did the absolute best job of capturing Tobago and Tobagonians. This book takes place entirely in Oregon, so I guess she felt like she didn't have to? You could see Ockler attempting to write out Trinidadian/Tobagonian speech, like spelling girl as "gyal". But that's really the only attempt she made at capturing the language. Trust me - Trinidadians and Tobagonians do NOT speak in proper sentences with fancy English and contractions and grammar. Noooo. We're native English speakers but the dragged-up English is very, very different. No, we do NOT sound like Jamaicans. The Trinidadian accent is very different from any other country, Caribbean or otherwise.

In any case, I personally didn't feel the authenticity of Trinidad and/or Tobago. I doubt anyone else will notice this because how many Trinidadian/Tobagonian readers of YA are there? Probably not too many, and I'm sure they'll notice the lack of complete authenticity in this book's structure.

The story isn't interesting, as I mentioned, and towards the end, it started to get really cliche, in terms of the Pirate Regatta. I had to roll my eyes at the cheesiness of the climax and ending. Let's go save the world! The town! One teen with no voice can do it! On paper it sounds absurd - and in the book, it was equally as absurd. Honestly. You have to read the book to know what I'm talking about, but ugh! I highly doubt, when it comes to money, that large companies really care about... things.

I think that's all I can think of. A few issues, but big ones.

Would I Recommend It:

Eh. Not really? Another meh book - I'm on a meh streak! I liked the two books of Ockler's that I mentioned above! Try those. But this one didn't impress me. I know some others have read this book and enjoyed it, but I didn't think it was all that great. It was okay though.

Rating:

3 stars. I liked it but wouldn't read it again, or recommend it. I'll definitely be reading more of Ockler's books in the future though! I love how she writes romance.

[The FountainPenDiva, Old school geek chick and lover of teddy bears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I still think the "rich guy heartbreaker" trope has been done to death in too many YA and NA books, I am still giving The Summer of Chasing Mermaids five stars (and I wish I could give it more). I wish I could give a copy to every YA/NA author who thinks slut shaming, whitewashing, and flunking the Bechtel Test somehow makes for compelling reading.

This year hasn't been great for my IR romance reading habit. Between the colorism fail and the endlessly tired tropes of billionaires and bikers, I've just been kind of bored. If anything, I've found more awesome heroines, especially darker-skinned heroines with natural hair styles in comics like Princeless #1, Fight Like a Girl #1 and Jem and The Holograms #1.

There are few romances that I consider really feminist. I need a heroine who may go through trials but is always strong or growing towards strength without needing a man to get her there. I need to see real female friendships. I need to see body acceptance. I DON'T need slut shaming or virginity-worshipping.

I had that strong heroine in Elyse who, in her own words said: "I was in love, just like in the stories. But unlike those fairy-tale girls, love didn't save me; it changed me. Changed me into someone who could save myself."

Save herself? Give that chica a prize!!!

A tragic accident silenced her voice for good, and she moved to Oregon in order to heal (and perhaps to run away). And though there were times I wanted her to stop feeling sorry for herself, it made sense that she struggled but kept going on, finding a purpose to her life. From helping Christian restore The Queen of Cups to hunting mermaids with his adorable little brother Sebastian.

The female friendships just had me cheering. It is so great to read a novel in which the women aren't stabbing each other in the back over the hawt guy du jour. I loved how Elyse (in her way), Kirby and Vanessa talked so openly about their sexuality, owning it as something healthy. I really loved Elyse's guardian Lemon and her coven of witches who actually celebrated menstruation as a ritual. How often do we EVER read that in a YA book? In fact, how often do heroines have periods? It's like authors are terrified to write about something so natural. And I loved how the circle of women were so supportive of one another.

At first, I thought Christian would just be another in a long string of "sexy misunderstood playboy" types that the romance genre is swamped with, but Ockler gave him depth. She didn't concentrate on his past nor did she have him slut shaming the women he'd been with. And once he decided to be with Elyse, he really was WITH her. He listened to her voice, treated her no different than any other person, even though she couldn't speak, and he was vulnerable in a way that heroes of this type are seldom allowed to be. Christian had as much to learn from Elyse as she from him. I really loved his relationship with his brother too.

While Elyse and Christian were awesome, my heart was smitten by Christian's little brother Sebastian. He was just so sweet and innocent with his love of mermaids. I hated those who tried to steal his innocent joy and cheered when determined women stepped up to allow him his moment to shine. The part where Elyse, Kirby and Vanessa dressed him up to march in the mermaid parade just had me saying "you just go boy!"

What I appreciated about Ms. Ockler is that she cared enough about writing a real character and not a stereotype. She did her research on Trinidad and Tobago. She wrote Elyse not as some "exotic" character, but as a real young woman that EVERY reader, regardless of race, can relate to in some fashion. And that's what any GOOD author would do. It was a wonderful, evocative and poetic tale of tragedy and triumph, of love and friendship and the things which matter most. It was about finding your voice when others try to keep you from speaking or ignore you. I truly loved this book.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually finished this quite some time ago, but I need to write a review of it. In short, beautiful read and I loved the characters and story. I'm not exactly sure on my rating, probably 4 to 4.5 stars.

[Lubna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know 2 stars won't do any justice to the book, but i seriously found myself trapped in the book unable , in any way, to move forward with it...

Starting off, the writing of the book is just absolutely beautiful. I love metaphors and the book was full of them.. Here goes one of my favorite

"This boy wore the ocean in his eyes."



I mean this definitely goes to this young man, if you know who he is lol





Here's another one for the show







Such a fine man *insert fangirl emoji*



back to the book. . . Also,


"This boat is so damn metaphorical it could bring tears to the soul."


This could either go to Titanic






Or the more obvious to me, personally, The Black Pearl








Yeah . . . So, you see this is how the book went, I kept comparing it to so many other things I've read or come across before because it was super cliche. . Okay it could have been the best summer read for me and many many others, but well, I guess this is my reason why I am always skeptical when it comes to Romances; most scream cliche! Or Cheesiness! That was my issue with the book mainly, and so because of that I got stuck in the middle and was super super close to marking it as DNF but *sigh* well I only thank Pulseit for providing a free ecopy for a limited time, that was mainly the reason I read this. (I am going through a book slump and I literally have no book money left to buy anything new, nvm)



I really ever fantasized about finding a vacation love especially in an island like that, i am going for a vacation soon in an island so this book made me the more excited for the coming adventures.

I also really love sea tales and stuff about pirates and ships a lot, but . . . Hmm.






The characters were, okay. I loved Elyse so much at the bigenning but she started to fall flat for me by the page, really. Christian was very relatable, in fact super relatable I had a hard time reading about him. . The whole thing where his parents control his life and his future etc etc. very realistic and relatable.



Also, I won't get over the killjoy reference; or so I believe it is lol






Ayway i would definitely recommenfd this book, I'll bet many many people will praise it, i actually feel bad for rating it this low. During the first half of the book I was actually considering giving it a 5, and I really don't give that a lot, but idk it did not proceed well for m. . I'm sorry, i guess..



However, i would totally give the cover 10/5 boy is it not gorgeous?!!!
And the acknowledgement almost made me cry!!!
I like the author so much but not the story. . .

Good day :D

[Lauren (TheBookishTwins) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely fantastic read. THE SUMMER OF CHASING MERMAIDS has a lovely romance, a strong protagonist, feminist messages and exceptional character development. A must read.

[Alise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a little bit of a black sheep when it comes to THE SUMMER OF CHASING MERMAIDS. I enjoyed many aspects of this book, but I struggled to form an emotional connection with it or fully root for the romance, which was a big part of the novel.

“The girl who’d written volumes on the walls
but never said a word."

Elyse, having lost her voice in an accident, was a bit hard for me to connect to, not because her feelings weren’t expressed through dialogue, but because I could not relate to her actions or truly understand her motivations. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing her journey with becoming comfortable with herself again, as there was some great character development.

Christian, our stereotypical impossible to resist heart-breaker was a little bit different. He and I immediately set off on the wrong foot. Besides his somewhat creepy sexual comments to the the main character, he pretty much flirts with any female he sees. Granted, it shows him having more depth later on, being less creepy and more supportive but I still couldn’t get behind the romance, especially one that seemed based on physical attraction for a large portion of the novel. One of their first exchanges:

Is there something I can do for you?
He laughed, raspy. “God, yes.”

Beyond the characters, the writing was vivid and imaginative, and this book has some great quotes. Major props to the author for tackling topics that we don’t see in YA every day but really should. Diversity!

As you might already know, I have this love-hate relationship with open endings (that is mostly hate) and I have mixed feelings about the conclusion in this one. On one hand, I like that it is open to your imagination and love the final message it leaves you with. On the other hand, it made me feel like there were still some loose ends that could have been tied up.

Overall, this is an entertaining summer read that adds something new to the genre.

“With the acceptance of one thing comes the dying of another: a new belief, a relationship. An ideal, a plan, a what-if. Assumptions. A path. A song.”

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elyse was just too cute, so was Christian and Sebastian. Actually most of the characters in this novel are extremely likeable. I pretty much flew through this. And that’s coming from the longest hiatus and reading block I’ve ever had. The story is simple, yet it was also inspiring. Having a character with a known disability was tough, but it worked so well. I liked how the characters all supported one another and how well they communicated with one another. Bonus points for making the main character born and bred in Trinidad and Tobago! I really enjoyed this take on a modern day retelling of The Little Mermaid.

[Lisa (lifeinlit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Love didn’t save me; it changed me. Changed me into someone who could save myself.”

The first time I experienced Sarah Ockler’s writing was while reading Twenty Boy Summer back in 2011. This book was one of the first YA books I read and reviewed after starting my blog, and I fell for it. HARD! I loved Sarah’s writing, they way she brought out all of the emotions in such a raw and real way. She’s an extremely talented author, and I now realized that I seriously need to read more of her books! I have a few on my shelves, and I will definitely be making room for them in my reading schedule.

Elyse suffered a tragic incident that left her voiceless. The youngest of six sisters and a twin, Elyse had huge dreams that revolved around her talented singing voice. But then she’s left voiceless, and her future begins to crumble before her eyes. She picks up and immediately moves to a small seaside town in Oregon in hopes of finding herself again. Living with Lemon and Kirby, who take her in and make her feel like one of the family, she spends the summer meeting new friends and building new relationships. She’s meets Christian, the beach stud, and though she’s warned about his activity among the ladies, she can’t help but feel the draw to be around him. Lucky for her, he’s looking for help rebuilding his boat, and she jumps at the chance to both busy herself, and spend more time with his hotness.

The characters in this story were so incredible. Elyse is the kind of MC I adore. She’s strong and motivated… yet feeling insecure and a bit depressed about what life has dealt her. Christian is good looking, and let’s face it, he knows it. But he doesn’t let it get to his head. Aside from his gorgeous looks, he’s also carrying an even more gorgeous heart. And we can’t forget about Sebastian, my very favorite part of this story. He’s beyond adorable. The things he says, the way he acts, and his confidence and outstanding attitude are impossible not to love. He brought this story to life! But it’s not just these three either… they have such a wonderful group of family and friends that are surrounding them, each adding their own impact to this story. Such a strong cast to carry such an impacting story.

“Not so long ago I’d been convinced that losing my voice was the worst thing that could ever happen to me, the worst tragedy. But since then I’d been losing my whole self, everything I stood for, believed in, felt. Everything I ever wanted to be. Everything I ever was.”

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids was exactly as heartfelt, intense, and emotional as I had hoped it would be. Sarah’s talent for addressing touchier subjects in such a mature and affectionate way is incredible. The way she went about the subject of teenage sex, even touching on self pleasure, was so well done. We definitely don’t see enough of that in YA books. Consensual, loving, passionate sex scenes are few and far between in teenage stories, and this book hit the ball out of the park. And the rarity of masturbation in YA books is astounding. Sarah really impressed me with this book. It’s a gem.

The perfect beach read that deals with learning to overcome life’s tragedies, forming your own voice and becoming who you want to be, not who others think you should be, all with the strength of good friends and family. The relationships in this story will melt your heart, have you smiling from ear to ear, and leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy. Though life can be tough and unfair, this book makes you think about seeing the glass as half full, instead of half empty. About making lemonade out of the lemons. And about being who you truly are and standing up for what you believe in, above all else.

“When one dream burns to ash, you don’t crumble beneath it. You get on your hands and knees, and you sift through those ashes until you find the very last ember, the very last spark. Then you breathe. You breathe. You fucking breathe. And you make a new fire.”

(Thanks to Simon Pulse for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is my least favorite book. Ever.

Elyse was so whiny and pretentious I could barely take it. I'm in awe that I actually finished it. Everything about this was trying too hard. I absolutely hated it.

Here's the thing: Elyse was written like she's supposed to be this mysterious, beautiful, ethereal woman... At 17 year's old. The book opens with this flowery, purple prose about how Elyse belongs to the sea, etc, etc, and has no control over her destiny, blah, blah, blah. It was painful. I should have known from that first eye roll that I was going to hate this and put the book down.

Elyse is beautiful and OMG SEXXXYYYYYYY. She was practically a celebrity back in Tobago because of course she was monumentally talented and could shake her "boomsie." She's also a hella talented poet, master sail-er, and activist. BECAUSE OF COURSE SHE IS! Elyse is so great and awesome and perfect. Everyone at the Cove thinks she is too even though she can't speak for some reason which of course is hidden from the reader until the very end of the novel. Despite the fact that she can't speak, makes a big show of feeling sorry for herself the entire book, and has no personality to speak of, everyone seems to think she's the coolest- To the point where she tames the biggest playboy at the Cove.



Elyse also seems to have some kind of hero complex. She single-handedly wants to save the town's youth from those who think boys should wear blue and girls should wear pink, young men from father's who treat them badly, and the entire town from corporate developers. Elyse was written terribly. She was obnoxious. Not only is she full of sexy feminine mystique, she'll solve all your daddy issues too! Give me a break.



The book had a plot, but somehow managed to make all of the things that should have been major plot points be the most boring parts of the book. In addition, the progression was so slow that it took me almost 2 weeks to read this book. It never takes me 2 weeks to read a book. One of the major arcs of this book is that Christian and Elyse are trying to win a boat race, but this takes a backseat to all the other boring drivel this book touts. Boring. This book was just boring.

[Stacee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was a story with some gorgeous prose. The idea was interesting and the way Sarah captured this little slice of time was damn near perfection.

Elyse is quite an interesting MC. She's poetic and lovely and underneath it all is a pain so strong it's palpable while reading. Christian intrigued me right from the start, but I'll let you find those swoons on your own. Hands down, the best character was Sebastian. He's the sweetest kid I've ever read in a book and I wanted to squeeze him at the end.

The sea is like it's own character and I had so many feelings about how it was portrayed. I long to have a connection to the water that these characters do.

My only complaint was that we didn't get to know what the final outcome was. I really would have liked an epilogue or something. I get that the problem isn't what the story is mainly about, but I really want to know.

All in all, it was a gorgeously haunting read.

**Huge thanks to Simon Pulse and Edelweiss for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 4 out of 5]

***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

Two years ago (I cannot believe it’s been that long), I read and fell in love with The Book of Broken Hearts. I knew Ockler was definitely an author whose future books I would want to devour and The Summer of Chasing Mermaids reminded me why I fell in love with The Book of Broken Hearts so long ago (okay kind of a while ago :P).

This is a beautifully written book that makes me want to do the monkey, makes me want to highfive the author and if I could do cartwheels, that’s what I would have been doing after finishing this book.

I should start off by saying that I am not really a contemporary reader. That isn’t to say I don’t read contemporary, I DO and I have a lot of favorite books that are contemporaries but it isn’t my ‘go to genre’ when I want something to read (at least in terms of YA books). But this was up next on my review list and I knew it was time to pick it up (because otherwise, Nick would have disowned me). It’s ridiculous that I even put this wonderful piece of work off for as long as I did since it only took me a couple of pages to be sucked in and forget about the outside world.

Now I am not saying this book is absolutely perfection, it’s not. There are things that bothered me but the good things completely eclipsed the not so great which is why I am here right now kind of rambling about this wonderful piece of work.

This is a book that really showcases what it means to be a teenager in the modern world. Its a sex positive, pro feminist (ideals) read that features a POC female lead and great relationships and just makes me want to squeal in delight.

Can I just say that it made me so happy to see the word feminist being used in this novel. I AM A PROUD FEMINIST KILLJOY. I know a lot of books have dealt with feminist issues but it’s the first time (unless my old age is affecting my memory again) I’ve actually seen the term being used and I think this is such a huge step forward! Moving on from my joy at seeing the term being used, this book also deals with the idea of gender roles. We see young little Sebastian, who is obsessed with mermaids constantly being shot down by his father and other men around him (besides his fabulous brother) and urged to do something more masculine.  Elyse also suffers the consequences of these roles when she is repeatedly told by the mayor she is not suited to being a first mate, even though she has more experience sailing boats than almost anyone else on the Island. It’s disgusting that so many people out there have such backward attitudes but there it is. And Ockler deals with the issue beautifully.

She also deals with teen sexuality beautifully. Here is the truth: a lot of teens out there have sex on a regular basis. Here is also another truth: sex is not really talked about in our society in the way it should be. Instead it is frowned upon and I have friends whose sex education was basically abstinence. That is not what we should be telling teens. Teens should know that it is completely normal to have a sex drive (I PROMISE I WON’T MAKE THINGS TOO AWKWARD) and that what they feel is normal.Sex isn’t wrong or bad or something to do only if you’re married. Have sex all you want teens, just stay safe. So yes, basically, Ockler nails it and should get some sort of award (I couldn’t come up with any witty names) for dealing with sexuality in a healthy way (going so far as to feature a masturbation scene).

My only problems with this novel arose with some minor issues with Christian and how some of the girls outside of Elyse’s group seemed to be defined by how they were really into Christian. There was also this awkward moment when a girl was defined by her article with clothing (“short shorts”) until Elyse learned her name. Christian also makes certain comments that made me uncomfortable because they seemed almost demeaning to me, but over the course of the book, we get to see him unfold into a character that is worthy of all the swooning and in the end, given all the other positive things this book has going for it, I didn’t feel too put off by these issues.

I have spent way too long talking about all the issues this book is dealing with and completely forgot about some of the more important things, like Elyse.

Elyse is a PERSON OF COLOR. OMG. CAN YOU GUYS BELIEVE IT? ME EITHER! *flails* And she is a person of color with a disability. As a result of a recent accident, she lost her beautiful singing voice. She doesn’t know who she is anymore so she runs away from home (Tobago) and comes to live with her dad’s friend. Elyse is so lost and confused at the beginning of the novel and seeing her so unsure of herself broke my heart but I loved watching her grow into the beautiful person she was by the end of the book. She learns to stand up on her two feet again, and to appreciate herself and she doesn’t do it on her own. Lemon, Kirby and Vanessa are all there to help her find herself again. Healthy relationships between females are so important and this book ticks another check box there.

Christian is a great romantic interest. He starts off as someone I wasn’t entirely sure about but he manages to win me over. By the end of the book, I was swooning so hard over him because he is such a great guy. He may be a player, but he isn’t an asshole and that is an important distinction. He is also so kind to Elyse and the way he is there for is just fantastic.

Their romance made me flail and I loved seeing them progress from friends to something more than that. They work well together and I love that they support one another. Both of them issues they need help dealing with and they help each other by BEING there and believing in one another.

My favorite character in this book was hands down Sebatian though. After all, what’s not lovable about a 6 year old boy who loves mermaids?

This is a great book that deals with loss and coming to terms with it (whether it’s literal or not literal), about finding one’s voice again, and appreciating all those important relationships in your life. This is a magical summer read filled with mermaids, swoon worthy boys, an adventure, a great MC and one I would highly recommend. PEACE OUT, MERMAIDS.

[Megan (thebookishtwins) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved loved loved The Summer of Chasing Mermaids. For starters, i'm a sucker for cute, fluffy, slow burn romances. Which this had plenty of. It is a retelling of The Little Mermaid which I also love. It has such a beautiful prose, which is another bonus. It's diverse, and has some really great messages. Elyse is disabled having just lost her voice, which she is still grieving with, and the novel is about her coming to terms with that loss, and figuring out how to cope with it. Wonderful friendships and very female empowered and feminist driven. Just so so good, and I really do recommend it to everyone.

[Rhea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very often, these days, we’re talking about Quiet YA. While everyone seems to have their own interpretation of the term, most will agree that Quiet YA refers to the underdogs. The books that need more attention and fly under the radar. Maybe this is what the term was supposed to mean when it was initially coined. But I’d like to take that one step further.

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids, to me, was Quiet YA. I can’t talk about how well the book is doing in the market, or the response it’s garnering with its intended audience, or whether or not it has been under appreciated. I can, however, talk about how it just snuck up on me, quietly, armed with its crew of loveable, fantastic characters and beautiful imagery and completely took my breath away. And I can talk about how this book made me feel things I’m pretty sure are going to stay with me for a long, long time.

Elyse d’Abreau was made to sing. She lives and breathes music, and her beautiful voice is what makes her her. When a freak accident takes that away from her, she leaves her home Tobago, and takes up her friend’s offer to move to Atargatis Cove in Oregon. There she begins to find her inner voice, and love, and rediscovers her first love—the ocean. And of course, she learns all about mermaids, and particularly, Atargatis. But more importantly, she learns all about who she is. The underlying message in the novel was simple—Who is Elyse d’Abreau? What is she without her beautiful singing voice? When will she go back to being the Elyse from before the accident? 

 I never imagined I’d fall in love with Elyse and her story the way I did. Her pain, her challenges, hell, her entire journey was difficult to read. Difficult and heartbreaking and sad. Add to this the fact that she was so extraordinarily smart and observant, I was a true goner within the first 10% of the book. Her thoughts and dreams and ambitions were so real and true and heartfelt, by the end of the book, I felt truly privileged to have read the book. I will admit—she was a recluse for most of the book. She sought quiet places to escape the lingering stares and the expressions of pity and that made me want to tear my heart out. It felt like she was silenced not only literally, but also in a way that took away her every way of expressing her heart.

Of course, the romance angle was one that I was particularly curious about. In the beginning, when I just started getting used to Elyse and her unique way of watching people around her, it seemed foolish to take the rich playboy angle that the author seemed to have taken. And yet, as I came to read the way Elyse saw Christian Kane, saw his goodness and kindness, just as she saw his wicked smiles and flirty nature, I began to change my mind. First impressions never last, after all, and what better example of this than Elyse herself. By the time they started to get along with each other, I was shipping Christian and Elyse harder than Christian and Elyse themselves, and it was brilliant and amazing and fulfilling.

 The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is chock full of characters that you want to hug and just never let go. There’s Kirby, Elyse’s friend and her mother Lemon, with whom Elyse stayed in Oregon. Vanessa, who was probably my favourite “feminist killjoy” and the best supporting character I’ve read in a long, long time. And there was Sebastian Kane, who is a type of kid that you have to read in order to experience! All these people pushed Elyse to rediscover herself, find herself, and ultimately stand up to being where she belonged. Without them, the book would be incomplete and Elyse would never be what she was by the end of the book.

The book is culturally diverse and that just made it more impactful, somehow. It touched on topics like politics, sexism, the belief that women should be seen, not heard, and does so with an ease and delicacy that leaves you feeling not enraged, but thoughtful. Sarah Ockler’s writing has what I can only call a gentle touch—the kind that makes you feel at peace and hopeful for and with characters that feel like they’ve taken up permanent residency in your heart.

I could go on and on about this book, especially since it seems to me that I’ve left a barrage of other things I’d like to talk about but SPOILERS so I’d rather not. I can’t recommend this book highly enough—especially since I, for one, will inevitably find myself visiting this wonder of a book again and again and again.

PS - This book is a complete game-changer in YA Contemporary. If there's one book I'd like to see made into a movie, it would be this one.



*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*

[a · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so beautiful and packs such a power message. I love how diverse this book was, and that it was a sex positive YA book but most importantly I love how realistic and at times, painful this book was to read.

These characters aren't perfect and while we do see some character development, this book isn't about making these characters perfect again. It's about how perfectly imperfect we are as humans. How sometimes there are people who aren't nice and do bad things and even though we wish they would change, even though there might a part of them that wants to change, they don't. It's about feeling powerless, feeling like you don't have a voice and like no one can hear you even when you're screaming to be heard. This book is about figuring out who you are when everything you thought you stood for is taken away from you.

It's a beautiful book, but it also is sad. It's ending is hopeful but open-ended. I don't really like when books leave things open to the readers interpretation but I can understand why the author did it with this novel. I guess I can only hope that these characters find the happiness they so rightly deserve. I enjoyed this book so much but what made this book so good to me was the characters. I wanted to know them forever. I wanted to just read endless scenes of them hanging out together and learning more about their lives. The romance between Elyse and Christian was so cute but I also wish we couldn't gotten more from it. At times it felt a little rushed and since they only knew each other for the summer and with the way things end at the book, things were left a little open-ended in terms of their relationship too.

Overall I'm so happy I read this book and I definitely think it's one everyone should read!

[Nereyda (Nick & Nereyda's Infinite Booklist) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm late to the Sarah Ockler party, having only read The Book of Broken Hearts last year (loved it!). But I knew I wanted to read this one as soon as I heard about it. I do admit that this book took a little while to get into, I think it was mostly the writing that I had to adjust to. It was very poetic and lyrical and beautiful and I was just a little bit thrown off at first. I also wasn't sure at first if this had any mythical ties to it (with all the mermaid references) or if it was a contemporary (it is). Once I got that out of the way, and got used to the writing, it was so easy to love this book.

Elyse might not be the most likeable or relatable character, but I loved her. Yes, she was one of those characters that had a tragic past and was having a very hard time accepting her future. Plus, you would think that the whole not talking thing would make it hard for me to connect with her, but it was just another great message that someone can still have a voice, even if they can't speak. After an accident claimed Elyse's voice forever, she can't handle being around her family and her old life so she goes to live with a family friend in the US. She isn't the best at making friends and prefers spending her time alone. But when the Summer starts and the vacationers start coming in, it all changes. My favorite things about the book? Elyse, Christina, Sebastian, the slow-burn romance, the friendships, the message, I loved it all!

Can we talk about how sex positive this book is??? I'm a big believer that sex in YA can be done correctly and shouldn't be something taht is ignored and I absolutely loved how it was handled in this book. Not only was Elyse comfortable with her body and with sex, but there were some great (and YA appropriate) scenes between Elyse and Christian. Not only that, but there was also a great self-love scene that I have never read about before in YA (rarely ever, actually). Bravo for this scene! Besides the great message, the great romance and friendships, I also loved that there was so much diversity in the characters. And not just used as a plot device. I have to say that Sebastian was my favorite and he stole my heart with his simple desire to simply be a mermaid.

The one thing I didn't love about the book was the ending. True, I didn't really want the book to end in the first place, but it felt like I was missing a chapter. I like to think that this ended in the perfect way I'm imagining in my head, but it bothers me a little bit that I don't know for sure. I would have loved an epilogue. Even with that ending, I was still happy with the story and the way everything turned out. The Summer of Chasing Mermaids was an amazing story with so many great and important messages. A must read!

4.5 out 5 stars

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by nereyda1003

***
Read full review & more of my reviews at Mostly YA Book Obsessed


Follow me at:
Bloglovin│Twitter│Tumblr│Pinterest│Polyvore

[Dahlia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this - such a strong sense of place, a really thoroughly developed relationship that doesn't go through the typical Romance paces, and an incredibly strong sense of culture and the main character's childhood. Not to mention just being a solidly feminist and sex-positive book, with - am I allowed to say a YA has a hot masturbation scene? Is that weird? OK, cool, let's pretend that didn't happen.

I continue to be so impressed by Sarah Ockler's range, and the risks she takes in delivering books that have really different styles, characters, and expectations. There's something nice about knowing an author's name on something means you're getting X, but with YA Romance, it's far rarer not to know exactly what an author's name on a book means you're gonna get, and I love being continuously surprised by whatever Ockler delivers. There's a reason she's firmly on my instabuy list!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reaaaaaaaaally surprised me in a good way. Well, I shouldn't be surprised because Sarah Ockler is ALWAYS awesome. But the "is this contemporary or is this mythical in some way" (mermaids!!!) bit threw me off.

Oh, and by the way, I still don't REALLY know the answer to that.

But who cares. This book sucked me in with beautiful and beachy writing that just had me smelling the salty air. Loved the Ariel-esque bits but that it wasn't an OBVIOUS take on The Little Mermaid. I got so sucked into Elyse's poetic and pretty voice that I sort of remember I could talk while I read. Ockler made ME feel mute too.

So gooooooood. And the message at the end? And the acknowledgements. Gah.