Jade is coping well with life after the death of her mother, there’s even a pool party to look forward to. For this rather regular sounding thirteen year old girl, growing up is the least of her worries when she discovers she is, in fact, a mermaid.

Her social life, and a potential love interest is sent into a tail spin (excuse the pun) when Jade discovers her mum is alive and being held captive by other mer-people, who are a few scales short of a fillet. She needs to save her mum, straighten out the misunderstanding with Cori, and find a way to talk to Luke again. You know; the usual teenage stuff.

I enjoyed the pacing and the relationships in this coming of age story. Cori is a valuable friend and I’d love to have her at my back any day. That tail however, I doubt I could handle.

This book is aimed at the younger end of the YA market, even to go so far an putting it in the Tween Fiction section, but as a light read after a heavy hitter it works well to cleanse the reading palette. You could even put it in the kit for those tricky almost too old to be baby-sat kids you may be looking after, to keep them quiet for a while.

It’s almost like a younger person’s Fred the Mermaid series.

The second instalment is called Real Mermaids Don’t Hold Their Breath and it was released a little earlier in 2012.

If you want a light and breezy story, with just the right amount of tension maybe consider the Real Mermaids series.

Paperback

Published December 10th 2010 by Sourcebooks, Inc. (first published November 9th 2010)

ISBN 1402244126 (ISBN13: 9781402244124)

I was pleasantly surprised to find a proof copy of Fated in my mail box and on opening the package, the brilliance of the cover hit me full force. It’s rich and appealing. The girl on the front looks like a force of nature, and there is so much movement in the picture, it’s almost like she’ll fly from the cover, followed by the ravens appearing from strands of her long dark hair. She has a dream-catcher earring and feathers entwined in other parts of her hair, giving me the immediate feeling this was going to be a book with Native American mythology themes. In this case, you can judge the book by its cover.

Daire Santos’s sweet sixteen turns sour when she has an emotional meltdown, after her visions of glowing people, crows and other assorted gruesome things. Instead of institutionalizing her, Daire’s mother sends her to a place called Enchantment in New Mexico to live with Paloma: the grandmother she’s never met. She is surprised to find the crazy old lady can really help her to hone her skills as a seeker, and her abilities are a family legacy and not just a freakish defect.

Who are the mystery boys in her dreams? How will she endure the first day at Milagro High? What can she do to save this town from the evil men running it?

I liked so many elements of this book that I’ll have to list but a few and ask you to add to my list in the comments when you have read Fated for yourself.

I find in so many Young Adult novels that there is usually a parental figure that seems to have dropped the ball, and we’re asked to dislike them for their insensitivity toward our hero. This is not the case in Fated. Daire’s mother, Jennika, was a young mother and did her best to provide for her daughter. She makes an unexpected decision in sending her daughter to her grandmother rather than to an institution. She is aware, observant and fiercely faithful. It is refreshing to have such a positive portrayal.

I am enchanted by the setting of Enchantment. It seems to be a place where getting back to basics is a given thing for all its residents. The great equalizer being that everyone is in the same boat to a certain extent, and life really is what you make of it. Daire is out and about in nature and not stuck in her room being a pensive brat. She finds joy on the back of a horse, and happiness with the people she learns to trust and call friends.

The Native American mythological themes of animal totems and the power of the elements make for a beautifully intense layer to the storyline. Alyson Noël puts value in the legacy of family. She writes about respecting your elders, which isn’t necessarily exclusively part of the Native American ethos, but it was nice to revisit this in a way that wasn’t preachy.

So I have now babbled on for more than 500 words and I hope you’ll give Fated a chance to catch you in its thrall. You will not be disappointed.

Looks like The Soul Seekers second book, Echo, is due out in September 2012. I’m really looking forward to it.

Krista adds (audio book):

The narrator Brittany Pressley does a good job at giving a voice to Daire Santos. Especially, the interpretation of her feelings of confusion when she starts to see unusual things. And again the anger and fear when she is left with a grandmother she has never met. The narrator is able to easily portray the emotions of a distraught spoiled teen who is having her world turned upside down.

Since this is the first book in the series, there is a lot of building of character and world setting. Insights are given to the reader about what a Soul Seeker is and the Native American Lore and Shamanism that it’s based upon. There are not a lot of action or fast paced sections to the story. It is mostly about discovery and information. My favorite part of the story is the meeting of the villain. I was glued to the stereo for the entire climax.

Overall, the audiobook is a very good presentation of the emotions and entertainment that the book offers. Please feel free to listen to the sample below.

Fated by Alyson Noel – Chapter 1 (audio book sample)

Paperback, UK, 352 pages

Expected publication: May 24th 2012 by Macmillan Children’s Books

ISBN 1447206800 (ISBN13: 9781447206804)

http://www.alysonnoel.com/

I was looking aimlessly through the library shelves again when I came upon two books by Kelly Keaton. I was gripped by the covers. They are beautiful with their serpent-like overlays and purple, black and white colour schemes.

Darkness Becomes Her has a blonde female face with vivid green eyes glaring out from it. A Beautiful Evil has the back of a blonde woman’s head and shoulders; her hair is morphing into a snake.

Darkness Becomes Her

Ari has always stood out with her silver hair and teal-coloured eyes. After 13 years in the foster care system, Aristanae Selkirk finally catches a break on finding her birth mother. Life for 17 year old Ari is suddenly pulled into razor-sharp focus when she is handed the box containing the personal effects of her deceased Mum.  Inside she finds a letter telling her to run.

Upon further sleuthing the trail leads to New 2; the now privately owned New Orleans. As luck would have it she finds a group of misfit kids, not unlike her, and her new friends will do anything to help Ari and make her feel at home.

Will Ari find the answers she is looking for before the evil her mother told her to run from, catches up with her? Can Ari handle the truth of her family heritage? What will she do next?

A Beautiful Evil

Ari has answers to her questions, but its lead to some unwelcome outcomes. Now it’s up to her to fight to bring back the youngest of her friends and overpower the person responsible for wiping out New Orleans 13 years ago.

Will the Novem stand together to help her in her quest, or will they turn their backs on what she will become?

Aspects of this alternate reality book cut a little close to our reality with the destruction of New Orleans and the political powers of the time not really working as hard as they could to rebuild it. Though in this reality, the Novem Council of nine rich families (made up of shape shifters, witches and vampires) have bought the place from the government and have worked at creating a haven for those not of the norm.

There are many strong points to enjoy, including the supernatural themes and a pleasant twist found in Ari’s family tree that I won’t ruin for you. The romance is smouldering, the action is quick and well-staged and the bad guys are monstrous.

Give Ari a chance. She kicks ass, even when she’s got every reason to curl up and hide from the world.

If you like Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series you will adore Kelly Keaton’s spin on New Orleans.

Kelly also writes the adult fantasy Charlie Madigan series under the pen name Kelly Gay.

http://www.kellykeaton.net

Darkness Becomes Her (Gods & Monsters #1)

Paperback, 273 pages

Published June 9th 2011 by Simon & Schuster Ltd (first published February 22nd 2011)

ISBN 0857071459 (ISBN13: 9780857071453)

A Beautiful Evil (Gods & Monsters #2)

Paperback, 288 pages

Published February 2nd 2012 by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books

ISBN 0857074091 (ISBN13: 9780857074096)

Channel Seven has added perhaps the most vibrant jewel to their crown recently with the introduction of the new program ‘Once Upon A Time.” The premiere was on Tuesday the 15^th of May at 7:30pm.

After months of dangling the carrot with an incredible advertising campaign backed with a fresh, catchy theme song by Kerri Roberts, our wait was finally over. So now that we’ve seen the first episode, what’s the verdict?

The general storyline synopsis I’ll nick from L. Hamre on IMDB (the best place to find out about all things movie or TV related)

Emma Swan gets the surprise of her life when Henry, the son she gave up 10 years ago, arrives on her doorstep. Returning the boy to his adoptive mother becomes complicated when Henry reveals a stunning theory to Emma. Everyone in Storybrooke, Maine is a fairytale character under a curse, and Emma – as the long lost daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming – is the one who can save them all. The story unfolds; interweaving scenes of the drama in the sleepy New England town and the inhabitants’ past lives in the world of fairy tales. The timeless battle of good vs evil is ready to begin again.

Probably the first thing that impacted me was the cinematography and post production digital effects; mainly to do with light quality and the way everything looks so clean. Small things like that were the cherry on the top of an already beautiful set and a carefully chosen cast.

Jennifer Morrison, perhaps better known for her role on the medical drama, House, as Dr. Allison Cameron, struts into her role as Emma Swan with the guts of an action hero. We first meet her on a run to pick up a parole violator and between the smart ass lines and the killer heels, she’d won me over before the tag.

As for villains, I’m guessing we’ll have a new queen bitch in town with Lana Parilla, you may know her as Sarah Gavin from 24, but I think her role as the evil queen in Once Upon a Time will thrust her well and truly into the bad girl hall of fame. Her best line ever of, “This is my happy ending,” puts a new spin on happily ever after. I don’t think anybody bothered to ask who’s not happy with the storybook endings. Makes you think.

As for the guys, I’m sure we’ll get a better gist of Prince Charming in the weeks to come, but I think both Jared Gilmore as Henry Mills and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin will be just as interesting to see evolve.

I have a feeling this show will be a non-traditional look at following your dreams and inner strength.

Can’t wait to follow along and let a little magic into my life.

What did you think of Once Upon a Time?

If you’ve spent any time on the fashion watch-dog blog Go Fug Yourself dot com, you may (or may not)  be aware of the co-creators of the website writing two YA books together.

** If you have no interest in fame and fashion you have my permission to stop reading now **

Spoiled starts the series off on an awkward spike stiletto heel. Molly Dix receives a death bed confession from her mother of the true identity of her paternal father. Brick (as in, thick-as-a) Berlin is a huge action movie star with a daughter to another woman. So when Brick offers to take Molly in, there isn’t much left for her to do but say yes.

Brooke, Brick’s other daughter, is on the brink of greatness and wants nobody to forget it. Having a half-sister turn up on her doorstep and suddenly not being the center of attention, throws Brooke into a tail spin.

You can only imagine what happens when the faux fur starts to fly.

Messy has been described as the half-sister to Spoiled. Brooke is running with her five seconds of fame and wants it to last a little longer. In her pursuit of stardom, she acquires the help of Max McCormack to be a ghost writer for a fabulous blog about the life and times of Brook Berlin.

Max and Brooke enter into a mutually beneficial agreement. Though, as the girls find out; all is not necessarily fair in love and war.

I would say that my favourite book of the two is Messy. There were moments in both books where I had to get out the tissues and dab away a tear or two, but the pretense and writing style were more believable in the second book in the series.

Of all the characters, I think Max has been given the most influential and interesting character arc. Without giving away too much she is a good friend and an excellent sister. I actually would love to have her sit with me at lunch so we could get snarky about things that make us cringe.

I dislike Brick Berlin as a character. I dislike him so much he almost had me flinging the books at the wall.

If there are to be more books by Heather and Jessica I really hope they keep the emotional depth of Messy mixed with the humor of Spoiled. I like to see the nasty people get their comeuppance, and I don’t mind a happy ending. If they can do it in Jimmy Choo Shoes then what they hey…

These books are not to be taken seriously. They are meant to be fun and carefree. If you go in knowing this you’ll probably be able to get through both in a short period of time and walk away feeling lighthearted. Go ahead and add them to your winter/summer holiday reading list.

http://gofugyourself.com/

http://heatherandjessica.wordpress.com/

Hardcover, 368 pages

Expected publication: June 5th 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

ISBN 0316098299 (ISBN13: 9780316098298)