Title: Of Poseidon
Author: Anna Banks
Blurb:
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen — literally, ouch! — both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom . . .
Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.
Links:
Of Poseidon on Goodreads
Of Poseidon on Amazon
Anna Banks' Website
Kala's Review:
This review has spoilers!
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, considering the reviews a lot of my friends gave it. It was far from perfect and there were a few characters that I thought were over the top and ridiculous, but I enjoyed the story overall and found myself turning the pages pretty quickly.
There were a few main things I didn't like. The first was the death of Chloe. She was dead by page 19. We barely get to know her, then she dies, then she's an afterthought. After page 30, I don't think Chloe's name is mentioned more than a couple times in passing. What was amusing to me is Emma whining about people forgetting Chloe within a few weeks... but literally within 3 weeks she does not think of Chloe at all, other than a blip of a mention maybe twice more.
I don't think Chloe dying brought anything to the story and I'm not a fan of arbitrary character death for shock value, which is all this was. Chloe getting attacked and bitten by the shark could have provided exactly the same outcome. Instead, she dies and because Emma has no other friends she's now free to spend every waking minute with Galen.
The other main thing I disliked was Emma's mom. She may win the award for worst/weirdest mom ever. Her idiotic quotes and actions are numerous, but here is the one that stuck out the most to me:
(Emma's mom is having a talk with Galen the first time she meets him)
She grabs a fistful of his T-shirt. "Are you sleeping with her?"
...
He shakes his head. "No, ma'am."
She raises a no-nonsense brow. "Why not? What's wrong with my daughter?"
I'm sorry, Galen and Emma have known each other for what, two weeks at this point? She's asking if they're having sex, then when he says no she gets mad because there is something wrong with her daughter? What the BLEEP??
Emma's mom only gets more idiotic and (DO NOT CLICK THIS SPOILER LINK IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK)(view spoiler)
The third thing I disliked was how Rayna/Toraf's "love" story was handled. Rayna fights and fights and fights against having to be mated to Toraf, who she was married to against her will and while she was not even present. She constantly fights against this, and I admire that. I was happy to see a female character with some spine! But then Toraf smooches with Emma just to make Rayna jealous, and it works, and Rayna is suddenly happily married and looking for an island to go bang Toraf on. (sigh)
The fourth thing was Rachel. This character was so over the top and ridiculous, she rivals Emma's mom for most idiotic character. Apparently she was involved in the mob and they tied cinderblocks to her feet and drowned her, but she was saved by the Syrena. Now she's like Galen's assistant or something? I'm not going to dig up her stupid quotes, because I forgot to write down page numbers, but they are numerous as well.
The last thing I had issue with was the constant violence. Rayna is constantly beating the tar out of Toraf (though she may have had good reason, considering he tries to force her to kiss him and stuff). Emma gets mad at Rayna and starts trying to beat the tar out of her (and even throws her through a hurricane glass window). The characters are all pretty physically violent with each other and it seems a little too much.
I did think that the story flowed well and I'm curious enough to want to read the next book and see what happens (grr, I hate cliffhangers!!).
3 of 5 stars.
Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/399127700
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