}~>O MERBOOKS: The Group For All Things Mermaid O<~{ discussion

I haven't read anything by her yet because I thought Amanda Hocking is not for me, but maybe I'll give a try. What about you?

I've been eyeing this one. I wonder if they're actually mermaids with tails or no, because the synopsis makes me think of the sirens from Siren.

Garrett wrote: "I've been eyeing this one. I wonder if they're actually mermaids with tails or no, because the synopsis makes me think of the sirens from Siren."

Same here. A bit hesitant with this one.

So, I checked out the book the other day, and I'm definitely going to give it a go. It does feature mermaids of the tailed variety (I'm guessing the author just calls them sirens rather than mermaids, I don't know too much about the mythos, as I just flipped through the book), but yes, there are indeed fins in this book.

Oooh, goody. I'm so tired of picking up all these alleged mermaid books only to discover there's not a whole lot of mythology or tails in it.

Guitar Chick wrote: "Oooh, goody. I'm so tired of picking up all these alleged mermaid books only to discover there's not a whole lot of mythology or tails in it."
G & GC,
Yes, the lack of tails can be a bummer but OTOH, sometimes you can miss a really good story by sticking w/ tails & scales only. For example, I absolutely loved Chris Howard's Saltwater Witch series.

Howard wrote: "Guitar Chick wrote: "Oooh, goody. I'm so tired of picking up all these alleged mermaid books only to discover there's not a whole lot of mythology or tails in it."
G & GC,
Yes, the lack of tail..."

I've ben wanting to give that series a try. Have you guys seen the official Watersong book trailer? The last couple of seconds are amazing. I'm surprised they got a mermaid tail for this short trailer. It also has a clip with wings, making me wonder if winged sirens are involved as well. Mermaid at the end of the video...bird-siren in the middle...this book confuses me. I have to read it that much more!

I nearly bought it. I didn't have enough money or else I'd probably be reviewing it right now.

I was torn between getting this and Just For Fins the other day. I chose JFF, because I've already read the first two and I knew I'd love it. Wake and Monstrous Beauty are the next two books I'm hoping to buy.

Garrett wrote: "Howard wrote: "Guitar Chick wrote: "Oooh, goody. I'm so tired of picking up all these alleged mermaid books only to discover there's not a whole lot of mythology or tails in it."
G & GC,
Yes, t..."
Garrett,
Where did you find the official trailer? I read some of the capsule reviews and Kimberly Llewellyn's Siren Call come to mind.

Here's the Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBR52x...
I think for a book trailer it's very well done. Of course, it still has a couple eye-roll moments, but then again I think most book trailers are. They don't get a big budget, I assume. But the best and most surprising part of the trailer is the mermaid. I'm surprised the creators of the trailer actually rented out a mermaid tail for a minute-long trailer. Kudos to them for not taking the cheap, boring way out of it and just adding footage of some two-legged girl in a dress swimming (*cough* like the cover *cough*).

Well done. Most trailers only consist of photo slides and music.

Garrett wrote: "Here's the Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBR52x...
I think for a book trailer it's very well done. Of course, it still has a couple eye-roll moments, but then again I think most bo..."

Garrett,
Just had a look at the trailer. Not bad. Of course the mermaid footage could have been a stock clip as I didn't recognise the face from the earlier shots.
As for the terraped female on the cover, that's preferable to a model in an obviously rubber tail. (Some are quite "realistic" looking. Others, not so much.)

I think they actually did use a mermaid tail in the video. At the 0:43 mark, where the girl is rescuing the guy from earlier in the video from drowning, I paused it and if you look closely, you can see the girl's lower half is covered in scales. So that makes me think the tail was actually used in the video, not just stock footage. I'm also wondering about the wings that show up at the 0:39 mark. How does that fit into the book? I swear, the more I watch this trailer, the more I'm desperately wanting to read this book!

Oh yeah, and here's the cover for the second book, due November 2012:

Not as pretty as the first, but I'll reserve judgement until I've actually, you know, read it.

Garrett wrote: "Oh yeah, and here's the cover for the second book, due November 2012:

Is it just me or does the cover for the second book just not connect with the cover for the first?

It's not just you.

Well maybe it connects deeply in what happens in the second book. Or it could be symbolic.