4 Stars

I never really jumped on board the mermaid bandwagon when it rolled by a few years ago, which is probably a good thing when it came to reading Water So Deep, it meant that this whole concept of a teenager changing into a mermaid was completely new and refreshing to me.

Even if had read every mermaid book out there, though, I doubt I would have come across one quite like this. It’s not so much the supernatural element that sets this book apart; it’s actually the human elements – the gritty mess that is our heroine, Emma’s, life. The mess that would still be too much for any teenager to handle, even without the pressure of an imminent change into a mythological sea creature.

The mood of this novel is set in the very first chapter, when Emma is brutally attacked by her then-boyfriend, a boy who we later learn is a school hero, star of the basketball team, ultimate golden boy. The attack and the subsequent speculation and gossip cause Emma to recede into her shell, cutting herself off from everyone around her.

Enter James – a new student at her school, who, despite Emma’s best efforts to push him away, manages to find away in.

This story arc is so enthralling it probably could have held it’s own in a contemporary romance novel – throw in some supernatural elements, though, and the drama and suspense skyrocket.

Throughout this novel I’d assumed it was a standalone – it just seemed as though things were on their way to being resolved. But then about three quarters of the way through Ms. Giles decided to just keep dropping bomb after bomb, ultimately leaving us hanging on the final page.

There are so many questions still unanswered, and I’m looking forward to picking this story back up with the next installment – which hopefully won’t be too far away!

Thanks to net galley.com and Jelly Bean Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by Ash Bye