Deep Betrayal (Lies Beneath, #2)

Mar 03, 2013 Rose rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, netgalley, young-adult, paranormal, romance, fantasy

Initial reaction: Ooh, this was actually better than Lies Beneath in my opinion, but I'll admit that there were points where I hit a bit of a bump in the story progression. I think Lily's voice was much easier to warm up to than Calder's from the last book, and I actually liked Calder's character more in this one.

Full review:

If there's something to be said about the second book in the Lies Beneath series, this had much in the way of improvement from the first, and I'm quite happy I gave Anne Gr...more Initial reaction: Ooh, this was actually better than Lies Beneath in my opinion, but I'll admit that there were points where I hit a bit of a bump in the story progression. I think Lily's voice was much easier to warm up to than Calder's from the last book, and I actually liked Calder's character more in this one.

Full review:

If there's something to be said about the second book in the Lies Beneath series, this had much in the way of improvement from the first, and I'm quite happy I gave Anne Greenwood Brown's book a go despite my conflicted sentiments for the first. "Deep Betrayal" picks up where the previous book left off, but in the perspective of Lily, the girl that merman Calder White left behind. Lily is a feisty, smart young lady, maybe a little on the side of pining more for Calder in this book than the former, but at the very least this book does a better job with the narrative flow on an overarching note than the first. Calder returns to Lily in the mix of several events occurring: conflicts with her respective family (particularly her father discovering a dark secret), a host of new mysterious abilities that Lily picks up, as well as a series of murders that no one can figure out. At first it's blamed on Calder's vengeful sisters, but such an attribution is not easily given, and Lily and Calder have to work together to get to the bottom of it all.

Despite a few qualms with the romance here, Calder and Lily's chemistry is a bit improved from the first, and I actually liked Calder's character more in this novel than the former. He's still a rather dark presence, and his humor's still sharp, but he wasn't as much of a center point as Lily in this novel. As well, I think some might be slightly disappointed to not see as much evil mermaid action as the former novel, but there's enough here to whet the appetite and enough in the mystery of events to keep the story ball rolling. It held my attention and kept me guessing up to the very end. I'll say that there were some issues with pacing that remained, but this was - overall - a much better read for me. Considering the ending of this, I have no qualms about continuing this series to see where it goes, especially with Lily's subsequent development in the conclusion of this story.

Overall score: 3/5

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Random House BFYR.(less)

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Feb 28, 2013 Eileen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, for-review, mythology, netgalley, owned, romance, young-adult

Check out more of my reviews at ***Singing and Reading in the Rain***!

Welcome to my loopy loop-fest review of Deep Betrayal by Anne Greenwood Brown!

Deep Betrayal, the sequel to Lies Beneath, by Anne Greenwood Brown lives up to everything Lies Beneath laid out for us. Unfortunately, I wasn't the biggest fan of Lies Beneath, so Deep Betrayal proved to have the same quality that itspredecessorhad.

What I anticipated at the beginning took a turn for the worst later on, especially with Lily's point of...more

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Mar 07, 2013 AH rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-netgalley, mermaids, young-adult, green, fantasy, read-jan-2013, babr-reviews

Definitely not your ordinary mermaids…

Deep Betrayal is the sequel to Lies Beneath and takes place about a month after the events of that book. Lily has been sent away from her family’s home on the shores of Lake Superior in order to keep her safe. All she can think of is Calder, her merman boyfriend. Lily also feels strangely attracted to the water.

Like the first book, this is a darker, more sinister take on mermaids. The author blends intriguing mermaid lore with native Indian legends to create...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Jen Ryland added it

While Deep Betrayal lost a lot of the things I loved about the first book (Calder's narration, the revenge theme, the carnivorous merfolk) and replaced it with stuff I am less excited about (Lily's narration, lack of revenge, red herrings and a character I liked gone bad) I am still a fan of the way that this series takes the typical mermaid story and gives it .. teeth!

Full review on my blog, YA Romantics

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May 22, 2013 Sex in the Library rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: teens 12 and older

Shelves: bullying, death, no-sex, paranormal, teen-romance, violence, young-adult

“Death finds us all. Yet I was impatient and had gone looking for it; now there was no going back. My toes curled over the edge of the rock….”

Great opening lines, as did the first in the series, Lies Beneath. However this sequel is slow to start. Lily is exiled to Minneapolis to graduate with her friend Jules. She hasn’t heard from Calder and doesn’t know if he is alive or dead. She is worried about her father (spoiler alert from the first book!) who doesn’t realize that he is a merman. Then, al...more “Death finds us all. Yet I was impatient and had gone looking for it; now there was no going back. My toes curled over the edge of the rock….”

Great opening lines, as did the first in the series, Lies Beneath. However this sequel is slow to start. Lily is exiled to Minneapolis to graduate with her friend Jules. She hasn’t heard from Calder and doesn’t know if he is alive or dead. She is worried about her father (spoiler alert from the first book!) who doesn’t realize that he is a merman. Then, almost as an anti-climax, Calder does return, and together they approach Jason with the news. Of course he knew on some level, but he so wholeheartedly takes over training with Calder that his family feels abandoned. In fact, we see so little of him, that we feel he is really just a peripheral character that we don’t have to care about.

Into this frustration, we add killings- many killings. Beginning with Talullah’s body washing ashore, and continuing with lots of students, it looks like the work of the mer-people. Jason, newly alive to being a merman? Maris and Pavati come back to Lake Superior for revenge? Calder, lying to Lily? Someone else entirely? Jack, desolate now that Pavati has not come back to HIM, broadcasts loudly that the killings are done by the mer-folk. Calder says it is just a matter of time until someone believes him. The story is called “deep betrayal.” Just who is the betrayer?

Of course Lily has secrets of her own. Sophie is harboring secrets. Calder is stand-offish, then coming on to Lily. We really grow tired of the many references to Calder’s body. However, in a hot scene in the hammock, Lily proclaims she is not ready for sex at all! Lily is a real teen: sometimes self-centered and whining, sometimes caring and looking outside herself. Calder’s real intentions are absent this book. Yes, he is a teen, but he is more supposed to be more mature than teens his age. Harboring secrets? Needing something to happen? His off-again-on-again distance with Lily doesn’t ring true. He really is a bully in this book.

I really liked Lies Beneath and hoped this wasn’t a middle-book-to-get-to-the-end, but I am afraid it is. Yes, there is a real ending; yes there are new revelations; and yes, they are too few to really carry the book on its own. The last in the series, Promise Bound is out in spring, 2014. Will we all read it? It’s a toss up. But really: pink??!!
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Apr 07, 2013 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Deep Betrayal continued it's fast paced nature much like Lies Beneath (one reason I love it). The story line picks up a month after Lies Beneath ends. I loved the progress some of the characters made such as Lily's Father Jason and how her little sister Sophie is in it more and plays more of a meaningful role. Lily narrates this book which I found a little hard to get used to myself, though it may just be because of my love for Calder that I found her not as exciting. Even though I did not enjoy...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Deep Betrayal

First Thoughts/ Storyline

Firstly, you guys should know that I adored Lies Beneath and fell in with these mermaids that Anne Brown had created, that were different than what I previously thought of, when I thought mermaid! Lies Beneath completely brought me into its world, and had me wanting more! So when Deep Betrayal came out I had to read it.

Deep Betrayal is the sequel to Anne Brown Lies Beneath. It picks up 30 days after Lies Beneath. Lily hasn’t heard from Calder and she is now...more Deep Betrayal

First Thoughts/ Storyline

Firstly, you guys should know that I adored Lies Beneath and fell in with these mermaids that Anne Brown had created, that were different than what I previously thought of, when I thought mermaid! Lies Beneath completely brought me into its world, and had me wanting more! So when Deep Betrayal came out I had to read it.

Deep Betrayal is the sequel to Anne Brown Lies Beneath. It picks up 30 days after Lies Beneath. Lily hasn’t heard from Calder and she is now back in Minnesota, living with her best friend, preparing to graduate, having being forced away from Lake Superior. You would think she would be happy to be back home, to graduate with her friends and class, but she isn’t. Lily only has one thing on mind and that’s Calder. She wants to know why he hasn’t called her, or texted her, it’s like he has completely disappeared.

If you recall in Lies Beneath a lot happened. Lily met Calder, who happened to be a mermaid, who had three sisters. They weren’t the kind and pretty mermaids that we all know and love. They were dangerous, and they killed humans and absorbed their energy; and if that didn’t make them treacherous enough they had a grudge against Lily’s family, and would stop at nothing to get their revenge.

Now, in Deep Betrayal Lily comes back to Lake Superior; and again she is in the center of a mystery. She has new things happening to her, she is constantly worried about her father who recently found out he was a Merman, oh and someone is murdering people.

My thoughts

You should know that Deep Betrayal is written from Lily’s Point of view, whereas Lies Beneath was told from Calder’s point of view. Initially I was a little worried about this change. I like when there’s alternating POV’s every chapter, but not one book in one POV and one in another. Plus With Calder’s POV we got to see life as a mermen and I loved that; but hearing lily’s voice was just as great. In Deep Betrayal we got to see more of lily’s feelings, and more character development for her and the secondary characters. I still will say I enjoyed Calder’s POV more!!

What I missed from this book are my killer sisters. I loved them, it’s like you wanted to hate them but you can’t hate someone for growing up a certain way, that’s all they knew. I still have hope that they can change, but if not I love them for being baddies too!!!

What I loved from the book was the history and the story of Marighdean Mara. It really interested me and had me actually wanting to read a book based on her story… May I can get a novella or a prequel story. I loved Anne writing also, she has a way of making you feel the characters emotion.

Overall, I LOVED Deep Betrayal!!! It gave me mystery, romance, and answered some questions that I previously had! The only major flaw with Deep Betrayal comes from the wait. Jan. 2014? Come on that’s so far away and Anne Greenwood Brown Likes to leave me at the first times. I mean the endings are never cliffhangers but just as bad. Brown is like a book teaser. She lets me found out something, then tells me I have to wait a year until I know the outcome. Ugh!!!!

With that being said Deep Betrayal is the perfect sequel to a stellar book debut, and sets you up perfectly for the third book. It’s both magical and horrifying at the same time.
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Mar 19, 2013 Liviania rated it 4 of 5 stars

LIES BENEATH wasn't my absolute favorite of the deluge of mermaid books last year (that was THE VICIOUS DEEP), but I enjoyed it quite a bit. One of my favorite aspects was Calder's slightly inhuman narration. Getting the paranormal romance through the point of view of the monster is still a twist. So when I cracked open DEEP BETRAYAL and realized Lily was the narrator, I was a bit disappointed. I hated myself for being disappointed about that, but it is what it is.

And it did take me awhile to ge...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Khanh rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: tstl-male, tstl, siblings, mystery, high-school, fishy-creatures

3.5 stars

I liked it; it was, to my surprise, considerably better than the first book. Of course, it helps that this book was from the POV of Lily, and not the dumb-as-a-rock/and least-effective merman ever that is Calder White. I liked Lily from the first book. She had a good head on her shoulders, she's not too dumb and doesn't dive into dangerous situations, and seems to figure things out pretty quickly (no thanks to the stupid, stupid, and may I emphasize that he is stupid Calder?

Calder got o...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Annette rated it 3 of 5 stars

Deep Betrayal is an entertaining sequel to Lies Beneath.

Lily hasn't seen Calder for over a month. She does't know where he is, and she doesn't like being land-locked. She wants to return to her home on Lake Superior and join her mom and dad.

When her parents show up for her graduation, and Calder does too, Lily insists on telling her father that he's a merman, just like Calder. She wants to help her father, but Calder doesn't think it a good idea.

Lily does return with her parents to the lake, an...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Sherri rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: washyarg-finished

This story picks up one month after Lies Beneath, the story of a mermaid family out to avenge their mother’s death by killing Jason Hancock, the son of the man who broke their mother’s heart. However, the mermaids’ plans fall apart when their brother, Calder White, falls in love with Jason’s daughter Lily. Now one mermaid sister has been killed and Lily nearly died in her attempt to sacrifice herself to save her father. It turns out that Lily’s dad is actually a merman too (human father, mermaid...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Melinda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: awesome-ya, read-2013

Honestly, I finished this book practically in the one sitting and have been done since last Monday. Due to an extremely busy week I am only getting the chance to review now.
I was super excited to read this book and I was not disappointed!
I liked it just as much as Lies Beneath, perhaps even more.
I find this series both interesting and quite original. I have been keeping an eye out for a good mermaid book for a while, something that explores the scarier side to the myths and this series certainly...more Honestly, I finished this book practically in the one sitting and have been done since last Monday. Due to an extremely busy week I am only getting the chance to review now.
I was super excited to read this book and I was not disappointed!
I liked it just as much as Lies Beneath, perhaps even more.
I find this series both interesting and quite original. I have been keeping an eye out for a good mermaid book for a while, something that explores the scarier side to the myths and this series certainly delivers.
There was perhaps a slight move away from the creepy side of mermaids in the second book, I can't decide what I think about that.
On the one hand, it furthers the story and explores the mermaids, their history and their motivation in greater depth - which was fantastic. On the other hand... I really liked the creepy monster mermaids, lol. Thankfully, they have not been completely fluffy bunny'a'fied, the author just explored a slightly different side of them in this book.
It was great to read from Lily's POV and seeing things from her view point definitely cleared up a couple of question marks I had after book 1. I can understand what some of the other reviewers mean by finding Lily's dependence/fixation re Calder slightly out of character and annoying ie: how she spends a lot of the book complaining about how much she'll miss him regardless of the situation at hand. I agree that that was a little jarring, however, I am willing to excuse that behaviour as the result of mermaid 'stuff/influence'. Without spoiling too much - just look how certain other characters in the book were affected by long term exposure to mermaid influence… I think it's possible that the author was exploring that as a factor and may explore it further in the third book.
Which I am VERY excited about :-).
Deep Betrayal ended, not on a cliff hanger precisely, but definitely on a very interesting note! And I am very intrigued to see what the author does with book 3.
So great series and a solid 4 stars from me, I definitely recommend for anyone who is looking for a fast paced paranormal read with a side of romance and mystery.
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Jan 28, 2013 Anna (Gatsby's Girl) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Lily Hancock has spent the last thirty days exiled from home, sent away to live with her best friend Lori in her old town. All because her Dad wants her kept away from Calder, the boy she loves, and Lake Superior's depths - both of which hold dark secrets beyond his comprehension. It has been thirty days since Lily saw Jack Petitt kill Tallulah, one of Calder's sisters and now his tainted family believes that revenge has been served - and Lily is dead, having taken her Dad's place as a sacrifice...more Lily Hancock has spent the last thirty days exiled from home, sent away to live with her best friend Lori in her old town. All because her Dad wants her kept away from Calder, the boy she loves, and Lake Superior's depths - both of which hold dark secrets beyond his comprehension. It has been thirty days since Lily saw Jack Petitt kill Tallulah, one of Calder's sisters and now his tainted family believes that revenge has been served - and Lily is dead, having taken her Dad's place as a sacrifice. Then the body resurfaces and Lily returns to Superior, deciding to tell her Dad the truth - that he's half merman. In the process the sisters discover Lily's presence and bodies begin to turn up again, with everything pointing to them being the killers. But is it really that simple? It's up to Lily and Calder to investigate the murders and stop whoever is responsible, family or not. With her burgeoning mermaid traits and the possibility of a mermaid creationist legend being true, things are about to get interesting. Will they be able to fix the situation before a vengeful Jack exposes the existence of mermaids to the world? I went into this one expecting it to be something I wouldn't get very into. I was okay with the first one, which had a good premise but the follow-through less than impressed me. So color me surprised when I sat down and got a third of the way through in my first sitting!
I liked the switch from Calder's narration, over to Lily's. She was a lot easier to sympathize with and I enjoyed seeing her perspective. It really fleshed her out as a character and gave me a motivation for her actions. Not to say she was perfect. Lily is a hothead, who does things on her own terms without always thinking about it rationally first. But she's an individual which made her dumb decisions easier to read about. The inclusion of a possible sea monster/creature of legend was interesting, but I felt like Brown waited until too late in the narrative for that plot twist to have a full effect on the readers. The identity of the murderer was not at all surprising to me and I was bored by that mystery frankly. I would have liked a more interesting resolution. The family issues with Lily's parents and her Dad training to live with his Merman heritage was basically background noise. The only thing Lily is fixated on in all intensity is Calder and being with him romantically. Calder's sisters played practically no part in this one. Including them as a threat hanging over everyone's heads was effective at first, but lost the thrill when they were shown to be starving and pretty much unable to care about revenge anymore. The ending was okay, but not the best ever. It did fit in with the rest of the novel though. I hope the author leaves it at two books and doesn't feel the need to go further than that. Overall, better than the first book in the series and worth the follow up to see what happens to the characters.

VERDICT: 3.5/5 Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is March 12th, 2013.*(less)

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Mar 03, 2013 The Cover Contessa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-arc-review-books, 2013-releases, paranormal, arcs-and-r-r, random-house

This was a bit disappointing given my love for the first book in this series. I want to thank Net Galley and the publisher, Delacorte Books, for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and review. Obtaining this book for free has in no way influenced my opinion or review.

Blurb from Goodreads:
It's been thirty days, two hours, and seventeen minutes since Calder left Lily standing on the shores of Lake Superior. Not that she's counting. And when Calder does return, it's not quite the reunion...more This was a bit disappointing given my love for the first book in this series. I want to thank Net Galley and the publisher, Delacorte Books, for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and review. Obtaining this book for free has in no way influenced my opinion or review.

Blurb from Goodreads:
It's been thirty days, two hours, and seventeen minutes since Calder left Lily standing on the shores of Lake Superior. Not that she's counting. And when Calder does return, it's not quite the reunion Lily hoped for. Especially after she lets her father in on a huge secret: he, like Calder, is a merman. Obsessed with his new identity, Lily's dad monopolizes Calder's time as the two of them spend every day in the water, leaving Lily behind.
Then dead bodies start washing ashore. Calder blames his mermaid sisters, but Lily fears her father has embraced the merman's natural need to kill. As the body count grows, everyone is pointing fingers. Lily doesn't know what to believe—only that whoever's responsible is sure to strike again. . . .

So, as soon as I heard this was up on Net Galley, I had to request it. The first book in this series was so amazingly good I could not put it down once I started and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it. I loved Calder's POV! So, when I heard this book was from Lily's POV, I was a bit skeptical, but intrigued. I was excited to get to see things from her POV.

Lily's character in this book does not strike me as the strong girl she was in the first book. Of course, we were inside Calder's head at that time, so all our knowledge of her was second hand. Calder made her out to be this strong, determined girl who wasn't afraid to take chances. In this book I found her to be more needy than anything else. She was whinny and annoying, constantly talking about her need to be with Calder. Ok, we get it, you love him and want him badly, but you need to take care of you, girl! I don't feel like she grew much as a character during this book. She kind of just chugged along, trying to find the answers to her questions and the mysteries surrounding the lake, but not really changing in anyway once she found what she was looking for. But Lily has some highly redeeming qualities as well: she is determined to keep the ones she loves safe.
Calder, well, while he was in this book I felt most like he was absent. He spent so much time off doing other things, that we didn't get to see much of him. And I missed that because I really loved Calder in the first book. But seeing him from Lily's POV changed that, made him seem like he cared less than I know he does. It was frustrating to listen to Lily carry on about how he was not around, how she didn't get to see him and maybe he'd changed his mind about being with her.
We get a bit more of Lily's father in this story, for reasons I will not go into as not to spoil things. It was interesting to watch her come to terms with all the changes her father was facing. And also nice to see him grow a bond with Calder.

I really think this book would have been much better if Brown had stuck with Calder's POV. I understand her motivation for wanting us to see things from Lily's side of it, but I don't feel like her character was strong enough to handle the reader, taking them where they needed to go. I really felt like Lily was more outside of what she was telling, as if she were just a spectator or reporter telling us what she was seeing. I did not feel a connection to her at all. There was too much angst, too much whining and certainly too much dependence to make Lily a strong character. She didn't live up to how she was portrayed by Calder in the first book at all. I was very disappointed with that.

I have to say that I love Brown's writing. It's easy to follow and flows well off the page. She makes me want to continue reading and not put the book down. Her descriptions are so acute, they really put you right into the scene so you feel like you are there experiencing what the characters are experiencing. And I can picture the scenes clearly in my mind. I also love the mythology she brings into the story and how the characters go about finding more information. It provided for some very intense scenes where I actually feared for their safety.

The ending was not a surprise to me at all. I knew that at some point what happened would happen, in some way or another. I was surprised with how it ended and I'm curious to see how it will be dealt with in the next book.

I did enjoy the book, and I'm looking forward to whatever else Brown will share with us. But I can say that I was not nearly as entertained by this book as I was by the first. It took me three days to get through this because I kept having to put it down from my annoyance at the main character. I was actually bored through much of reading this, tho the story line was interesting enough. The most redeeming quality was what happened at the end, and that is what will keep me coming back to find out more about this story.

3 out of 5 stars from me.(less)

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Apr 22, 2013 Aparajitabasu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, mythology, netgalley, paranormal, romance, review-copy, urban-fantasy, young-adult

Original Link to the review at my blog Le' Grande Codex - here

Truth revealed and stakes raised high. Presenting Lies Beneath #2 Deep Betrayal by Anne Greenwood Brown.

Here is the summary of the book:

It's been thirty days, two hours, and seventeen minutes since Calder left Lily standing on the shores of Lake Superior. Not that she's counting. And when Calder does return, it's not quite the reunion Lily hoped for. Especially after she lets her father in on a huge secret: he, like Calder, is a mer...more

Original Link to the review at my blog Le' Grande Codex - here

Truth revealed and stakes raised high. Presenting Lies Beneath #2 Deep Betrayal by Anne Greenwood Brown.

Here is the summary of the book:

It's been thirty days, two hours, and seventeen minutes since Calder left Lily standing on the shores of Lake Superior. Not that she's counting. And when Calder does return, it's not quite the reunion Lily hoped for. Especially after she lets her father in on a huge secret: he, like Calder, is a merman. Obsessed with his new identity, Lily's dad monopolizes Calder's time as the two of them spend every day in the water, leaving Lily behind. Then dead bodies start washing ashore. Calder blames his mermaid sisters, but Lily fears her father has embraced the merman's natural need to kill. As the body count grows, everyone is pointing fingers. Lily doesn't know what to believe—only that whoever's responsible is sure to strike again. . . .

Dark and sinister like the mer-folk of the mythologies. Anne Greenwood Brown's Lies Beneath, first scored huge points with us for a marvelous portrayal of the mer-folk as the mythologies proclaimed. The dark tones, the evil intentions of Calder and the three sisters...... oh tantalizing!

While Lies Beneath was totally in Calder's point of view (it was the first of its kind too); Deep Betrayal has a perspective change - to Lily's. the not-so-human girl Calder left behind to protect her. Quite an interesting perspective it had too. Now her dad knows, who he really is and when he adheres to his calling - he ends up monopolizing Calder's time as the handsome hunk in question tries to teach Jason the know-hows of being a merman. but dead bodies are coming up, blames are thrown around but Lily fears the worst...... They say 'neglect' can be an ugly emotion.... (there.....somehow or the other I gave out a spoiler..... * sighs then wink*).

In someways, Deep betrayal was much more than just. A new story of its own. Delving deeper into Brown's mer-folk territory. Don't get me wrong, the dark tones is still there more than ever but there is a ray of hope as well. Lily and Calder prove even more stronger. Come what may but they stand in the face of danger and help uncover the traitor at the end. I particularly liked the way Ms. Greenwood Brown approached the conclusion to the book in the twisty way. Still feel the chills......

"Tantalizing dark with the thrill of the unknown - Deep Betrayal stand in a league of its own"

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Apr 16, 2013 Amanda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Standard foolish teen girl who makes stupid choices because she loves her boyfriend sooooooo much.

Seriously. Maybe I'm missing something because I started on the second book, or maybe the editing did more for the non-ARC, but I was not interested enough to even go look for the first book.

It's a trope book, with a virginal girl who is suddenly desired by her (monsterous) heart's choice, and is subsequently desired by much of the male population that she is exposed too. Naturally, this causes pro...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Alyssa (Books Take You Places) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss

Originally reviewed on Books Take You Places

Deep Betrayal begins where Lies Beneath left off, with Lily counting the days (and hours, and minutes) since Calder has been gone. She is doing her best to move on without him but can’t completely shake his memory. As time passes, Calder returns to her and together they confront Lily’s father with his family secret. Jason freaks out a bit (within reason) and Calder does his best to teach him the ropes, so to speak. The conflict here is that “Lily and C...more Originally reviewed on Books Take You Places

Deep Betrayal begins where Lies Beneath left off, with Lily counting the days (and hours, and minutes) since Calder has been gone. She is doing her best to move on without him but can’t completely shake his memory. As time passes, Calder returns to her and together they confront Lily’s father with his family secret. Jason freaks out a bit (within reason) and Calder does his best to teach him the ropes, so to speak. The conflict here is that “Lily and Calder time” is now being lessened due to his spending time with her father and there are bodies piling up all over the place. Obviously Calder and Lily believe that his sisters are to blame but they deny their involvement and things continue to become even stranger. On top of family, relationship, and community crises, Lily starts to discover that she has her own changes taking place, changes that may alter her life completely.

I really loved the mermaid lore in this one, most mermaid novels are focusing on Poseidon or Triton – and I’m not complaining because that is something I also love, but Deep Betrayal went a different way. Anne Greenwood Brown goes a different route in that she uses the lore of Maighdean Mara as the all mighty of mermaids, and Calder and Lily must uncover secrets about this thought to be fabled being in order to find out who is behind the murders throughout their community. I am a lover of lore of all kinds so I did my best to research a bit about Maighdean Mara and I was really unable to find any information with the exception of one source that states one mermaid tale that tells of a woman named Li Ban who survived the drowning of her entire family. In doing so she demanded (not sure who she demanded this of) that she be turned into a salmon and her dog be turned into an otter so that they could live together in the sea. Other sources are literally translating Mhaighdean Mhara to “The Sea Maiden” or simply, “mermaid,” and telling the tale of a selkie whose skin was stolen so that she was forced to stay on land and marry a mortal, this is a common Celtic story that I have heard variations of many times. I honestly may be looking too far into this but I was thrilled to find a bit of folklore in this novel and it was fun doing some additional research!

I did enjoy Lies Beneath, but I found Deep Betrayal to be significantly more entertaining and mysterious. I loved that the point of view was from Lily’s perspective and I thoroughly enjoyed her relationship with Calder. It was quite a bit more smoldery than book one which I of course loved (Calder has green eyes and broods on a daily basis), and on top of those yummy moments the reader gained a bit more of an understanding of their relationship and why they work as individuals without being confused over the merman/human dynamic. I was able to appreciate their relationship throughout the novel, from the petty fights and quick makeups to their irrevocable mindset that they needed one another beyond all else. I especially loved how Lily didn’t pine a la Bella Swan, she missed Calder but she didn’t let it take over her life. I also adored, I’ll say it again, adored the ending to this novel. I did see parts of it coming but things happened in just the way I wanted them to and I am undeniably pleased at how things turned out. That being said, I do wish that we heard more from Calder’s sisters but I am hoping that they all come together in book three.

Deep Betrayal was a beautiful novel, it complimented the first book in the series while also standing strongly on its own. The characters were mysterious, heartfelt and expressive and I can’t wait to see where they go in the final installment.(less)

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May 12, 2013 Cassi aka Snow White Haggard rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: galleys, read-in-2013

Deep Betrayal picks up 30 days after Lies Beneath ends. Lily is back in Minneapolis finishing high school and waiting. In that time, aside from fleeing Lake Superior, nothing has happened and she hasn't seen Calder.

To be honest, I'm unsure how I feel about the plot of Deep Betrayal. The plot felt slower than Lies Beneath. It meandered this way, then that way, dropping red herrings to think you were finally getting somewhere (you weren't). Then there were clues that went nowhere in this book (I a...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Tina (yAdultReview) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, paranormal, ya, arc-netgalley, 2013-books

Originally published at yAdult Review.

So I had only lukewarm feelings about the first book in this series, but the mermaids were so evil in this one that I had to try again. This story is narrated by Lily, which I think made the whole story transform from simply paranormal to paranormal romance. Lily reminded me of Bella Swan from New Moon early on with the way her personality basically disappeared because she hadn’t seen Calder for thirty whole days. The difference between Lily and Bella is tha...more Originally published at yAdult Review.

So I had only lukewarm feelings about the first book in this series, but the mermaids were so evil in this one that I had to try again. This story is narrated by Lily, which I think made the whole story transform from simply paranormal to paranormal romance. Lily reminded me of Bella Swan from New Moon early on with the way her personality basically disappeared because she hadn’t seen Calder for thirty whole days. The difference between Lily and Bella is that Lily is still a little freaked out by Calder, still a little unsure that he won’t hurt her, accidentally or not. Lily is a bad listener though, and she puts herself in danger for stupid reasons. She’s afraid of Calder, but not his murderous sisters, who will kill her if they find out she’s still alive. And then after a brush with death, all she can worry about is being shipped back to Minneapolis, where she won’t be able to see Calder anymore. Seriously, she’s almost killed once again and all she cares about is whether Calder thinks she’s attractive when naked. I found that endlessly frustrating. I just didn’t like being in Lily’s head in the beginning of this book. It was disappointing because she seemed so smart in the first book. I don’t want to say Lily is Too Stupid To Live, but if the shoe fits… I mean, I get it, the water calls to her, but, girl, you need to stay in the house. Read a book. Watch a movie. Get lost on BuzzFeed. Anything but swim! But the girl is weak-willed. She can’t say no. Not to anyone or anything. Sorry to be harsh, but it’s not a lie.

And something else: we’re told Lily and Calder are in love, that they have some connection, but I never really saw that. They don’t seem to have any chemistry at all, actually. Eventually I started hoping Maris would actually kill Lily so we’d all be put out of our misery. I believe I stated this in my review of the first novel too.

One this that is good is Brown’s writing. I was never bored, the plot moved along, and I sort of breezed right through. The story is good, but the narrator was not and the romance was so unbelievable and distracting. I liked Lily so much more when we only saw her through Calder’s eyes.

So I’ve said all of this but by the two-thirds mark, I started enjoying the characters again. The plot moves really fast at that point and Lily is back to being that smart girl I saw in Lies Beneath. I liked it. There’s something to be said for that, changing opinions, because it shows even a little bit of growth in the characters. Plus I read this one in like eight hours. It’s quick. So in the end, I liked it. I just wish it didn’t have such a Twilight feel. I’ll be around for the next one in this series too.(less)

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Mar 28, 2013 Meggy Meg Megan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley-edelweiss, annoying-mc, bad-love-interest, disappointed, don-t-know-what-to-think, just-meh, quite-interesting

This review is spoiler-free for both the first book and the second.

Deep Betrayal is the second book in the Lies Beneath trilogy by Anne Brown. While I enjoyed the first book, the sequel failed to impress and I was left feeling very unsatisfied. The book held so much potential, but unfortunately, the author didn't use it well.

I really wanted to enjoy Deep Betrayal, especially since it had such an intriguing synopsis. Having read the first book more than a year ago, I couldn't remember much except...more This review is spoiler-free for both the first book and the second.

Deep Betrayal is the second book in the Lies Beneath trilogy by Anne Brown. While I enjoyed the first book, the sequel failed to impress and I was left feeling very unsatisfied. The book held so much potential, but unfortunately, the author didn't use it well.

I really wanted to enjoy Deep Betrayal, especially since it had such an intriguing synopsis. Having read the first book more than a year ago, I couldn't remember much except that I had liked it. Which brings me to my first issue: there was hardly any recap in this book, so I went in and read through the story nearly completely blind. Bits and pieces came back to me as I read, but it wasn't enough to really help me remember the events of the previous book.

Unlike its predecessor, Deep Betrayal is told from the point of view of Lily Hancock, Calder White's girlfriend. Lily... I don't think I really connected or liked her in this book. She came across as the brooding kind of girlfriend (isn't it supposed to be the other way round?), dramatic, and overly annoying. I suppose that made her different from female protagonists in, but I just couldn't bring myself to like her much. I couldn't help but think that the book would have been much better if Brown stuck to Calder's perspective.

Most of the other characters, too, were distant and emotionless - all except Maris and Pavati, Calder's mer-sisters. There was a great deal of characterization on them, but that was all. Most of the time, I couldn't remember which character was which because the story wasn't properly recapped. I wish I could have seen the characters as real people, because it would have improved my thoughts of the book a lot.

Despite these flaws, however, I still found Deep Betrayal interesting. I loved the thought that went behind the story line and plot - it further developed the legend of mermaids from Anne Brown's point of view. The climax was powerful, and the twist at the end truly caught me by surprise. Brown kept me guessing, and kept the line between good and bad blurred, which made things all the more intriguing.

abbreviated.

PROS: Quite interesting; good climax

CONS: Cardboard characters; annoying protagonist; badly recapped; awkward romance

OVERALL: To put it frankly, Deep Betrayal was a disappointment. While there were certain aspects of it that I loved, the problems I faced weren't small, and I couldn't forget them. I do seem to be the only one who gave a less favorable review of Deep Betrayal, though!

This review also appears on my YA book blog, Ink Skies. Check it out! (less)

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Mar 15, 2013 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was excited to read more of the alien and tortured creature, Calder White. Brown's ability to make him sympathetic without softening too many of his predator's edges was one I my favorite aspects of LIES BENEATH.

While Calder didn't let me down, I had a very hard time reading the first third of DEEP BETRAYAL. There's more focus on the who/ what/ where events at the end of LIES BENEATH, which was confusing even to someone who read it. Even worse, what little character driven story there was on...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this e-ARC from the publishers via Netgalley for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

NOTE THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FROM LIES BENEATH, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

Deep Betrayal is the sequel to Anne Greenwood Brown's Lies Beneath and this time around, Lily narrates. And it was an intriguing read. I cannot decide if I like Lily narrating more or Calder. It's a toss up honestly!

Deep Betrayal begins one month after the events of Lies Beneath. Lily has been sent back to Mi...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Shieka( Doctor's Notes) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to say I was excited to get back into this world as I liked the first book in the series and wanted to see what had become of Calder and Lily. We start this book out with Lily dealing with graduation and missing Calder. I have to say that I loved Lily more in the first book as she wasn't so clingy and everything wasn't all about Calder. We find her in this book moping around because she has seen him since he left. I felt that she lost some of what made me love her as a character from the...more

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May 18, 2013 Chapter by Chapter rated it 4 of 5 stars

I fell in love with Lies Beneath by author Anne Greenwood Brown and have been looking forward to reading its’ sequel Deep Betrayal. Right after reading the novel’s description I knew that it would be a kick-butt story that would delve even deeper into main character Lily’s family relationship with mermaids and her relationship with the extremely hot merman Calder. Right from the first page I knew that I was in for a fun ride just like when I had been reading Lies Beneath.

Deep Betrayal takes pla...more I fell in love with Lies Beneath by author Anne Greenwood Brown and have been looking forward to reading its’ sequel Deep Betrayal. Right after reading the novel’s description I knew that it would be a kick-butt story that would delve even deeper into main character Lily’s family relationship with mermaids and her relationship with the extremely hot merman Calder. Right from the first page I knew that I was in for a fun ride just like when I had been reading Lies Beneath.

Deep Betrayal takes place basically just where Lies Beneath ended. Lily now knows about the existence of mermaids, knows that her father is related to a mermaid whose daughters are killers and is waiting for her merman boyfriend Calder to come back for her. When Calder finally does come back for Lily things start to spiral out of control. The two finally decide to tell her Dad about his true identity as a merman and that decision results in Lily’s Dad and Calder hanging out more than they should be. However as time goes on Lily’s Dad becomes more and more distant from her family, constantly near the water and she doesn’t understand why.

Then people begin washing up claiming that they were attacked by something in the water. Jack, still getting over the fact that Pavati hasn’t returned for him, continues to claim that there are homicidal mermaids in the water and that it’s only a matter of time before they kill everybody and anybody in their path. Soon there are bodies washing up on shore and Lily isn’t quite sure who is killing all these people. Could it be possible that her father who is coming to terms with his mermaid heritage is behind the killings? Or is it Calder’s sisters? Or could it be something or someone else entirely?

I can’t say which novel I enjoyed more but I do know that each one was equally as awesome. I got way more romance in Deep Betrayal but I thought that there wasn’t as much action until the end. But nonetheless Deep Betrayal is thrilling. As the mystery inside of the novel unfolds (Who is attacking all these people?) the story begins to get more and more dangerous. Suddenly readers are swept up into the mermaid mythology and into mermaid legends that Calder believes are behind the killings/attacks. There’s more ‘magic’ in the novel and I think that out of both novels Deep Betrayal has more of a fantasy feel.

Like I said before the romance in the novel is seriously upped. Now we see the quirks in Lily and Calder’s relationship and also start to see just how much Calder means to Lily. However there’s also turmoil between the two and the big question of if Calder really loves her back. If he does love her he would tell her right? There are so many questions that went through my mind about Lily and Calder that I was starting to get caught up into their relationship like I was Lily. Gotta say that I loved how much their relationship is tested in the novel.

My only real complaint with the novel would have to be the pacing. The start of the novel, I personally thought, dragged on. After reading the description I thought that we would be thrown into the action and murders, kinda like how in Lies Beneath we were thrown right into what the description promised. It wasn’t until I was about halfway through that things started to get interesting but even then the pacing was off and I would find my mind wandering elsewhere. Other than that, a super awesome read.

I’d recommend Deep Betrayal to readers that have finished Lies Beneath and were left wondering what would come next. Readers who are big fans of the mermaid genre will fall for this modernized twist on the lore and fans of romance will be falling hard for #TeamCalder.(less)

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Mar 24, 2013 Kelly Sierra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, arc, crime, family-crimes, heart-break-by-death, magic, mystery, romance, sci-fi, super-human

Deep Betrayal by Anne Greenwood Brown is the second book in the Lies Beneath series. The first book, Lies Beneath took readers into the world of Mermaids/Mermen/Mermonsters. Lily is our resident not special human and Calder is the lovely merman of our nightmares. What distinguishes this story is the fact that Calder and Merpeople in general are monsters that steal happiness and you know what? This works! Okay so the first book was all about the discovery of these creatures and of course of LOVE,...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Marie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, ebook, netgalley, review-book, read-in-2013

This review was originally posted on my blog, Ramblings of a Daydreamer. You can find it, and many more reviews at the blog.

Deep Betrayal by Anne Greenwood Brown is the sequel to Lies Beneath, a tale about deadly mermaids. I thoroughly enjoyed Lies Beneath and had high hopes for Deep Betrayal, so it makes me sad to say that I was left feeling really disappointed.

I really liked Lily in Lies Beneath, so I was looking forward to a story from her perspective. She was strong and independent in the fi...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Jenna Does Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review may also be found at Making the Grade.

First of all, I would like to than my local independent book store, Inkwood Books, for their generosity in allowing me to review this book as part of their ARC Program. Second of all, how did DEEP BETRAYAL the sequel to LIES BENEATH by Anne Greenwood Brown live up to the first book? Well, that all depends on what you thought of the first book.

This reader highly enjoyed Anne’s first entry in the series, LIES BENEATH, as it provided an especially...more This review may also be found at Making the Grade.

First of all, I would like to than my local independent book store, Inkwood Books, for their generosity in allowing me to review this book as part of their ARC Program. Second of all, how did DEEP BETRAYAL the sequel to LIES BENEATH by Anne Greenwood Brown live up to the first book? Well, that all depends on what you thought of the first book.

This reader highly enjoyed Anne’s first entry in the series, LIES BENEATH, as it provided an especially dark look into mermaid lore from a merman’s perspective. I love the poetic depth and unusual descriptions of the monstrous beings. Although DEEP BETRAYAL did not elicit as much excitement from me as the first book, it was still a surprising and entertaining read. With a gradually progressing main story, and a couple shocks scattered here and there, DEEP BETRAYAL is the equivalent to a slow Sunday stroll leading to a sudden cliff dive of an ending.

My biggest hang up with the novel is perhaps its pacing. DEEP BETRAYAL picks up shortly after the events of book one. It briefly rehashes the conclusion of LIES BENEATH in the beginning, then there’s a mad dash to the reunion of Lily and Calder. Although Lily is keeping count of the number of days since they parted, to the reader this separation doesn’t seem nearly as long as her paper chain. Once the couple are “back together”, all heck breaks loose as a big secret is revealed to Lily’s family (specifically, her father).

But then… nothing happens.

Well, nothing except for dead bodies washing up on the shores… But still.

For a large part of the middle of the novel, we simply follow Lily around as she waits. Waits for Calder and waits for her father. Just waiting, and speculating and worrying… And then, about 75% into the novel, there is another mad dash to resolving the “big mystery” in a way that seems to appear entirely out of the blue. All the while I had been waiting (along with Lily) for something to happen, and when it finally does happen it feels like too much too soon.

The book’s pacing felt a bit like this: Imagine quietly walking along a meadow full of butterflies and flowers. While the sky may be overcast and dark, you are still slowly and leisurely taking in your beautiful surroundings (aka, Anne’s pretty writing). Then, without a word of warning, you are suddenly picked up, plucked into a race car and told that you have 3 minutes to reach the finish line. WOOSH! That is how you reach the final scenes in DEEP BETRAYAL. While not a problem for many, it was a tad bit jarring for me.

This entry is told from the perspective of the female lead, Lily, instead of the merman, Calder. I found myself liking Lily a teeny-tiny bit less in this entry than I did in LIES BENEATH. In LIES BENEATH, I saw Lily as an independent and well-read young lady. In DEEP BETRAYAL, she is a little more like your typical angsty teenager. It may have been due to the fact that I was in her head this time around – and her head was far too full of Calder. While Lily’s feelings for Calder are a bit muddled and unclear for most of the book (which steers us away from the insta-love situation that plagues most YA books these days, thank goodness) there is a definite sense of co-dependency when it comes to their relationship. This kinda bugged me. Especially since we are no longer in Calder’s head and have NO IDEA what he is thinking for the majority of the novel. Apparently, I needed MORE insight into Calder than what I got here.

Calder’s perspective in book one made the story seem more exotic, more original, while Lily’s perspective in book two brings too much “human-ness” (and too much angst) to the tale. I hear that book three will be in BOTH character’s perspectives, which I look forward to, as I believe the dual perspectives will balance out the overall tone of what is sure to be a suspenseful series finale. (May I also add that I am not sure if I would want to be friends with Lily and Calder after reading what goes down in this book. Dude, being their friend is DANGEROUS…)

I like how involving the discovery of Lily’s father’s origins, as well as his irresponsible actions after finding out his secret, brought a overlying measure of unpredictability to this installment. You really don’t have ANY IDEA what is going on (i.e. who is committing the murders) until the very end. While some readers may see the resolution as a bit of a cop-out, it does bring a new perspective of mermaid lore into the equation. Plus, I *love* the lead up to the really BIG shocker at the end of the book. Mind = Blown. OK, Anne, how can you possibly resolve this problem?

In the end, and despite my few qualms, I really did enjoy DEEP BETRAYAL. I do believe that this series still brings something new and refreshing to the mermaid genre. Since my biggest problems with the book seem to be limited to this installment alone, I cannot wait to see what Anne has in store for her characters in the finale, DARK DESCENT.(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-march-hotp, reviewed-by-julia, earc

When I got my hands on a copy of DEEP BETRAYAL, I was so excited to read more of the alien and tortured hero, Calder White. Brown’s ability to make him sympathetic without softening too many of his predator’s edges was one I my favorite aspects of LIES BENEATH.

While Calder didn’t let me down, I had a very hard time reading the first third of DEEP BETRAYAL. There’s a lot of focus on the who/ what/ where events at the end of LIES BENEATH, which was confusing even to someone who read it. Even worse...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Going in to Deep Betrayal, I knew two things: I had really enjoyed Lies Beneath and I was looking forward to learning more mermaid lore. As the story unfolded, I kept waiting to be wowed by Deep Betrayal, like I had been with Lies Beneath, and found myself growing more and more disappointed. While I really enjoyed reading things from Lily’s perspective, with Deep Betrayal the mystery and allure surrounding the mermaids in Lies Beneath was mostly absent, making for a slightly less exciting read.

O...more Going in to Deep Betrayal, I knew two things: I had really enjoyed Lies Beneath and I was looking forward to learning more mermaid lore. As the story unfolded, I kept waiting to be wowed by Deep Betrayal, like I had been with Lies Beneath, and found myself growing more and more disappointed. While I really enjoyed reading things from Lily’s perspective, with Deep Betrayal the mystery and allure surrounding the mermaids in Lies Beneath was mostly absent, making for a slightly less exciting read.

One of the reasons I loved Lies Beneath, besides my fascination with evil mermaids, was thanks to Lily – she had a quirky style, a spunky personality, and was pretty self-confident. Unfortunately, in Deep Betrayal I had a hard time seeing any of those qualities in her. For the first 20-30%, she spends most of her time moping about because she hasn’t heard from Calder, and then when he does show up, she’s whining that he’s spending so much time helping her dad.
“Tell me how long you’re going to be gone, ” I demanded.
“Its just for a little while,” Calder said.
“But I haven’t seen you in over a month!” I hated how hysterical I sounded, but I couldn’t help it. This was unfair, and Calder didn’t seem to care at all.
She became a different person, someone who was selfish and unable to understand that her life wasn’t the only one that was changing.

“You know what? I wish I’d never told you about any of this. This was my secret. I shared it with you, but now you’re taking it from me.”
“Lily, I’m not taking anything from you. Frankly, I don’t want any of it.”

It made it really hard for me to remember why I had liked her so much in Lies Beneath. Fortunately, once she finally understands the seriousness of the situation (at about the halfway mark), she’s able to think of people other than herself and put her big girl panties on.

Once Lily was able to get over herself, I really started to enjoy Deep Betrayal. The mystery surrounding the attacks built up a tension that oozed off the pages, even though I felt like we were being sent on a wild goose chase with each new clue. The slightly circular route it took for the attacker to be unveiled did get a little tiring, but I did appreciate that it wasn’t the obvious choice. It also opened up the opportunity for us to learn a little more mermaid lore, which helped to ease my disappointment over not getting to see a lot of Calder’s ferocious mer-sisters. I was actually quite upset with their treatment in Deep Betrayal. I wanted to see more of the slightly devious and twisted sisters from Lies Beneath, the mer-sisters who’s beauty was only matched by their deadliness, and instead they were made weak and pathetic, fading away into mere shells of their former selves from lack of proper nourishment.

As for Calder, he had his moments where he reminded me why I really liked him in Lies Beneath, and then he had such cold, distant moments that I wondered how Lily could fool herself into thinking he could ever care for her the way she cared for him.

For the first time, I was getting a sense of how truly destructive Calder could be. What could he make me think, be, do, if he really wanted to? Could he have made me go to the Bahamas with him, even though he knew how important it was for me to come back with my dad? Could he have made me forget my family even existed, if it meant keeping me for himself? Hadn’t he once told me merpeople were essentially selfish?

I didn’t understand why his ability to influence Lily’s mind was suddenly working, since that’s something that I seem to remember him having difficulty with in Lies Beneath, and I didn’t like how he spoke to Lily at times, demanding that she stop sulking so her negative mood didn’t impact him so much, or forcing her to remove her pendant because it made her aura look different (the reasons for that effect never being explained) and he didn’t like it. Those things aside, I did enjoy watching Calder struggle with his merman instincts, fighting to overcome his nature when he knew Lily expected more from him. He also had some sweet moments, where he would apologize to Lily in such a genuine way for being short with her, that I couldn’t fault her for forgiving him so easily.

While I didn’t love Deep Betrayal as much as I might have hoped to, I still mostly enjoyed it. I loved watching how Lily’s fathers’ choice affected his whole family, and some (literally) electrical moments between Lily and Calder reminded me why I enjoyed them as a couple. And, while slightly cheesy, I couldn’t picture a better ending, though there is definitely enough left open for a third book!(less)

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Feb 24, 2013 Miss Amby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: wish-list-finished-copy

I enjoyed Lies Beneath, but Deep Betrayal completely blew my mind! This book is a huge improvement over the first book in the series! The awkward dialogue is gone, and Lily makes a fantastic narrator. The plot flows more smoothly, and the character development is impressive. The pacing is also perfect. I'd definitely recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys a good mermaid tale!

As those of you who read Lies Beneath know, it was told from Calder's perspective. The fact that I liked the book eve...more I enjoyed Lies Beneath, but Deep Betrayal completely blew my mind! This book is a huge improvement over the first book in the series! The awkward dialogue is gone, and Lily makes a fantastic narrator. The plot flows more smoothly, and the character development is impressive. The pacing is also perfect. I'd definitely recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys a good mermaid tale!

As those of you who read Lies Beneath know, it was told from Calder's perspective. The fact that I liked the book even though it was told from a male perspective is telling of how good a writer Brown is. At the risk of sounding sexist (though I don't mean it that way), I generally can't relate to male narrators. I'm not sure why, but it's just not a pleasing read most of the time. It's probably because they don't have a wide enough range of emotions in most cases... not human males, but male characters... ANYWAY, I digress. Deep Betrayal, is told from Lily's perspective, and in my opinion, she's an even better narrator than Calder.

Lily has a full range of emotions, and while some of them are a bit immature and angsty, she's a 16 year old girl. Of course she's a little melodramatic from time to time. However, Lily is no Bella Swan. She can take care of herself, and I liked that about her. She's not as strong as some of the female leads, but she's also not as snarky. While I love a good, snarky, bad-ass female lead, sometimes it's refreshing to read from a genuinely nice girl's perspective.

Never fear, Calder fans, Calder is present throughout 99% of the novel. I really love how he changed throughout the story, too. Lily's dad is also an interesting character. Though he wasn't present much, I still felt like I got to know him better. Also, we get to learn a lot more about Sophie. She's also a strong little girl.

The plot is a bit intricate, but easy to follow. Brown has the pacing down perfectly, and I wasn't bored once. The mystery lasted until almost the very end for me. I had no idea who the killer really was. Looking back though, I could see it. However, it's rare that a mystery surprise me, so I enjoyed that. The very ending also surprised me, and I'm interested to see where the story goes from here.

Overall, I'd recommend this book (and series) to anyone who is curious about mermaid books or who loves good mythology/mermaid books. You're sure to enjoy this series!(less)

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Deep Betrayal (Lies Beneath #2)

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