Seventeen-year-old Alysa Grey is certain her lost twin sister is still alive even though Hawaii Search and Rescue gave up years ago. Meanwhile, Alysa’s bizarre ability to heal herself seems more curse than blessing.
When she meets Nate, a handsome surfer, he presents the opportunity for pre-summer escape. Alysa convinces her best friend to sneak away to Hina where Nate lives with a mysterious group called The Ocean Alliance. But Nate is not what he seems and Alysa ends up on a dangerous voyage.
She learns that her unusual powers and lost sister are connected to a sinister force determined to destroy her. As she uncovers her dark past, Alysa learns that sometimes it's much easier to be lost than found. The fate of the world's oceans will depend on her embracing the truth no matter how painful.
M.S. Kaminsky writes young adult urban fantasy and sci-fi with dashes of suspense, mystery and romance. His most recent release, The Mermaid Curse Series, reveals the enigmatic origin of mermaids in a gripping fantasy that spans generations of women.
When MSK is not writing he can be found with his husband attempting to tame the white water rapids of upstate New York or weeding in their garden. So far the rapids (and the weeds) are winning!
M.S. has been a lifelong writer. At four, he dictated his first short story to his dad before his hands were coordinated enough to hold a pencil. Today, his coordination is still questionable. However, his determination to write a good story remains just as strong as that spunky, four-year-old.
I had read Alabaster Island, the prequel to the Mermaid Curse series, by @kaminskyauthor a few months ago, and finally managed to read Book One in the series. This is a supernatural fantasy series involving a teenage girl, Alyse, who discovers that she is actually part mermaid, descended from the original inhabitants of Atlantis. Unfortunately, not everybody is happy that mermaids exist. . . I don't want to spoil the story, so I have to be intentionally vague. Kaminsky, however, does a wonderful job creating a world in which nothing is as real as it seems. The characters are nicely fleshed out, and the plot line flows smoothly from the author's pen. There are some blank spaces and confusion in the backstory, but seeing this is a series of books, I'm sure all of my questions will be answered eventually. The only problem with this book is that it is so recently released, I'm going to have to wait a while until the second book. .
Ding ding ding!! We have a winner! After reading Alabaster Island (4.5 stars) the author asked me what he would need to do to earn 5 stars from me... This, this is what you do! You write a book like this one. While I liked Alabaster Island, it was good and did keep my attention (4.5 stars is great!) - this one, The Atlantis Twins - was captivating!
There was so much to this story. It was complex and very suspenseful. It had a lot of twists and surprises. There were more than a few times that I gasped out loud. And one time I actually said "Whaat? No way!" Didn't see that one coming!
Great character development! I loved Alysa and her band of new friends. There is a good portion of the story that takes place on a large boat and they go diving. I really loved this part. I just finished a couple books that are based on diving (66 Metres and 37 Hours both excellent) so I already had diving on the brain. This mermaid fantasy book was a nice addition, keeping with the theme.
Years ago if anyone had told me I would really get into Mermaid books I would have thought they were crazy. But I have read several great ones (loved them) and this one is right up there! So... If you have never even tried a Mermaid story and would like to give one a try this series is a great place to start!
I voluntarily posted this review after receiving a copy of this book from the author - Thank You!
The book was not bad per se, but I also thought it was a bit sloppy at times. I still don't really get parts of it, but not in a 'Oohh I want to read the next/previous book to find out' way, more in like a 'I'm confused but also don't really care' way. At times I couldn't really follow who was talking and the conversation was confusing, but it wasn't so bad that it made me put the book down. The storyline was fine, but not groundbreaking. There was one plottwist I didn't see coming, but the rest of it was pretty predictable. It was a pleasant book all in all, but it's not necessarily a book I'd recommend. There's other books with roughly the same theme that I'd prefer to recommend.
I expected this to be a YA mermaid book, but despite the main character being a teen, it read much more like an adult thriller. So, it wasn't what I was expecting to read at all, but it was well-written. Alysa doesn't remember her past other than she lost her twin and needs to find her. As her memories slowly return, it only poses more questions to be answered and the reader is kept guessing about everyone's intentions. The book ends in a satisfactory way although many questions are left unanswered.
This is the first book I've read by M.S. Kaminsky, and I wasn't disappointed. There were several times I had to re-read to work out the dialogue but other than that the story gripped me and kept me reading desperately trying to work out the twists and turns towards a very unpredictable ending. While its listed as a YA this book holds a thrill for any reader, especially if you enjoy mermaids and myth fantasy. I'm eager for the next instalment and to see what discoveries are yet to be made.
Read "Alabaster Island" first because it truly lays the groundwork for "The Atlantis Twins." It's more a big novella, but it's quite a fascinating story! This isn't your average mermaid tale. It's fantasy brought to life! Kaminsky is a wonderful writer! His words flowed so well that I felt like I was there, hovering above, watching it happening! I LOVED it! If you like a little fantasy in your realism, I highly recommend this series! It's believable in a "Twilight" kind of way!
This book is well written, punctuated with page turning events. My interest was maintained throughout the book. There are some nice turns of story line, going in unexpected directions. There is partial resolution near the end but plenty is left unsettled for a subsequent story, following a cliff hanger phone call on an international flight.
Why couldn't I have found out about this book later when the rest of the series have been written. I am litterally sad that j don't have the sequel to start and hungrily devour like I did this one. I don't want to spoil anything but I have to tell why?!?! Come on Alyssa! Anyway. This and the novella was wonderful. This is one of my new favorite books.
‘Alabaster Island’ was my introduction to the fantasy world of mermaids and ‘Atlantis Twins’ carried me deeper with a great goodread. Author M S Kaminsky’s writing style held my interest with his intriguing storyline and a big unexpected twist. Love the characters and look ward to another trip to this fantasy world.
I chose 4 stars because I was hooked on this book. It went a little fast and left me confused on occasion but overall pretty good. Can not wait for next book. Good job Shawn!
Good read. Lots of twists and turns involved. Characters were not well developed but just ok. Story line was interesting. Not sure if I am invested enough to read next book. Story did have an ending unlike some others I have read.
Didn't finish. The beginning grabbed me and I wanted to know what where the story was going to go, but it had to much junk I didn't want to read in it. Wasn't worth my time to wade through the garbage to get to the story.
An excellent read exciting different something very unusual and a plot that while easy have lot the twist that kept you getting you will enjoy this book.
A pretty good coming of age story of a girl with powers but I just could not identify with any characters in the book. Purchased this item on April 17, 2023, from Amazon for free.
A fascinating take on mermaid stories. The world building in this series is quite different from any I've read before. This book starts quite a few years later from the first book and everything has changed. We have twins and one has been lost at sea and her absence causes the twin that is left determined to find her. She has a chance to look for her with a group of people, that turn out to be quite different than they portrayed themselves to be. I don't do spoilers and there's a lot more between the lines I've written here. If you like mermaid stories, be advised that this is not your regular mermaid story, no gills, no fins, just signs of what they use to be.
Great story from start to finish. It draws you into the world of Atlantis and why things are the way they are. The group communing with nature is a perfect setting for the finale. Can't wait to read the next one.
Really enjoyed this, including Charlie, Alyssa's trans best friend. Nice to see a trans character portrayed as normal. This is a paranormal YA tale, set in a near future with a bit of a twist near the end. Good writing and entertaining.