What do you think?
Rate this book
Salt Kisses #1
A Thousand Salt Kisses
Seventeen-year-old Crystal White is the new girl on Starfish Island. Dragged to the remote community by her environmental activist father, she is eager to find fun that doesn’t involve touching fish guts or listening to local folklore.
During a midnight swim with some new friends, Crystal is pulled out to sea by the waves. Convinced she’s going to drown, Crystal is rescued by Llyr, a handsome stranger. As she searches for him in the following weeks, she finds there may be more truth to the Starfish legends than she thought.
Over a sizzling roller-coaster summer, Llyr introduces Crystal to magic she’d only ever dreamed of. But as Crystal comes to love Starfish Island, it begins to drive her family apart. A nearby power plant is devastating local marine life, and her parents are stuck in the middle. As the magic and mundane parts of Crystal’s life converge, she finds herself risking everything to save Llyr, her family, and herself.
During a midnight swim with some new friends, Crystal is pulled out to sea by the waves. Convinced she’s going to drown, Crystal is rescued by Llyr, a handsome stranger. As she searches for him in the following weeks, she finds there may be more truth to the Starfish legends than she thought.
Over a sizzling roller-coaster summer, Llyr introduces Crystal to magic she’d only ever dreamed of. But as Crystal comes to love Starfish Island, it begins to drive her family apart. A nearby power plant is devastating local marine life, and her parents are stuck in the middle. As the magic and mundane parts of Crystal’s life converge, she finds herself risking everything to save Llyr, her family, and herself.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 2, 2016
41 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Josie Demuth
5 books39 followersJosie is an author who writes the occasional article. She loves all things gothic and magical, but particularly a story which is fun, intriguing and says a little something about the world. She loves to write about weird and wonderful happenings in her hometown, London but also sets her tales in the mystical lands of the Westcountry, England and more recently, Iceland.
Josie’s novella Liggers and Dreamers was published by Thin Man Press in 2015 and was described as ‘beautifully written’ in a critique by bestselling author and radical poet Heathcote Williams. Meanwhile her YA/NA Salt Kisses series – a new-age eco ‘mermance’ – has garnered nearly four million reads on story-telling site, Wattpad. The first of the three books is also an international bestseller.
Josie has appeared on the ‘Wattpad’s most successful authors tell you how to do it’ panel at WattCon, Foyles, SoHo. Her former zine, La Bouche has also featured on the BBC Today Program on a feature about literary sub-culture; in LOVE Magazine’s TOP TEN ZINES, and in Thames and Hudson’s FANZINES. In 2009, it was selected as the ICA bookshop’s first ever ‘Zine of the month’.
Josie also writes short stories and articles. She hosts fantasy writing competition ‘Under The Sea’, which last featured NY-Times bestselling YA author Danielle Paige as the celebrity judge.
Josie’s novella Liggers and Dreamers was published by Thin Man Press in 2015 and was described as ‘beautifully written’ in a critique by bestselling author and radical poet Heathcote Williams. Meanwhile her YA/NA Salt Kisses series – a new-age eco ‘mermance’ – has garnered nearly four million reads on story-telling site, Wattpad. The first of the three books is also an international bestseller.
Josie has appeared on the ‘Wattpad’s most successful authors tell you how to do it’ panel at WattCon, Foyles, SoHo. Her former zine, La Bouche has also featured on the BBC Today Program on a feature about literary sub-culture; in LOVE Magazine’s TOP TEN ZINES, and in Thames and Hudson’s FANZINES. In 2009, it was selected as the ICA bookshop’s first ever ‘Zine of the month’.
Josie also writes short stories and articles. She hosts fantasy writing competition ‘Under The Sea’, which last featured NY-Times bestselling YA author Danielle Paige as the celebrity judge.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
January 1, 2022
This book is about awesome sauce sea folks aka memaids and mermen and I was pretty excited when I received an arc from the publishers, let's be honest, we all love arcs, right? I am so disappointed. This is just another idea with so much potential, but when it comes to execution, (I call it "idea-slaugther") everything fell flat. From page 1, I took lots and lots of notes on stuff that didn't sit well with me, so here are a few things I'd like to point out:
I% : "My blonde hair transformed from a frizzy bush to silky waves overnight, while my face went from round to shapely as all my puppy fat somehow disappeared. My new-found beauty had been reflected in lame, pervy jokes from my male classmates, and, even worse, in the sudden hostility from the other girls."
Well, hello, I like to believe such transformation has something to do with a fairy godmother, or some satanic illuminati ritual that involves animal sacrifice. Overnight? Seriously?
Insta attraction when not done right is one of my biggest pet peeves.
"Gosh, he was handsome! He had these thick arched eyebrows and lively sparkling eyes. The colour I could not make out, but they were friendly and intriguing. I instantly felt that these eyes had seen a lot of things, stuff that I couldn’t even imagine. Underneath his eyes were high cheek bones and then perfect big lips—the type you’d just love to kiss."
Wow *rolls eyes*
"His fingers touched my cheek and lifted up my face so that his gaze met mine. At first, I blinked, taken aback, but when I looked into his eyes, I was overcome by intrigue. Again, I got the sense that he was very wise. He knew and had experienced all kinds of things. Wonderful things. Heart-breaking things. Incredible things. Why the Hell was I thinking all this stuff? This was weird."
Yes, yes, you are weird!
"He reached into the water and took my hands, and I watched dumbstruck as he moved in closer, so that our bodies almost pressed together. It was like a million butterflies danced in my stomach as I felt an intense attraction sweep through me. I swear the whole world simply disappeared around us."
Oh God, please stop. You just met him!
Our female protagonist is a snobby, obnoxious, immature, and a very ungrateful brat. She thinks all sorts of things about this man yet she doesn't even thank him for saving her goddamn life.
"I laughed giddily, slightly embarrassed. “It’s my nightie!”I explained. I saw that confused look cross his eyes again. “You know, like, I sleep in it . . .”Why was I having to explain this to him? “It’s very nice,”he replied."
I can't even. . .
This book is just another example of your extremely cheesy, predictable, and typical cliché. The cover is pretty though ^_^ not the one up on goodreads, my arc cover is way prettier.
Just because I didn't like this book that doesn't mean other people won't. So don't lash out one me if you loved this. Yeah, whatever.
I% : "My blonde hair transformed from a frizzy bush to silky waves overnight, while my face went from round to shapely as all my puppy fat somehow disappeared. My new-found beauty had been reflected in lame, pervy jokes from my male classmates, and, even worse, in the sudden hostility from the other girls."
Well, hello, I like to believe such transformation has something to do with a fairy godmother, or some satanic illuminati ritual that involves animal sacrifice. Overnight? Seriously?
Insta attraction when not done right is one of my biggest pet peeves.
"Gosh, he was handsome! He had these thick arched eyebrows and lively sparkling eyes. The colour I could not make out, but they were friendly and intriguing. I instantly felt that these eyes had seen a lot of things, stuff that I couldn’t even imagine. Underneath his eyes were high cheek bones and then perfect big lips—the type you’d just love to kiss."
Wow *rolls eyes*
"His fingers touched my cheek and lifted up my face so that his gaze met mine. At first, I blinked, taken aback, but when I looked into his eyes, I was overcome by intrigue. Again, I got the sense that he was very wise. He knew and had experienced all kinds of things. Wonderful things. Heart-breaking things. Incredible things. Why the Hell was I thinking all this stuff? This was weird."
Yes, yes, you are weird!
"He reached into the water and took my hands, and I watched dumbstruck as he moved in closer, so that our bodies almost pressed together. It was like a million butterflies danced in my stomach as I felt an intense attraction sweep through me. I swear the whole world simply disappeared around us."
Oh God, please stop. You just met him!
Our female protagonist is a snobby, obnoxious, immature, and a very ungrateful brat. She thinks all sorts of things about this man yet she doesn't even thank him for saving her goddamn life.
"I laughed giddily, slightly embarrassed. “It’s my nightie!”I explained. I saw that confused look cross his eyes again. “You know, like, I sleep in it . . .”Why was I having to explain this to him? “It’s very nice,”he replied."
I can't even. . .
This book is just another example of your extremely cheesy, predictable, and typical cliché. The cover is pretty though ^_^ not the one up on goodreads, my arc cover is way prettier.
Just because I didn't like this book that doesn't mean other people won't. So don't lash out one me if you loved this. Yeah, whatever.
May 9, 2016
I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Yeah, this a book with mermaids and merman. I love these creatures. We follow a girl who meets a guy. In the meanwhile there are problems between her parents.
The story is quick paced and well written. I loved to way the scene was descripted and the world building!
Yeah, this a book with mermaids and merman. I love these creatures. We follow a girl who meets a guy. In the meanwhile there are problems between her parents.
The story is quick paced and well written. I loved to way the scene was descripted and the world building!
June 12, 2016
I received a copy via Net Galley.
I really enjoyed this book. I love mermaids and when I saw this book I was really excited and it didn't disappoint me. This is a cute romance between Llyr (a merman) and Crystal (a human). I really enjoyed the relationship between these two although I did feel that perhaps it did happen a bit too quickly. There is also the side plot of her parents separating and a company that is putting toxins into the sea.
I liked that there were other things happening in this book and although the romance was a main part of the book we got to see other elements as well. I loved the drama that happened towards the end. I would love to see more from these characters in the future as I really enjoyed this book.
I really enjoyed this book. I love mermaids and when I saw this book I was really excited and it didn't disappoint me. This is a cute romance between Llyr (a merman) and Crystal (a human). I really enjoyed the relationship between these two although I did feel that perhaps it did happen a bit too quickly. There is also the side plot of her parents separating and a company that is putting toxins into the sea.
I liked that there were other things happening in this book and although the romance was a main part of the book we got to see other elements as well. I loved the drama that happened towards the end. I would love to see more from these characters in the future as I really enjoyed this book.
August 2, 2016
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Wise Ink Creative Publishing for an honest review. This book kept me on my toes from start to finish. I enjoyed Crystal and Llyr and their love story. The creative twists that incorporated first love, mermaids and mermen, troubled parent relationships, and a teenager in a new town kept me entertained the entire book. I enjoyed the levity of the writing and never got bored by this story. The way Josie Demuth incorporated fantasy and coming of age was brilliant!
August 17, 2016
Originally published at my blog 'Wandered Souls' and the novel was given in exchange for an honest review.
If you aren't familiar with the author , Josie Demuth, she's an author who first published on Wattpad and this is where the Salt Kisses series started and gained over 3 million reads. Which, in my opinion, is pretty amazing. And here we are with the first published novel.
If you're a lover of YA romance , like myself, then you're going to love this novel. I am mean literally fall in love with it. I don't this is about most books and if you hated it I would gladly pay you back for buying.
A Thousand Salt Kisses is the perfect combination of romance, growing up and fantasy. It's a story about a young girl who moves to Starfish Island and meets a handsome stranger ,Llyr, on a disastrous night out. I know this may seem a little stereotypical and you may be thinking not another summer romance. But they are the best. It covers coming of age to environmental issues. And even though the whole novel at times may seem completely unrealistic it is intended to be young adult and I thought this mermaid romance was full of realism.
Crystal was a character close to my heart. She had the emotions and feelings that most young girls have and go through. I know many of us can relate to her and I know I certainly could. To her questionable nature about Llyr to handling her rowing parents. I can see how as a character Crystal can be slightly irritating, she overthinks so much and comes to conclusions too quickly about this. But, I just saw more of myself in this and could easily understand why and how she was feeling this way.
The romance between Crystal and Llyr was also just gorgeous. I feel like werewolf and vampire romances have taken over young adult fiction ever since Twilight. But why? The idea of a mermance just seems well - so much more exotic. Who wouldn't fall for a merman? Especially the hunk of a man who is Llyr. I think that all young women are secretly looking for a Llyr in their lives too.
There is so many great elements to this novel and I feel I could write so much on it. I love Cornish myths and the tales of merfolk since I was young so this book really took me back to that part of my life. Demuth- I thank you and I can't wait until this complete series becomes published. I'll be waiting.
If you aren't familiar with the author , Josie Demuth, she's an author who first published on Wattpad and this is where the Salt Kisses series started and gained over 3 million reads. Which, in my opinion, is pretty amazing. And here we are with the first published novel.
If you're a lover of YA romance , like myself, then you're going to love this novel. I am mean literally fall in love with it. I don't this is about most books and if you hated it I would gladly pay you back for buying.
A Thousand Salt Kisses is the perfect combination of romance, growing up and fantasy. It's a story about a young girl who moves to Starfish Island and meets a handsome stranger ,Llyr, on a disastrous night out. I know this may seem a little stereotypical and you may be thinking not another summer romance. But they are the best. It covers coming of age to environmental issues. And even though the whole novel at times may seem completely unrealistic it is intended to be young adult and I thought this mermaid romance was full of realism.
Crystal was a character close to my heart. She had the emotions and feelings that most young girls have and go through. I know many of us can relate to her and I know I certainly could. To her questionable nature about Llyr to handling her rowing parents. I can see how as a character Crystal can be slightly irritating, she overthinks so much and comes to conclusions too quickly about this. But, I just saw more of myself in this and could easily understand why and how she was feeling this way.
The romance between Crystal and Llyr was also just gorgeous. I feel like werewolf and vampire romances have taken over young adult fiction ever since Twilight. But why? The idea of a mermance just seems well - so much more exotic. Who wouldn't fall for a merman? Especially the hunk of a man who is Llyr. I think that all young women are secretly looking for a Llyr in their lives too.
There is so many great elements to this novel and I feel I could write so much on it. I love Cornish myths and the tales of merfolk since I was young so this book really took me back to that part of my life. Demuth- I thank you and I can't wait until this complete series becomes published. I'll be waiting.
April 18, 2016
Attention lovers of young adult romance, this is one you’re going to want to read! Josie Demuth’s, A Thousand Salt Kisses, is a wonderful combination of fantasy, romance, and the good and bad of being a teenager. This story is about Crystal and her family that recently moved to Starfish Island. Crystal is trying to make friends and feel comfortable, but everything changes for her one night in the ocean, when she first meets Llyr. Thus begins an unexpected summer romance, along with a plot that addresses several current issues for teenage girls everywhere! This novel covers first love, sexuality, friendship triangles, parents separating, and even relevant environmental issues.
There were times while reading this novel that things almost seemed too unrealistic to me, however, I think this book is perfect for the age group for which it is intended. There’s not a young girl anywhere, or grown woman for that matter, that hasn’t experienced some of the emotions that Crystal experiences. Moreover, I think that we’ve all wished for our own Llyr to appear at some point in our lives:)
After reading this book, I felt myself wanting more from the story’s main characters, Crystal and Llyr. Although vampire and werewolf young adult romances have been dominant for years (which I love, let me clarify!), this book grabbed my attention because it is a fresh and unique tale of star-crossed lovers. After digging around, I realized there is a sequel to this novel, and I most definitely have added it to my reading wish list!
FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
There were times while reading this novel that things almost seemed too unrealistic to me, however, I think this book is perfect for the age group for which it is intended. There’s not a young girl anywhere, or grown woman for that matter, that hasn’t experienced some of the emotions that Crystal experiences. Moreover, I think that we’ve all wished for our own Llyr to appear at some point in our lives:)
After reading this book, I felt myself wanting more from the story’s main characters, Crystal and Llyr. Although vampire and werewolf young adult romances have been dominant for years (which I love, let me clarify!), this book grabbed my attention because it is a fresh and unique tale of star-crossed lovers. After digging around, I realized there is a sequel to this novel, and I most definitely have added it to my reading wish list!
FTC Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2016
This book was amazing! I first stumbled across this book on Wattpad late at night, and decided I'd read ut until I felt tired enough to sleep. Well, it turns out that I didn't get much sleep that night. I kept telling myself, just one more chapter, then I'll sleep. So I finished it, and loved it so much that I wanted to read it again. Have you ever read a book that you liked so much you just wanted to scream at the world to read it? This book was like that. Then I found out that there was a sequel and I was ecstatic. This book let me feel all the feels and really get a feel for how the characters act and why. I would reccommend this book to anyone and everyone. If you just can't find anything else top read, pick this book up. Go on, get a copy and take a seat, because once you start, you won't be able to stop.
May 4, 2016
I read this series on Wattpad. It is a wonderful tale. It is about a lovely girl, Crystal, and a mysterious handsome merman - a 'mermance'. This first book of the series also has a backstory about polution in the water, and Crystal's rowing parents. It all fits together really well, and builds to an exciting, emotional and pretty suprising climax. I really look forward to the next books in the series to be published in paperback.
October 9, 2016
**I received a free eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
I was very excited to read this, because I love stories about mermaids. And, if there's one thing I really like about those stories, is that you get to read about amazing places underwater and how these merpeople live, and it's always very entertaining to see what each author makes of it all, there are just so many possibilities! But, sadly, we don't get much of that in this book.
Crystal does meet a handsome merman called Llyr, who saves her from drowning one night. They are attracted to each other right away, and can't wait to meet again. After a while, that's all we get to see from Llyr, his dates with Crystal. I was always hoping we'd get to know more about these merpeople, but the time never came :(
I think this had a lot of potential, this really cool underwater world is presented to us and I'm eager to know more, but pretty much all we get is some of Llyr's friends and family members, and always above water.
I thought there might be some kind of "mermaid connection" between Llyr and Crystal, because she was able to trust him just like that, and I think her appearance had something to do with all that stuff? Maybe? It's just that her beauty was kind of a big deal apparently.
Another important part of the story is the relationship between Crystal's parents. Her dad is trying to protect the island from this big corporation that's contaminating its waters, and now his wife seems to be working for the enemy.
Reading about Crystal's dad behaving like a college kid trying to protect the environment was pretty funny, I did enjoy that part, even if I was surprised by the lack of communication between him and Crystal's mom, but we do get to understand more about that as the story progresses.
Also, I did like the ending, I found it very original and somewhat unexpected, although a bit rushed for my taste.
Oh and there's a moment when it's pointed out that winter is coming soon, that actually had me laughing for a while, because obviously:
More reviews on my blog: Lipstick and Mocha
I was very excited to read this, because I love stories about mermaids. And, if there's one thing I really like about those stories, is that you get to read about amazing places underwater and how these merpeople live, and it's always very entertaining to see what each author makes of it all, there are just so many possibilities! But, sadly, we don't get much of that in this book.
Crystal does meet a handsome merman called Llyr, who saves her from drowning one night. They are attracted to each other right away, and can't wait to meet again. After a while, that's all we get to see from Llyr, his dates with Crystal. I was always hoping we'd get to know more about these merpeople, but the time never came :(
I think this had a lot of potential, this really cool underwater world is presented to us and I'm eager to know more, but pretty much all we get is some of Llyr's friends and family members, and always above water.
I thought there might be some kind of "mermaid connection" between Llyr and Crystal, because she was able to trust him just like that, and I think her appearance had something to do with all that stuff? Maybe? It's just that her beauty was kind of a big deal apparently.
Another important part of the story is the relationship between Crystal's parents. Her dad is trying to protect the island from this big corporation that's contaminating its waters, and now his wife seems to be working for the enemy.
Reading about Crystal's dad behaving like a college kid trying to protect the environment was pretty funny, I did enjoy that part, even if I was surprised by the lack of communication between him and Crystal's mom, but we do get to understand more about that as the story progresses.
Also, I did like the ending, I found it very original and somewhat unexpected, although a bit rushed for my taste.
Oh and there's a moment when it's pointed out that winter is coming soon, that actually had me laughing for a while, because obviously:
More reviews on my blog: Lipstick and Mocha
July 3, 2016
(I received a copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)
A Thousand Salt Kisses follows our main character Crystal as she moves to a new town and meets Llyr and everything changes. I was instantly intrigued by this book as it features mermaids and mermen. This isn't something I read about very often and so it was really refreshing and great to explore this magical world.
I read this in one sitting. From the first page I was immediately drawn into the story. I really liked Crystal and Llyr's relationship and although I did find they fell for each other rather quickly, I liked their chemistry. Whilst the romance was definitely at the heart of the story I did like Crystal's interactions with her friend Rosie and her complex family situation throughout the book which added to the story.
Whilst some parts I predicted, I definitely wasn't expecting that ending and it definitely made me want to read more and see what happens next!
A Thousand Salt Kisses follows our main character Crystal as she moves to a new town and meets Llyr and everything changes. I was instantly intrigued by this book as it features mermaids and mermen. This isn't something I read about very often and so it was really refreshing and great to explore this magical world.
I read this in one sitting. From the first page I was immediately drawn into the story. I really liked Crystal and Llyr's relationship and although I did find they fell for each other rather quickly, I liked their chemistry. Whilst the romance was definitely at the heart of the story I did like Crystal's interactions with her friend Rosie and her complex family situation throughout the book which added to the story.
Whilst some parts I predicted, I definitely wasn't expecting that ending and it definitely made me want to read more and see what happens next!
April 28, 2016
I received the copy from NetGalley for exchange for a honest review.
Let me start with the fact that I didn't like the book.
When I read the synopsis I thought I would like the book because it has mermaids and mermans, but from the start I didn't quite like it.
It's very predictable and very cliche.
The main character is a girl and she is in love with a merman who saved her life one night, and she instantly fell some attraction towards him.
I don't say that you don't read the book, maybe you would love it.
Let me start with the fact that I didn't like the book.
When I read the synopsis I thought I would like the book because it has mermaids and mermans, but from the start I didn't quite like it.
It's very predictable and very cliche.
The main character is a girl and she is in love with a merman who saved her life one night, and she instantly fell some attraction towards him.
I don't say that you don't read the book, maybe you would love it.
November 5, 2016
3,5 stars
I think that this book has a very cute romance. Llyr is a wonderful person and honestly who wouldn't fall for an attractive and romantic merman.
Besides the romance, I found that the topic of water pollution was well incorporated into the story. It is, after all, not a fictional problem.
I found that the backstory as to how the merfolk became what they are very interesting.
The reason why I took away a star here is because Crystal was at times very.... difficult to stand. I mean she just always jumped to conclusions (as Llyr has stated, doesn't seem to bother him though.) She therefore panics a lot and doesn't listen when people try to explain to her why her anxiety is totally over the top. She also seems to have a memory problem because names and events mentioned to her were totally forgotten by her while I just sat there waiting for her to finally remember. Oh, also she is indeed very jumpy no matter how many times she denies this.
I really enjoyed the writing and the story overall even if my heart was a little broken in the end. I do so hope to read a second book (I mean that ending definitely suggests a second book right?!)
I think that this book has a very cute romance. Llyr is a wonderful person and honestly who wouldn't fall for an attractive and romantic merman.
Besides the romance, I found that the topic of water pollution was well incorporated into the story. It is, after all, not a fictional problem.
I found that the backstory as to how the merfolk became what they are very interesting.
The reason why I took away a star here is because Crystal was at times very.... difficult to stand. I mean she just always jumped to conclusions (as Llyr has stated, doesn't seem to bother him though.) She therefore panics a lot and doesn't listen when people try to explain to her why her anxiety is totally over the top. She also seems to have a memory problem because names and events mentioned to her were totally forgotten by her while I just sat there waiting for her to finally remember. Oh, also she is indeed very jumpy no matter how many times she denies this.
I really enjoyed the writing and the story overall even if my heart was a little broken in the end. I do so hope to read a second book (I mean that ending definitely suggests a second book right?!)
July 13, 2016
yep, loved thi s book. It is about a secret mermaid colony, and a girl called Crystal who discovers it AND has a summer romance with one of its princes... but IS he a prince? I'm guessing he probably is. The descriptions were wonderfully written (I am from where the book is set and the region is described just how it is). The ending was suspenseful and surprising. I like that we didn't hear ALL about the mer word, just interesting tasters... it leaves more for the sequel. I love the bit about crystal being beautiful , admitting this to herself, but feeling persecuted by others for it. This is not something that gets written about much, or even talked about, but is actually SOO true. So all in all, loved it, looking forward to the next one!
September 10, 2016
A thousand salt kisses....
I did not thought I would be able to read something about mermaids and mermans. The author here is quite famous on wattpad and her book is also featured there. Still, I've not read it - being a wattpader.
I loved the book. It had strong environmental message that is not seen in nowadays books. I loved the Starfish island and the mythology she created. Pace was good too. Only thing that was off, rushed romance and predictable plot.
I did not thought I would be able to read something about mermaids and mermans. The author here is quite famous on wattpad and her book is also featured there. Still, I've not read it - being a wattpader.
I loved the book. It had strong environmental message that is not seen in nowadays books. I loved the Starfish island and the mythology she created. Pace was good too. Only thing that was off, rushed romance and predictable plot.
December 31, 2016
This book was a nice concept. I mean who does not enjoy mermaids and mermen. I actually had no issues with this book in the beginning. Llyr was cool. The way that he and Crystal met for the first time, of course, is a girl's dream come true. To be rescued by a handsome, mystery man. Who could blame Crystal as it was the perfect setting, the moonlight, and some magic in the air. The flirty times between Crystal and Llyr was cute. Not so romantic but "cute".
Although, as the story moved along it felt like the way that Crystal acted; she was more like a 12 year old girl than seventeen. This grew weary. I agree with another reader that the way the author would state the obvious was another thing that was annoying. As if the readers could not figure it out for themselves. An example was when Crystal and Llyr went boating and swimming. Crystal stated that she was wearing a bikini because she knew that Llyr would want to go swimming. Well when I go swimming I usually wear a bikini. For the older teenage audience that this book is targeted too it does not work so well but it might for the younger readers.
Although, as the story moved along it felt like the way that Crystal acted; she was more like a 12 year old girl than seventeen. This grew weary. I agree with another reader that the way the author would state the obvious was another thing that was annoying. As if the readers could not figure it out for themselves. An example was when Crystal and Llyr went boating and swimming. Crystal stated that she was wearing a bikini because she knew that Llyr would want to go swimming. Well when I go swimming I usually wear a bikini. For the older teenage audience that this book is targeted too it does not work so well but it might for the younger readers.
May 8, 2016
This is such a sweet book. For starters, the hero and heroine are so nice, lovely and gentle. I am tiring of the 'kick-ass' girl and although Crystal is no pushover, she is a bit more like a regular teenager who goes through every day things and feels real emotions. Girls her age will relate to her. I definitely did. Llyr is her love interest, and he is definitely boy goals material. It is love at first site, and each is desperate to see one another, but then come all the hurdles they must overcome, in the form of greedy businessmen, suspicious mers, and (SPOILER ALERT the issue of the seasons). I love that this book is light and fluffy, but yet the book doesn't solely concentrate on the romance. It focuses on a lot of other things. If you love mers, romance, drama, intrigue and hey, even a bit of espionage, this could be the book for you.
October 28, 2016
2,5 *
Allow me to get this straight: I didn't hate the book, but this is just a bunch of clichés altogether.
However,I found some nice things to read about in this book. Crystal's dad, for example, was so funny to read about, acting so enthusiastically about his project!
There's also a lot of funny moments between Crystal and Rosie, and I loved all of them. And honestly, my biggest issue was the insta love.
Allow me to get this straight: I didn't hate the book, but this is just a bunch of clichés altogether.
However,I found some nice things to read about in this book. Crystal's dad, for example, was so funny to read about, acting so enthusiastically about his project!
There's also a lot of funny moments between Crystal and Rosie, and I loved all of them. And honestly, my biggest issue was the insta love.
May 29, 2017
I absolutely loved this book!
August 8, 2016
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I hated this book. I wish I could give it a score less than one star. It was incredibly frustrating to read, mainly thanks to its false voice. As a note, when I read YA fiction, I'm reading it to see if it provides what my students need -- a good story, strong characters, values they should model -- and this book lacked all of the above.
To start, the voice: the book is set in Britain, which I didn't at first realize, but which of course affects the linguistic choices made by Demuth. Some of her characters' diction and syntax comes from the setting. Fine. But I find myself wondering how often Demuth has actually listened to 17-year-olds, as her main character (Crystal) rarely sounds like any teenagers I speak to. Typically, what comes from her mouth is completely outdated cliche. She contradicts herself, from being aware to ignorant. She struggles to communicate at all in some instances. She is not a character I wish to know, and I regret the time I spent with her. Crystal also has this weird mix of trust and nerves. She believes anything she is told without question, yet simply a tap on the shoulder sends her into conniptions. I'm a bit concerned about her jitters -- maybe she should cut out caffeine?
This brings us to Crystal. She's a clueless 17-year-old who just moved to Starfish Island, a very isolated island off the coast of Britain. Her mother seems to be a cold-hearted career woman reluctant to leave London, her father is a bumbling retiree searching for purpose (because a daughter isn't enough?), and her new BFFLE is in LURV with an older surfer -- SN: this book lacks any type of quality parenting. Both girls have 3-month relationships of which their parents have no clue. Why should anyone pay attention to 17-year-old girls? They always make good decisions, right?
Crystal's parents are too busy being mature adults fighting over an environment-destroying company that her mother works for and her father works against. It's run by your stereotypical bad guy and his henchman, who creeps on her mother, blackmails his regulating company to the point of arson and murder, attempts to kill Crystal's mother when she finds out the secret, kidnaps Crystal, etc. By the way, the company is called Skanx (subtle) and the bossman is Mr. Geake (seriously?). Meanwhile, her parents' apparent separation turns out to be a one-way ruse at the end of the book, yet I don't believe any family could recover from the events that occurred in this book.
I haven't even got to the most bizarre part yet! There are mer-people, only visible to Starfish Islanders, which I guess Crystal is even though she just moved to the island. Now, don't get me wrong, mer-people sound great, and we certainly haven't seen them in much literature yet. I believe they'll be the new trend for the next couple years. However, these mer-people are a bit over-the-top. Trust me, being a mer is cool enough, what with the living underwater and being able to appear human for awhile. Our mer-people don't need super-strength...super-vision...night vision...danger sensors...the ability to read emotions...weather control...life spans of centuries...unicorns...(sea-unicorns, to be specific)! Completely ridiculous. Besides creating a new species, Demuth also changes the history of Britain, because I suppose mer-people don't make sense in real history? They simply aren't compatible, and what we encounter is Demuth trying too hard.
This is probably my complaint rolled into one -- Demuth tried too hard. She tried to sound like teenagers. She tried to write a broken home. She tried to preach environmental protection. She tried to create a new species. She tried to depict an isolated community. And as much of a mess as this review was, the book was worse. And the worst news of all? It's a series...
I hated this book. I wish I could give it a score less than one star. It was incredibly frustrating to read, mainly thanks to its false voice. As a note, when I read YA fiction, I'm reading it to see if it provides what my students need -- a good story, strong characters, values they should model -- and this book lacked all of the above.
To start, the voice: the book is set in Britain, which I didn't at first realize, but which of course affects the linguistic choices made by Demuth. Some of her characters' diction and syntax comes from the setting. Fine. But I find myself wondering how often Demuth has actually listened to 17-year-olds, as her main character (Crystal) rarely sounds like any teenagers I speak to. Typically, what comes from her mouth is completely outdated cliche. She contradicts herself, from being aware to ignorant. She struggles to communicate at all in some instances. She is not a character I wish to know, and I regret the time I spent with her. Crystal also has this weird mix of trust and nerves. She believes anything she is told without question, yet simply a tap on the shoulder sends her into conniptions. I'm a bit concerned about her jitters -- maybe she should cut out caffeine?
This brings us to Crystal. She's a clueless 17-year-old who just moved to Starfish Island, a very isolated island off the coast of Britain. Her mother seems to be a cold-hearted career woman reluctant to leave London, her father is a bumbling retiree searching for purpose (because a daughter isn't enough?), and her new BFFLE is in LURV with an older surfer -- SN: this book lacks any type of quality parenting. Both girls have 3-month relationships of which their parents have no clue. Why should anyone pay attention to 17-year-old girls? They always make good decisions, right?
Crystal's parents are too busy being mature adults fighting over an environment-destroying company that her mother works for and her father works against. It's run by your stereotypical bad guy and his henchman, who creeps on her mother, blackmails his regulating company to the point of arson and murder, attempts to kill Crystal's mother when she finds out the secret, kidnaps Crystal, etc. By the way, the company is called Skanx (subtle) and the bossman is Mr. Geake (seriously?). Meanwhile, her parents' apparent separation turns out to be a one-way ruse at the end of the book, yet I don't believe any family could recover from the events that occurred in this book.
I haven't even got to the most bizarre part yet! There are mer-people, only visible to Starfish Islanders, which I guess Crystal is even though she just moved to the island. Now, don't get me wrong, mer-people sound great, and we certainly haven't seen them in much literature yet. I believe they'll be the new trend for the next couple years. However, these mer-people are a bit over-the-top. Trust me, being a mer is cool enough, what with the living underwater and being able to appear human for awhile. Our mer-people don't need super-strength...super-vision...night vision...danger sensors...the ability to read emotions...weather control...life spans of centuries...unicorns...(sea-unicorns, to be specific)! Completely ridiculous. Besides creating a new species, Demuth also changes the history of Britain, because I suppose mer-people don't make sense in real history? They simply aren't compatible, and what we encounter is Demuth trying too hard.
This is probably my complaint rolled into one -- Demuth tried too hard. She tried to sound like teenagers. She tried to write a broken home. She tried to preach environmental protection. She tried to create a new species. She tried to depict an isolated community. And as much of a mess as this review was, the book was worse. And the worst news of all? It's a series...
April 30, 2016
2/5 Stars
I received this digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Josie Demuth, Wise Ink Creative Publishing and Netgalley.
So like any girl fascinated with all things mythical and sea based, I liked the idea of reading about mermaids. So when it came to finding out it was going to be about mermen, I became quite interested because it's not often you come across books about mermen, but rather all about the maids.
First off, I will say this. I love the front cover. Simplistically beautiful and enticing. So 5/5 stars for the front cover.
Sadly, only 2/5 stars for the story because it was only just an ok story and I'll tell you why.
The writing itself was great for description purposes, some of the island settings was wonderful to read about. But the entire sudden insta-love between the two main characters was such too much. I can understand the girl is 17 but she's at the stage where she shows signs of maturity and then her young age pops through and I think really? Why do that? Why accept everything so easy? She never really questioned anything that happened to her and, I couldn't get over the fact that she just so readily accepted him being a merman and some people knowing this! If I were her, I would want to know everything! But she never really wants to know until the end of the story.
I didn't realise this was the first book in the series and the ending was left sort of open. I ws frustrated at the ending because of how Llyr treated her. It was like I love you the moment I met you, have such a fun filled summer and then essentially
So overall, the cover is beautiful, the writing great, the story not so great.
I received this digital copy in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Josie Demuth, Wise Ink Creative Publishing and Netgalley.
So like any girl fascinated with all things mythical and sea based, I liked the idea of reading about mermaids. So when it came to finding out it was going to be about mermen, I became quite interested because it's not often you come across books about mermen, but rather all about the maids.
First off, I will say this. I love the front cover. Simplistically beautiful and enticing. So 5/5 stars for the front cover.
Sadly, only 2/5 stars for the story because it was only just an ok story and I'll tell you why.
The writing itself was great for description purposes, some of the island settings was wonderful to read about. But the entire sudden insta-love between the two main characters was such too much. I can understand the girl is 17 but she's at the stage where she shows signs of maturity and then her young age pops through and I think really? Why do that? Why accept everything so easy? She never really questioned anything that happened to her and, I couldn't get over the fact that she just so readily accepted him being a merman and some people knowing this! If I were her, I would want to know everything! But she never really wants to know until the end of the story.
I didn't realise this was the first book in the series and the ending was left sort of open. I ws frustrated at the ending because of how Llyr treated her. It was like I love you the moment I met you, have such a fun filled summer and then essentially
So overall, the cover is beautiful, the writing great, the story not so great.
May 12, 2016
(Thank you to NetGalley and Wise Ink Creative Publishing for a free review copy of this book.)
Chrystal is living on a small island near the english coast, her parents are having some trouble in their relationship which gets worse when her mother starts working for a company that ignores environmental issues while her father is fighting for an organization that tries to protect the environment.
One night she gets into a life threatening situation during a beach party and is saved by stunningly good looking Llyr, who turns out to be a mer-man. Together they have to face some problems... not only the threat the company provides but also some baggage from Llyr's past.
The story starts out in typical mermaid-book fashion with the human part of the lovers getting into trouble in the sea and being rescued by the mermaid part, which already got me into eye-rolling mode. Unfortunately the love story isn't really growing, the feelings aren't developing, they are instantly there and overwhelmingly huge. I also was surprised how easily Chrystal accepted the fact that Llyr was not human.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere at the island. Some descriptions and images will stay with me for a long time. There also were some nice moments between hero and heroine in their love story.
What was grinding my nerves was the simplistic way of good versus evil. Some situations were just soo typical and full of stereotypes. The characters had almost cartoonish qualities at some points.
Even though I can't say I really enjoyed this book, I am tempted to read part two as there was quite an open ending.
Chrystal is living on a small island near the english coast, her parents are having some trouble in their relationship which gets worse when her mother starts working for a company that ignores environmental issues while her father is fighting for an organization that tries to protect the environment.
One night she gets into a life threatening situation during a beach party and is saved by stunningly good looking Llyr, who turns out to be a mer-man. Together they have to face some problems... not only the threat the company provides but also some baggage from Llyr's past.
The story starts out in typical mermaid-book fashion with the human part of the lovers getting into trouble in the sea and being rescued by the mermaid part, which already got me into eye-rolling mode. Unfortunately the love story isn't really growing, the feelings aren't developing, they are instantly there and overwhelmingly huge. I also was surprised how easily Chrystal accepted the fact that Llyr was not human.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere at the island. Some descriptions and images will stay with me for a long time. There also were some nice moments between hero and heroine in their love story.
What was grinding my nerves was the simplistic way of good versus evil. Some situations were just soo typical and full of stereotypes. The characters had almost cartoonish qualities at some points.
Even though I can't say I really enjoyed this book, I am tempted to read part two as there was quite an open ending.
April 24, 2016
Received from NetGalley for review.
DNF @ 10%
10% is hardly enough for an informative review but I’m going to gauge my eyes out if I read any more. Now let me tell you why:
This book is terribly written. It reads like a fifteen year olds piece of English coursework that I would give, maybe, a C grade. And that’s not a bad thing, if you’re a fifteen year old writing a piece of coursework. But this is published. An actual published piece of writing, and I am not okay with reading this quality of writing outside of GCSE English. It’s really juvenile and has awkward expressions that just don’t work. I don’t know if I’m just too old (at 26, ha), if I’m being too harsh and bitchy, or if the author is really young, but I cannot stand to read any more of this.
I want to give the author the benefit of the doubt, though, as there will probably be some people who will love this book, and that’s fine. I don’t care what people read so long as they’re reading, but I’m not going to carry on with something that I don’t like. I do think this will suit a younger audience, though, as some of the writing seems to be in a teenage vernacular. Plus, there are mermaids, so you can’t really complain about that (even if Llyr seems really creepy and there’s a nauseating level of instalove).
DNF @ 10%
10% is hardly enough for an informative review but I’m going to gauge my eyes out if I read any more. Now let me tell you why:
This book is terribly written. It reads like a fifteen year olds piece of English coursework that I would give, maybe, a C grade. And that’s not a bad thing, if you’re a fifteen year old writing a piece of coursework. But this is published. An actual published piece of writing, and I am not okay with reading this quality of writing outside of GCSE English. It’s really juvenile and has awkward expressions that just don’t work. I don’t know if I’m just too old (at 26, ha), if I’m being too harsh and bitchy, or if the author is really young, but I cannot stand to read any more of this.
I want to give the author the benefit of the doubt, though, as there will probably be some people who will love this book, and that’s fine. I don’t care what people read so long as they’re reading, but I’m not going to carry on with something that I don’t like. I do think this will suit a younger audience, though, as some of the writing seems to be in a teenage vernacular. Plus, there are mermaids, so you can’t really complain about that (even if Llyr seems really creepy and there’s a nauseating level of instalove).
February 7, 2017
When her drunk friend takes a swim into the sea at night, Crystal tries to rescue her only to find herself dragged further into the ocean by a current. Then, a handsome stranger appears out of nowhere to rescue her and later starts dating her. Between her new boyfriend, her parents’ fights, and an evil corporation trying to destroy the ocean, Crystal makes discoveries that will rock her world.
I picked up A Thousand Salt Kisses because mermaids are amazing and I can’t help it I love them so much. That said, I did enjoy this book, but not so much as some of the other mermaid books I have read. On the one hand, the story seemed to progress quickly, her discovery of merpeople and relationship with her merman Llyr happening early on in the story and moving other events forward. Her parents’ relationship fell apart over an evil company dumping hazardous waste into the ocean, which obviously made the merpeople mad also. On the other hand, not much happened. There wasn’t a lot of fanfare or drama about Crystal finding out about the merpeople and the romance was not developed very much. They saw each other and then they were in love with only a few bumps in the road. And then there was the ending. It was dramatic with great foreshadowing and a big-ish reveal, as far as her family and the antagonist in the story, so I applaud the author there. But the romance, if you don’t mind me saying, did not end well. It made me glad that there was a second book in my hands as I finished. And let me also note that this book contained a bit of swearing, underage drinking, and an almost explicit sex scene or two, just in case you were wondering.
Altogether, I did enjoy reading this book, but it was missing some plot complexity and development in the romance. If you enjoy mermaids and some sizzling romance, I hope you will take a chance on this book.
I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
I picked up A Thousand Salt Kisses because mermaids are amazing and I can’t help it I love them so much. That said, I did enjoy this book, but not so much as some of the other mermaid books I have read. On the one hand, the story seemed to progress quickly, her discovery of merpeople and relationship with her merman Llyr happening early on in the story and moving other events forward. Her parents’ relationship fell apart over an evil company dumping hazardous waste into the ocean, which obviously made the merpeople mad also. On the other hand, not much happened. There wasn’t a lot of fanfare or drama about Crystal finding out about the merpeople and the romance was not developed very much. They saw each other and then they were in love with only a few bumps in the road. And then there was the ending. It was dramatic with great foreshadowing and a big-ish reveal, as far as her family and the antagonist in the story, so I applaud the author there. But the romance, if you don’t mind me saying, did not end well. It made me glad that there was a second book in my hands as I finished. And let me also note that this book contained a bit of swearing, underage drinking, and an almost explicit sex scene or two, just in case you were wondering.
Altogether, I did enjoy reading this book, but it was missing some plot complexity and development in the romance. If you enjoy mermaids and some sizzling romance, I hope you will take a chance on this book.
I received a free copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.
July 14, 2021
Received a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review…
To me honest this is a book that I wouldn’t have normally chosen, But I am super glad that I did. Ot pulls you in and won’t let you put it down. I finished it in 1 day..
It is about a girl named Crystal who moved to a small island from the big city of London. One night she is a beach party and is rescued by the mysterious stranger Llyr who nobody else saw. This story takes you on her journey to find him and find out the secrets that he is hiding. Llyr is drawn to Crystal and can’t seem to stay away even after his father tells him to. This is their summer romance story !!!
Can’t wait to read the next book in the series !!!
To me honest this is a book that I wouldn’t have normally chosen, But I am super glad that I did. Ot pulls you in and won’t let you put it down. I finished it in 1 day..
It is about a girl named Crystal who moved to a small island from the big city of London. One night she is a beach party and is rescued by the mysterious stranger Llyr who nobody else saw. This story takes you on her journey to find him and find out the secrets that he is hiding. Llyr is drawn to Crystal and can’t seem to stay away even after his father tells him to. This is their summer romance story !!!
Can’t wait to read the next book in the series !!!
July 24, 2021
Thank you, the publisher and NetGalley, for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A Thousand Salt Kisses is a sweet book that I finished reading in one sitting. The first few pages surprised me; most of the time, when I start reading a new book, I need to re-read the first pages more than once to feel the atmosphere of the new book and get used to the characters and the settings. But here, in this book, I felt welcomed. The slow beginning gave me time to know Crystal and root for her. The writing style was straightforward, as you are sitting with your friend and she is telling you a story: no big or “SAT” words, no lyrical sentences, and no complicated description, it was that simple, and I find this quite exciting and relaxing.
Crystal is a girl from London who recently moved to an Island and left everything behind her. She meets with a merman, and they fall in love. But the plot isn’t that simple, soon the drama will start, and things will get complicated.
I loved the romance between Crystal and Llyr, but the insta-love annoyed me a little. I knew that Crystal would fall in love soon because she said it right in the first few pages that she wanted someone to share the love with, but I found the whole thing rushed.
The story was exciting and heartbreaking at the end. I enjoyed reading the book, and I am looking forward to reading the following two books in the series.
Overall, I recommend this book to everyone who likes fantasy romance YA books.
A Thousand Salt Kisses is a sweet book that I finished reading in one sitting. The first few pages surprised me; most of the time, when I start reading a new book, I need to re-read the first pages more than once to feel the atmosphere of the new book and get used to the characters and the settings. But here, in this book, I felt welcomed. The slow beginning gave me time to know Crystal and root for her. The writing style was straightforward, as you are sitting with your friend and she is telling you a story: no big or “SAT” words, no lyrical sentences, and no complicated description, it was that simple, and I find this quite exciting and relaxing.
Crystal is a girl from London who recently moved to an Island and left everything behind her. She meets with a merman, and they fall in love. But the plot isn’t that simple, soon the drama will start, and things will get complicated.
I loved the romance between Crystal and Llyr, but the insta-love annoyed me a little. I knew that Crystal would fall in love soon because she said it right in the first few pages that she wanted someone to share the love with, but I found the whole thing rushed.
The story was exciting and heartbreaking at the end. I enjoyed reading the book, and I am looking forward to reading the following two books in the series.
Overall, I recommend this book to everyone who likes fantasy romance YA books.
July 10, 2016
3.5/5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Nothing can get more summer-y than this. A Thousand Salt Kisses is the kind of book that just perfect for summer. It makes me want to move to an island, forget everything and just spend my summer days under the sun.
Crystal White just moved from London to small Starfish Island. When at party and she almost drowned, she met Llyr who saved her life. Insta love ensues. But there's something really weird about Llyr, not to mention the corporate that poison the sea and destroying her family.
Let's start with the positive. Like I said, this book is really perfect for summer. The way the author describe Starfish and the weather, I feel like I'm there and taking a sea taxi to the mainland. The atmosphere is just very summery with all the time the story spend in the sea. The plot is also pretty decent. I can guess how it will goes, but I still find it enjoyable. What I love the most about this book (other than the summer vibe) is the mermaid.
I've read some mermaid books, but none of them really explains the mythology. The mermaids are just there. They're always there, and really really old. In this book, the author explain the origins of the mermaid, how they live and how they got their powers. While I do still have questions, at least the author tried. Props to her for creating her own version of mermaid. I also like how passionate the mermaids are. They don't feel anything in a normal way. They either really mad or really happy. There's no middle ground. I think that's why the insta love happened so quickly on Llyr's part (and also stupid, bc obviously he's impulsive in addition to his passionate nature).
Now let's talk about the bad thing. All the characters felt really one dimensional. They don't feel like a person, they feel like pawn in the story. Rosie as the best friend, Parents as parents, George as an old wise man, Llyr as love interest and Crystal as the main character. Other than that? We know nothing about them. The antagonist also feels like stereotypical white collar villain, with suit, more money than brains, and evil laugh.
Our main character, Crystal, is a really shallow and spoiled brat to me. I'm sorry, but it's true. You could see from her attitude and inner monologues. Her overnight transformation, how everyone called her beautiful... I think it gets into her head. Not to mention she giggles a lot. I don't have anything against girls giggling, but... I pictured Crystal as Pre-Harvard Elle (you know, from Legally Blonde). She met Llyr only once, and she's in love. Not just love, love. It's intense love she even convinced that he's the one.
Not to mention that she pulled the stunt like Bella in New Moon! You know, where she freaking And her head is so full of Llyr that I could piece all the plot from the conversation around her, but she couldn't.
So overall, you can see that I have a HUGE problem with our main character. But if you're able to ignore her (like I do while reading), then this would be a perfect read full of summer romance and mermaids.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Nothing can get more summer-y than this. A Thousand Salt Kisses is the kind of book that just perfect for summer. It makes me want to move to an island, forget everything and just spend my summer days under the sun.
Crystal White just moved from London to small Starfish Island. When at party and she almost drowned, she met Llyr who saved her life. Insta love ensues. But there's something really weird about Llyr, not to mention the corporate that poison the sea and destroying her family.
Let's start with the positive. Like I said, this book is really perfect for summer. The way the author describe Starfish and the weather, I feel like I'm there and taking a sea taxi to the mainland. The atmosphere is just very summery with all the time the story spend in the sea. The plot is also pretty decent. I can guess how it will goes, but I still find it enjoyable. What I love the most about this book (other than the summer vibe) is the mermaid.
I've read some mermaid books, but none of them really explains the mythology. The mermaids are just there. They're always there, and really really old. In this book, the author explain the origins of the mermaid, how they live and how they got their powers. While I do still have questions, at least the author tried. Props to her for creating her own version of mermaid. I also like how passionate the mermaids are. They don't feel anything in a normal way. They either really mad or really happy. There's no middle ground. I think that's why the insta love happened so quickly on Llyr's part (and also stupid, bc obviously he's impulsive in addition to his passionate nature).
Now let's talk about the bad thing. All the characters felt really one dimensional. They don't feel like a person, they feel like pawn in the story. Rosie as the best friend, Parents as parents, George as an old wise man, Llyr as love interest and Crystal as the main character. Other than that? We know nothing about them. The antagonist also feels like stereotypical white collar villain, with suit, more money than brains, and evil laugh.
Our main character, Crystal, is a really shallow and spoiled brat to me. I'm sorry, but it's true. You could see from her attitude and inner monologues. Her overnight transformation, how everyone called her beautiful... I think it gets into her head. Not to mention she giggles a lot. I don't have anything against girls giggling, but... I pictured Crystal as Pre-Harvard Elle (you know, from Legally Blonde). She met Llyr only once, and she's in love. Not just love, love. It's intense love she even convinced that he's the one.
Not to mention that she pulled the stunt like Bella in New Moon! You know, where she freaking And her head is so full of Llyr that I could piece all the plot from the conversation around her, but she couldn't.
So overall, you can see that I have a HUGE problem with our main character. But if you're able to ignore her (like I do while reading), then this would be a perfect read full of summer romance and mermaids.
June 3, 2016
Actual rating: 1.5 stars.
This has to be the most boring, predictable, and utterly cliche story that I have ever read. No joke.
A Thousand Salt Kisses is a story about a seventeen-year old girl named Crystal White, who, in an attempt to save her best friend from drowning, gets caught it a current and nearly drowned herself, if not for this mysterious man named Llyr, who happens to be super "hot and gorgeous" and apparently, saved her life. And he's a merman. Wow.
I didn't want to be harsh, but I really am pissed off at this story. I freaking love mermaids. I love The Little Mermaid and I love those man-eating mermaids you saw on Pirates of the Caribbean. Although I knew they were highly female, I could make an exception for one super gorgeous fish-man. But no. The characters were way too boring and the protagonist is one heck of a daft young woman. I hate Crystal. She's too naive, too "special" but as for my own opinion, she's nothing but immature, obnoxious, melodramatic, and naive. And Llyr? *rolls eyes*. He isn't special. He's boring and got like, zero personality. For short, he is NOT HOT. Not hot at all.
There was like, zero plot holes. I am crying because I can't take it. Crystal is an epitome of the blindest, stupid-est, densest protagonist in the history of all blind, stupid, and dense protagonists out there. I mean, the secrets and everything WAS SO FREAKING OBVIOUS and how could she not notice them?? Girl, u blind?? And plus, everything was really boring. This book was filled with nothing but stories of cheesy dates, "surprising" issues and boring talks. Honestly, Crystal's life is boring. And the only part that I liked was her parents' drama.
I was debating if I should continue or stop reading this. I nearly added this one to my DNF list but no, because I was hoping, praying that things would get better. Sadly, it doesn't. IT'S UTTERLY BORING. But I don't know why, I couldn't seem to stop reading. This book is one of those flat-written novels that you know you should stop reading but can't? And you ended up hating it? Yup. This is one of those. So a half star for that.
Insta-love. Oh gimme a break. I hated this. I hate girls that falls in love with the guy just right after the first chapter. It's freaking terrible. Plus, the book didn't do justice on the insta-love. So, off you go.
Maybe some people will like this. But I most certainly do not. What a waste of reading time. End of story.
I recieved an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2016
Crystal is the new girl in Coney Bay on Starfish Island. Her father moved the family out to the small island in order to be able to advocate for the environment against SKANX, a company that is dumping toxic waste into the Atlantic. Trying to fit into island life, Crystal goes to a beach party with her new friend Rosie. When Crystal swims out too far, she is rescued by Llyr, a mysterious guy with a mysterious name. When Crystal can’t seem to find Llyr again, or any locals who even know of him, Crystal learns about a legend surrounding the island. Once she learns of Merfolk, Crystal is in for an interesting summer and a hot romance.
A Thousand Salt Kisses is a young adult paranormal romance with mermaids and strong environmental undertones. As a lover of mermaids and the environment, I did enjoy this book; however it is probably not for everyone and if the other YA paranormal romance stories out there don’t float your boat, then this probably will not, either. Crystal is kind-hearted, caring and beautiful, which is why Llyr falls for her instantly. Llyr is handsome and mysterious, which is why Crystal falls for him instantly. Yes, there is insta-love, and yes, there are more absent than present parents; two YA tropes that are not left out. I did think that the merfolk lore was very interesting and it did actually explain some of the stranger things fairly well, such as their selective invisibility, ability to change from fins to legs, some of their powers and their existence near the island. I really do wish more of the Mer realm was explored, it sounded really interesting. Also, I’m glad that the Mer were actively involved in the fight against the ocean pollution. It seemed like a lot more could have been done with the SKANX plot line and made this book a little fuller than just the romance. When the mystery and danger of SKANX did rear its head near the end, things became much more exciting. An open ending really made me want to know what happens next (winter is coming), so I will probably check out the next book. A little thing that bothered me was the age difference in the relationship between some of Crystal’s friends, seventeen year old girls with twenty-six year old men was just strange to me. Overall, a decent young adult paranormal mermaid romance that may or may not be for you.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
A Thousand Salt Kisses is a young adult paranormal romance with mermaids and strong environmental undertones. As a lover of mermaids and the environment, I did enjoy this book; however it is probably not for everyone and if the other YA paranormal romance stories out there don’t float your boat, then this probably will not, either. Crystal is kind-hearted, caring and beautiful, which is why Llyr falls for her instantly. Llyr is handsome and mysterious, which is why Crystal falls for him instantly. Yes, there is insta-love, and yes, there are more absent than present parents; two YA tropes that are not left out. I did think that the merfolk lore was very interesting and it did actually explain some of the stranger things fairly well, such as their selective invisibility, ability to change from fins to legs, some of their powers and their existence near the island. I really do wish more of the Mer realm was explored, it sounded really interesting. Also, I’m glad that the Mer were actively involved in the fight against the ocean pollution. It seemed like a lot more could have been done with the SKANX plot line and made this book a little fuller than just the romance. When the mystery and danger of SKANX did rear its head near the end, things became much more exciting. An open ending really made me want to know what happens next (winter is coming), so I will probably check out the next book. A little thing that bothered me was the age difference in the relationship between some of Crystal’s friends, seventeen year old girls with twenty-six year old men was just strange to me. Overall, a decent young adult paranormal mermaid romance that may or may not be for you.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
July 19, 2021
the book was pretty decent but also a little bland. I had a hard time getting into the story and the characters.
July 3, 2016
OOoh I certainly do have a love-hate relationship with YA books. I like them, because they are quick reads and they are fun. However, they leave me wanting more sometimes. I feel like this would have been WAY better if it wasn't a YA.
The romance was cute between Crystal and her mer-lover. However, it seemed like it was missing something. I can't really place my finger on what. It seemed so out-of-the-blue and I wasn't convinced that it wasn't a summer time fling.
Crystal was okay and so was Llyr, buuuut I didn't really feel the connection between the two. Maybe it'll be different in the sequel? Is there a sequel? I have no idea....but there needs to be or I'll rip my hair out. The ending was a SUPER DUPER cliff-hanger? What? Why? No! GAH!
I really want to understand more about the merfolk and their world. We got a tiny taste and some backstory, but it wasn't enough for me. I need more. Also, I want to learn more about George and his parents. I can't say much else, but I think it was crap about the whole George thing. Why? It's a total bummer and he got gypped for sure! Poor George. I want an HEA for him.
GAH! *shakes fist* I hated Crystal's mother. Her Dad was a cutie, but the mom was a total B. Her "apology" and etc seemed out-of-the-blue too and totally fake. >_> I have low faith in her and her not breaking the Dad's and Crystal's heart again. It bugged me they so quickly forgave her. I would be weary and still angry if I was either of them.
As I had mentioned earlier, this was a quick read. I wanted more out of the story and I really felt there was something missing. I'm not sure what. Also, a few situations and characters bugged me. I hope there is a sequel, because I do want to read on and maybe the void in the first book will be filled in the second. Also, I want George's story.
In the end, I stamp this with 3 stars.
The romance was cute between Crystal and her mer-lover. However, it seemed like it was missing something. I can't really place my finger on what. It seemed so out-of-the-blue and I wasn't convinced that it wasn't a summer time fling.
Crystal was okay and so was Llyr, buuuut I didn't really feel the connection between the two. Maybe it'll be different in the sequel? Is there a sequel? I have no idea....but there needs to be or I'll rip my hair out. The ending was a SUPER DUPER cliff-hanger? What? Why? No! GAH!
I really want to understand more about the merfolk and their world. We got a tiny taste and some backstory, but it wasn't enough for me. I need more. Also, I want to learn more about George and his parents. I can't say much else, but I think it was crap about the whole George thing. Why? It's a total bummer and he got gypped for sure! Poor George. I want an HEA for him.
GAH! *shakes fist* I hated Crystal's mother. Her Dad was a cutie, but the mom was a total B. Her "apology" and etc seemed out-of-the-blue too and totally fake. >_> I have low faith in her and her not breaking the Dad's and Crystal's heart again. It bugged me they so quickly forgave her. I would be weary and still angry if I was either of them.
As I had mentioned earlier, this was a quick read. I wanted more out of the story and I really felt there was something missing. I'm not sure what. Also, a few situations and characters bugged me. I hope there is a sequel, because I do want to read on and maybe the void in the first book will be filled in the second. Also, I want George's story.
In the end, I stamp this with 3 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews