Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Sea Change

by Aimee Friedman (Goodreads Author)

3.64 of 5 stars 3.64 · rating details · 4,396 ratings · 602 reviews

Sixteen-year-old Miranda Merchant is great at science. . .and not so great with boys. After major drama with her boyfriend and (now ex) best friend, she's happy to spend the summer on small, mysterious Selkie Island, helping her mother sort out her late grandmother's estate.

There, Miranda finds new friends and an island with a mysterious, mystical history, presenting her w

...more

Hardcover, 292 pages

Published June 1st 2009 by Point

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Judge A Book By Its Cover!

114th out of 2,510 books — 5,964 voters

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahme-Smith

Best Book Cover 2009

56th out of 567 books — 2,971 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jun 11, 2009 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arc, books-i-own

Sea Change was enchanting! And I'm not just saying that because we share a certain aspect of mythology! Sea Change is a novel shrouded in mystery. My initial interest in this story began even before I read the synopsis, I was mesmerized by the beautiful cover. (I'm a cover whore! I can't help it.) And the story is just as magical as the cover depicts.

Friedman's depiction of Miranda was outstanding. Her love of logic and feelings of solitude, made her a very easy character to relate to. And Leo o...more

12 likes · like · see review

Nov 10, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by coollibrarianchick for TeensReadToo.com

Most people think that mermaids and mermen, aka "Merfolk," are creatures of myth and legend and that they don't exist. But what if they do exist? We rooted for Ariel and her prince to live happily ever after, so with that in mind allow the fantastical aspect in your brain to take over for a moment and you have Aimee Friedman's newest book, SEA CHANGE. With an air of mystery and some romance, this book will suck you in with the cover alone. It's...more Reviewed by coollibrarianchick for TeensReadToo.com

Most people think that mermaids and mermen, aka "Merfolk," are creatures of myth and legend and that they don't exist. But what if they do exist? We rooted for Ariel and her prince to live happily ever after, so with that in mind allow the fantastical aspect in your brain to take over for a moment and you have Aimee Friedman's newest book, SEA CHANGE. With an air of mystery and some romance, this book will suck you in with the cover alone. It's just gorgeous, foreshadowing things to come.

Miranda is spending the summer on Selkie Island, a small island off the Georgia Coast. She is helping her mom pack up the house her grandmother left to her mother when she died. You ask anyone who lives around there about Selkie Island and they can tell you all sorts of interesting local legends and lore.

The most interesting one is about the Merfolk. According to the legend, Captain McCloud fell in love with a mermaid, married her, and they lived on an island he named Selkie, which is the Scottish word for a creature than can turn from a seal into a human. They had several children, who took after their mother and were Merfolk - human on land and fish-like in the sea. Many of their descendants are still living on the Island today.

But Miranda is a girl of science who needs proof and knowledge to proceed forward. Did I mention she is headstrong and stubborn, as well? She is not one of the those girls that swoons at the sight of a gorgeous guy. But then she meets Leo......

There is something about Leo. He is not like the people that flock to the Island over the summer. Leo is a local - he lives on the Island year-round. Miranda is instantly drawn to him, but remember, she is a girl of science, and this so goes against her logical nature. There is just something about Leo, and no matter how attracted she is to him, it's just not sitting right with her.

Just go for it, girl! I know many girls who would love to have a guy like that. But could Leo possibly be hiding something, or is there really something to the stories Miranda has come across?

To put it simply, I liked this story because I really enjoyed Miranda and Leo and the realm of possibilities. It was the magical possibilities that drew me in. I would have been very happy leaving the other characters out and just reading about Leo and Miranda. It was implied what Leo was, but never said outright, and this just made the story all the more enjoyable. Friedman leaves you hanging at the end, too. I would like to see a second book that delves deeper into Miranda and Leo's relationship.

All in all, this book is absolutely a great summer read.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Jun 02, 2010 kari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The best thing about this book is the cover.
I really wanted to like the story, it's a great premise but it never really took off, there was too much else in it, maybe it's the start of a series, I'm not sure but it didn't work for me.
Miranda's grandmother has died, leaving her mother a house on Selkie Island, a Georgia coastal island with legends of the merpeople. Why it's called Selkie Island when selkies are supposed to be seals that shed their skins and walk among humans, I don't know. I woul...more The best thing about this book is the cover.
I really wanted to like the story, it's a great premise but it never really took off, there was too much else in it, maybe it's the start of a series, I'm not sure but it didn't work for me.
Miranda's grandmother has died, leaving her mother a house on Selkie Island, a Georgia coastal island with legends of the merpeople. Why it's called Selkie Island when selkies are supposed to be seals that shed their skins and walk among humans, I don't know. I would think Mermaid Island would have made more sense.
Miranda meets Leo, who may or may not be a merboy. This question is never answered. During the course of the book, questions about Miranda's mother's paternity arise, could Miranda be a descendent of merpeople? All of this happens near the end of the book, like there was a race to wrap it all up, except that it doesn't.
And Miranda doesn't seem very smart, even though she tells us over and over that she's brilliant at science, she's also very immature.
She suddenly out of the blue decides she can't trust Leo, calls him a liar and leaves in a huff.
A few days later, she decides she'll make out with another boy to stop thinking about Leo, although she doesn't but it is her plan. And we are supposed to believe that what she has found with Leo is true love but she's willing to toss is aside because she thinks maybe he's a merboy. This whole back and forth between the boys seemed contrived, just to create some tension.
The conflict between Miranda and her mother seems forced and there's no reason for it. The summer people, with their wealth, don't seem like bad people, maybe somewhat superficial but not mean. Miranda is warned to stay away from the other side of the island where the 'townies' live (the merpeople)because it's dangerous and yet, nothing happens there either. So the warnings seem forced, to make it scary when it isn't.
All in all, not a terrible read but too many things left unfinished. If it's the start of a series, then okay and I'd read the next one but otherwise, it isn't a great read.(less)

18 likes · like · see review

Jul 05, 2009 Natalia rated it 4 of 5 stars

The perfect summer read! Sea Change was magic. It had everything you want in a book when you're lounging by the pool or sprawled on a towel on the beach: a relatable protagonist, mystery and intrigue, an enchanting boy, and a sultry setting. Plus, the mythology on Selkie Island is bewitching, you want to be there experiencing it with Miranda. The ending is sweet but vague, so I'm really hoping a sequel is in the works!

3 likes · like · see review

Oct 02, 2009 Beverly rated it 5 of 5 stars

(I haven't read it yet)I am so excited to read this. Everything is drawing me in, from the cover to the page layout to the excerpt!

Ok, now I have read it!
I truly loved this story. It was simply beautiful. I was expecting it to have a thrilling adventurous plot, but it didn't. It didn't need one. Friedman really expressed the pure beauty of love.

I want to know what happens with Miranda and Leo. There was no epilogue and I'm not sure if this is the begining of a series. I didn't get the impressio...more

15 likes · like · see review

Sep 27, 2010 jo mo rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, 2009, reviews, 2-stars

A little bit too much on the cheesy side. Miranda & Leo fell in love much too quickly. BUT, the mood the author created was okay, so that again balanced the book nicely. Leo was too good to be true ... are there even guys like this? *scratchesHead*

Ah, well. Whatever.

I must admit I expected so much more. If suspense is what you are looking for, go look elsewhere, because I can promise you, you will most definitely not find it here. Be warned: As the story progresses you'll probably guess all...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2011 Book Rants rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was thoroughly disappointed in this one. Let me give you my version of what happens..she goes to the island, doesn't do much, reads a book, then meets a guy they make out. She reads the book some more, meets up with the guy again makes out, reads the book again, then meets up with the guy and they make out, then she leaves the island..the end. I found it boring and I almost couldn't finish the book.

Things I did like, it didn't take place at a high school, as much as I enjoy books that do take...more

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 12, 2009 Trish rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was another book I've read recently that failed to capture me when I had had expectations of so much more based on its premise.

The plot is described multiple times in other reviews, so I'll spare it. First, this isn't a bad book. The premise is great and why I bought it - there may (or may not) be an island where the natives who live there are Selkies or Merfolk. But other than that, the story kind of loses me.

Why? Well, for a story about legendary creatures, surprisingly little was actual...more

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 01, 2010 Liza Wiemer rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I picked up Aimee Friedman's book I had no idea what it was about...but I just knew I had to read it. From page one I was absolutely hooked. Extraordinary characters with depth, mystery, and intelligence. The only disappointment was reaching the last page. I hope these characters will continue in a sequel. I don't want to spoil this review or the joy of reading this book with any details. If you want them, check out other reviews or Amazon. Friedman's description, characterization, prose, s...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 07, 2009 Angelc rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: already-own-read, 5-stars

Wow! I loved this book! Miranda is a science-lover who is spending the summer with her mother on Selkie Island. Aimee Friedman makes the reader feel like he/she is on the legend-filled Selkie Island right there with Miranda. There is an eerie air about the island from page one. Miranda spends the summer meeting new friends with old money, bonding and facing off with her mother, finding out about the island's history and herself, and of course meeting boys. Miranda's romance with Leo is so realis...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jun 13, 2010 Kassandria rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: five-star-books

I love this book because it's such a wonderful dreamy summer read. Half the time I could picture the sun and sand around me as they were described in this story. The plot was slow paced, but that didn't bother me at all like it does in some books, in fact, I found the slow pace made it easier to savor and hold on to the story. The ending was mysterious and open ended which some people may like, but I find maddening, so I (fingers crossed) really hope for a second novel.

Btw, check out the gorgeou...more

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 12, 2010 Erica (daydreamer) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mermaid-siren-selkie, coolio-covers, 2010-reads, i-own, release-in-2009, really-liked, ya

Sea Change was a very nice, cute summer read. It was magical and mysterious. The truth about Leo never really comes out, but that only added to the intrigue in the story, which I liked. The characters were nice, I really liked Miranda. And then there was that twist at the end about Miranda's mother and herself. Ooh, interesting! I really liked Aimee's writing. She wrote very descriptively. I could practically feel the brush of the ocean and the sand under my feet. I really hope there will be a s...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, teen

After Miranda's grandmother dies, she and her mother return to Selkie Island to pack up and sell the old family house. But old family friends and secrets from her mother's and her grandmother's past make life complicated. Add in two very different boys, and life gets really complicated.[return] [return]This was an interesting read. It was a little paranormal, a little romance, a little mystery. I got drawn into the story quickly. My biggest complaint is the end felt rushed, and unfinished. I fel...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 20, 2013 Rachel rated it 1 of 5 stars

This was probably one of the worst books I have read. I love cutsie books and Aimee Friedman has a few that are good but seriously...merpeople. I mean if you are into that sort of thing this book would be great for you but in all honesty who would ever believe this in real life. The girl goes off to an island and falls in love with a boy. I absolutley LOVE these kind of stories. But their love was rushed because it was stuck at the end because the entire beginning and middle just dragged on and...more

like · see review

Jan 07, 2013 Marisa L rated it 4 of 5 stars

The saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” just doesn't apply here. The cover and title immediately caught my eye. If you love reading novels that have to do with the ocean, romance and mystery, Sea Of Change is a book for you. Aimee Friedman does a great job of mixing genres; making a romance story science fiction and adventurous takes tremendous writing skills. I enjoyed this book because I love the ocean, and the imagery was wonderful. Half of the time I felt like I could be in Miranda’s sp...more

like · see review

Aug 10, 2012 FashionDayDreamer rated it 2 of 5 stars

"I've been wanting to do this ever since I saw you yesterday afternoon." That's how quick their "romance" blossoms. It's over and done in a matter of days. Bish, bash, bosh, kiss here, grope there, add in a little conflict between the Mum and bam! - you've got yourself a modern day teen version of romance and development. How do you feel? Sick? Bored? Thankful for the convenience of it being fast paced? Loving the absence of character and plot so you can place yourself within the empty vessel th...more "I've been wanting to do this ever since I saw you yesterday afternoon." That's how quick their "romance" blossoms. It's over and done in a matter of days. Bish, bash, bosh, kiss here, grope there, add in a little conflict between the Mum and bam! - you've got yourself a modern day teen version of romance and development. How do you feel? Sick? Bored? Thankful for the convenience of it being fast paced? Loving the absence of character and plot so you can place yourself within the empty vessel that is Miranda?

The protagonist, Miranda, is the same old same old cliche lead. Super-smart, super-boring, super-normal, super-I'm-not-pretty-but-get-my-popular-friends-to-dress-me-and-I-beat-all-of-them-in-the-beauty-department.

Nothing wrong with this, but come one, HOW many books are the same? Sure, readers of a certain genre love consistency, but even twins can never be exactly the same.

Basically, nothing happens in this story. Miranda goes to this island, finds a book and chest about mermaid things, falls in love with a boy as soon as she arrives and goes home.

It's never revealed what Leo is. I have a hard time believing Miranda, this scientific boffin, would succumb to the idea that mermaids are real. She believes it far too quickly. That's not even the problem. She's not even shocked. Obviously no one can know what they'd be like if they found out a mythical being is real, but myths plus science does not mix well. If a scientist saw God in the sky, would they immediately be converted? No, they'd try and form a scientific reason as to what they saw. That's not even it; Miranda never saw anything that concreted her belief. Sure she saw red and gold things swimming around in the ocean - wtf is up with mermaids loving red and gold? Explanation never given - but she never actually saw a tail (apart from when she was partly unconscious due to nearly drowning). Okay, maybe it could have worked on someone who doesn't love and breathe science so much. There was evidence (like Leo's reluctance to go into the water at night and other things), but nothing that would make you jump to conclusions. Or rather, in Miranda's case, walk to a conclusion, since not one heart beat was raised at her findings.

It is famously said that without conflict there is no story. The only "conflict" I read in this book was Miranda having a little spat with her mother, which took up a scene or two out of the whole story.

When I picked up this book, I was hoping for an alluring story that would have a lot more thought and care behind the writing. Instead, I was presented with the normal "because the main characters are young you must dumb down your writing." I don't mean dumbed down by not adding in big words. I mean dumbing it down in a way that left huge gaps between every line (metaphorically speaking). Empty writing, I'd call it.

I must admit, I get a feeling that even the writer thinks her own story is crap, or at least not worthy of continuation. "So, what's the future for Miranda and Leo, do you think?" Author replied: "Well, in many ways that's up to the reader to imagine what happens, but do keep in mind - Leo tells Miranda that they will get their happy ending. I do have some ideas for a sequel floating around,(pun intended!) but I'm not sure if one will actually happen down the road. I encourage fans to let me know what they'd like to see happen between Leo and Miranda!"(less)

like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Aishah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although a brilliant story woven together with a thought-through and entertaining storyline and loveable characters, Ocean of Secrets, was slow-paced, a little repetitive and predictable.

We were introduced to Miranda Merchant from the start and the beginning of the book was very gripping and had quite a few gaps wanting to be filed throughout the rest of the story that you had to read in order to fill them in. Miranda seemed really innocent and although there are many people out there similar to...more Although a brilliant story woven together with a thought-through and entertaining storyline and loveable characters, Ocean of Secrets, was slow-paced, a little repetitive and predictable.

We were introduced to Miranda Merchant from the start and the beginning of the book was very gripping and had quite a few gaps wanting to be filed throughout the rest of the story that you had to read in order to fill them in. Miranda seemed really innocent and although there are many people out there similar to here, at times she felt unrealistic and just someone in a book. I have noticed that I tend to enjoy books more where the main character/s are developed well and feel like they’re coming out of the book at you but I didn’t feel this with Miranda which was probably why at times I failed to understand what was happening and had to re-read. Leo, the boy that Miranda later meets at the beach was very confident and to forward I think for my liking. Although in a book you think something was okay when I thought about it realistically it would’ve been a no-no and I would be very angry at him at times. However he was high up on the scale compared to the other guys in the story so after a while I began to like him.

I was very gripped in with the storyline and I thought it was very interesting and different with its adaptation of the Merfolks. I hadn’t accepted the book to be paranormal, but as I did I began to like and enjoy it despite what I felt about the characters. I think the romance was quite predictable but other than that everything was a mystery to be solved with little clues on the way but not giving the answer outright. However I think answers should’ve been extracted from something or someone else. Anything but an old book as its like this in so many books and stories that you get fed up of the main protagonist reading an ancient book finding out about paranormal creatures etc. I would’ve picked it out straight away for being unique had the author including something different.

The content of the writing was good and easy to understand with the use of different and eloquent qords making the story flow smoothly. The language was well targeted at the readers it is for and was well-suited to the main protagonist of the story.

I really enjoyed the story-line, a summer full of romance, secrets and adventure with a bit of a twist of paranormalness that made it enjoyable and a good summer read. If you’re looking for a book with a lot of suspense, excitement and adventure I wouldn’t look here as it’s just a short and sweet read more aimed at younger readers of about twelve to seventeen probably but I think I would’ve enjoyed it even if I was older than that.(less)

like · see review

Aug 04, 2012 Heartykiss rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Beschreibung:
Miranda ist so ganz anders als die anderen Mädchen in ihrem Alter. Statt sich mit Make-Up, Schminke und dergleichen zu beschäftigen, ist sie nahezu vernarrt in ihren Forschungen. In der Schule ist sie in Biologie und Chemie ein Ass.

Eigentlich wollte sie im Sommer ein Praktikum im Museum of Natural History in New York City absolvieren. Doch alles kommt ganz anders, als ihre Großmutter verstirbt.
Ehe sie sich versieht, befindet sie sich auf einer Fähre nach Selkie Island zu ihrer Mutte...more Beschreibung:
Miranda ist so ganz anders als die anderen Mädchen in ihrem Alter. Statt sich mit Make-Up, Schminke und dergleichen zu beschäftigen, ist sie nahezu vernarrt in ihren Forschungen. In der Schule ist sie in Biologie und Chemie ein Ass.

Eigentlich wollte sie im Sommer ein Praktikum im Museum of Natural History in New York City absolvieren. Doch alles kommt ganz anders, als ihre Großmutter verstirbt.
Ehe sie sich versieht, befindet sie sich auf einer Fähre nach Selkie Island zu ihrer Mutter, die nach dem Tod ihrer Mutter das Haus vererbt bekommen hat.
Dort angekommen, lernt sie die ehemals beste Freundin ihrer Mutter und deren Tochter inklusive Freundinnen kennen, die so ganz anders als sie sind. Doch recht schnell bemerkt Miranda, dass sie eigentlich gar nicht so übel sind und es vielleicht sogar ganz gut wäre, ein bisschen weiblicher zu werden.
Eines Tages trifft sie am Strand auf Fischerjungen Leo. Sie fühlt sich sofort von ihm hingezogen und kann nahezu an nichts anderes mehr denken als an ihn..

Als sie dabei ist das ehemalige Arbeitszimmer ihrer Großmutter aufzuräumen, stößt sie auf ein Buch in dem es um Legendem rund um Selkie Island geht. Dort findet sie einen Absatz in dem es um Meermenschen geht und wie man sie erkennt.
Je mehr Miranda darüber nachdenkt, findet sie Parallelen zu dem Buch und Leo.

Ist er ein Meermensch? Und empfindet er dasselbe wie sie für ihn?

Eigene Meinung:
Das Cover des Buches ist wunderschön aufgemacht und definitiv ein Hungucker in jedem Bücherregal! <3

Nun etwas zu dem Buch selbst - Ich hatte im Gegensatz zu dem Buch, was ich davor gelesen hatte, in dem es ebenfalls um Meermenschen geht, keinerlei Probleme, in die Geschichte einzusteigen. Der Schreibstil ist wunderbar flüssig und hat somit ein angenehmes Lesen ermöglicht.

Die Geschichte hat mich leider nicht ganz so sehr gefesselt, wie ich es mir anfangs vom Klappentext her gedacht, bzw. gewünscht habe.. :( Zwar hatte ich das Buch relativ schnell für meine Verhältnisse durch und kann auch ohne Probleme das Buch weiterempfehlen, wer eine gute Lektüre für Zwischendurch sucht, aber überzeugt hat mich das Buch leider nicht.
Zu schnell wurden Dinge erkannt und aufgelöst und allgemein ging es mir zu wenig um die Liebe der beiden, die ich mir im übrigen mysteriöser vorgestellt hatte! Dafür, das mich das Buch jedoch recht gut unterhalten und mir der Schreibstil gut gefallen hat, gebe ich dem Buch dennoch 4 Sterne! :)

Fazit:
Ein tolle Leselektüre für zwischendurch - am besten im Sommer lesen! ;)(less)

like · see review

May 29, 2012 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Miranda is a 16 year old New York City girl who is traveling to her old ancestral home that her mom just inherited on Selkie Island, Georgia. Miranda has her life in order -- when she returns from Georgia she is going to intern at the Natural History Museum and continue with her science studies. She has been a tutor in her prestigious science high school and has avoided literature and history whenever possible. Life on the island is so strange to her. She learns that her mother lived a completel...more

like · see review

May 24, 2012 Sandy Farmer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Sea Change gets a 3 star rating. It wasn't bad by any means, but I just can't rate it the same as other books that I have enjoyed much more.

The main character is a science buff. Not being a science buff myself, I found this to be a bit annoying--I rather dislike science ALOT! However, I suspected that she would come to learn that science isn't the be-all-end-all considering the book has a supernatural twist like most of the other books I've been reading lately. I did like the way the character...more

like · see review

Jan 06, 2012 Misty Baker rated it 3 of 5 stars

So…the story goes: Girl goes to a new place, meets mysterious boy, meets not so mysterious boy, of course decides she really likes the one everyone disapproves of, thinks there is something “fishy” going on with him, freaks out, runs away, goes back to boy…the end.

Yes-ok-I-know…there has got to more to it than that. Well, sorry there really isn’t that much more but I’ll try to be a little more positive or at least descriptive.

I decided to read “Sea Change” not because it called to me, or because...more So…the story goes: Girl goes to a new place, meets mysterious boy, meets not so mysterious boy, of course decides she really likes the one everyone disapproves of, thinks there is something “fishy” going on with him, freaks out, runs away, goes back to boy…the end.

Yes-ok-I-know…there has got to more to it than that. Well, sorry there really isn’t that much more but I’ll try to be a little more positive or at least descriptive.

I decided to read “Sea Change” not because it called to me, or because I heard wonderful things about it. I decided to read “Sea Change” because I was overwhelmed by the massive list of literature that was flashing on the screen in front of me, so I clicked on the first thing I saw. Guess that’s what I get for not taking my time.

The book wasn’t bad…per say…It was just a little disappointing. “Aimee Friedman” taunted her audience with the possibility of a fantastic book and then in the end just…dropped the ball, or pen…however you would like to see it.

The writing was actually decent, if you don’t take into account how fast she had the plot moving along (girls love a good tease with their story) but in a book that has no for seeable follow-up, I think it’s necessary to tie up loose ends. In that regard, this book was all over the place.

“Friedman” simply had too many plot lines going at once and only chose to resolve a few of them, and naturally not the one that was the most important. (It was implied.. but lets face it…implied just doesn’t sooth the mind.)

Miranda is a science geek, bred of 2 very intelligent parents it was bound to happen, but she never thought her scholarly mind would take a backseat to boys and mythical legends. After the sudden death of her estranged grandmother “Isadora” Miranda and her mother are shipped off to a Southern version of the Hamptons to deal with the logistics of selling the family mansion, but after riding over on a ferry, complete with a creepy captain and his even creepier stories of sea monsters, Miranda isn’t so sure of herself anymore…or her surroundings. Her mother suddenly morphs from prestigious New York City plastic surgeon to Southern Matriarch of the Eastern Seaboard, triggering Miranda to do what any other girl would do….she runs… in total panic and finds herself in the arms of a cute but very secretive local beach boy. After struggles with mom and a very tearful chat with hottie number 2 she decides that life is complicated…and she should just suck it up and deal with it. (No… I’m not kidding… that was the outcome.)

There were pretty teenage socialites, a narcissistic boy who loved his own reflection, a mysterious trunk in the back of a closet, very enlightening love letters, and 1 moment of underwater clarity/confusion.

Overall the book was ok. It was a quick read (1 day max) so if you do decided to read it it wont take to much effort or time. I’m not going to say with certainty that you will not like it, because I’m a little on the fence… I think the end just irked me more than I’m willing to admit. Here is my advice…when you have read everything else that you “just can’t wait” to read…then chomp into this one.

Happy reading my fellow Fishermen and remember: If you feel an overwhelming need to swim in the surf at night… be sure to wear your floaties.(less)

like · see review

Oct 19, 2011 Echo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-in-11, fantasy, youngadult

This wasn't bad, but it wasn't what I was expecting either. My main gripe is silly, maybe, but I was expecting selkies and not mermaids. But come on, why would someone discover an island and say, "There are mermaids here, so I think I'll name it Selkie Island!" What's next? "I've discovered a country where there are a lot of unicorns, so I think I'll name it Pegasonia. And that town has a lot of dragons, so I think I'll name it Griffinville."

Also, the main character seemed a little too easily sw...more

like · see review

Sep 25, 2011 Samara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This book was incredible. I will admit that a few parts left me puzzled and a bit frustrated, like the forced love triangle, but even that was rationed out and believable in the end.
Miranda, our main character, is 16, but she's a science whiz and much more mature. It was nice to see a young adult in a book that wasn't flamboyant, immature, unable to speak real english and had some kind of a plan for the future. She entered the story comfortable in who she was and giving us her background in a w...more This book was incredible. I will admit that a few parts left me puzzled and a bit frustrated, like the forced love triangle, but even that was rationed out and believable in the end.
Miranda, our main character, is 16, but she's a science whiz and much more mature. It was nice to see a young adult in a book that wasn't flamboyant, immature, unable to speak real english and had some kind of a plan for the future. She entered the story comfortable in who she was and giving us her background in a way that didn't slow the story down.
Enter flippant CeeCee a short time later, the 16 year old kind of girl I really hate seeing in stories and cringe at whenever I'm forced to read through them. CeeCee and her pals have summer flings and are determined that Miranda will have one too, with one T.J. Illingsworth, whom we are told later is rather full of himself and has a special family connection that I won't spoil you with here.
Enter Leo, our characters main interest, after some time of course that isn't much time at all. I'm unaware of what draws Miranda to Leo so instantly other than their shared love of science and learning, but Friedman does make an effort to explain a sort of unseen chemical crackling in the air at their every touch. Maybe it's fate, maybe it's horomones, maybe it's something other-worldly (since we are, in fact, in a paranormal of sorts) but aside from the rushed declarations of wanting one another forever, it's still believable.
A few scandals, self doubts, rekindled friendships and bonding moments later, we arrive at the end of a rather poetically written book. I loved the writing style, the world building, the vivid passages and the uncommon characters in this book. Friedman has crafted a fairy tale I have been left wanting more of. Hopefully this is the start of a series, because Miranda went home, and I want to know what happened after. DId she return the Selkie Island after her internship? Did Leo come mainland to be with her and pursue his love of writing and marine biology? Did Miranda's mother go back for Mr Illingsworth? What happened, seriously. I guess we'll have to wait to find out.
Bravo Friedman.....I LOVED this story.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 08, 2011 Christy And Danielle rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm going to start this review off but telling you guys that I have always secretly wished I was a mermaid :) As long as I can remember I have loved the water, and wanted to have fins. I wanted friends like Flounder and as I got older wanted to meet some really hott merman and have a happy little mermaid family.

But alas, I am cursed with this darned appendages called legs, lol. But it's actually turning out pretty good here on the land, so I won't complain too much.

Now on to the review. I initia...more I'm going to start this review off but telling you guys that I have always secretly wished I was a mermaid :) As long as I can remember I have loved the water, and wanted to have fins. I wanted friends like Flounder and as I got older wanted to meet some really hott merman and have a happy little mermaid family.

But alas, I am cursed with this darned appendages called legs, lol. But it's actually turning out pretty good here on the land, so I won't complain too much.

Now on to the review. I initially picked this book up because well I love mermaid stories. I was intrigued by the cover and what I read about the book so far definitely peeked my interest. Unfortunately I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was younger, and maybe still understood the inner workings of a teenage mind. The biggest complaint I have is the anticlimactic ending. I felt as if I was left on the edge with nothing to hold on to. I really hope there is a sequel.

Miranda Merchant is a science geek, and the daughter of two other science geeks. Well, her parents aren't really geeks.. anymore, they are really well off surgeons. Still, Miranda is different from the average teenage girl, mainly because she isn't just good at science, she LOVES it.

When a grandmother that Miranda had never met dies, she and her mother are left with a huge inheritance. Her mother's childhood summer home on Selkie Island. Their roots may have come from the south, but Miranda is definitely a northern girl now, she has never wanted to leave New York.

On the trip to the island, Miranda is given a short story about the ' creatures' who inhabit the island. Both in the water and on land. Of course she waves it off as a tourist trap and thinks that this is going to be a crappy summer. Until she sees her mom on the docks waiting for her, and realizes the sun and salt air has already begun to transform her into a whole other person.

With the only other teenagers on the island being ripped strait from teen vogue magazine, Miranda feels as if she is doomed for the entire time she is here, until she runs into Leo one evening on Siren Beach. All of a sudden things change for her, and she doesn't know if all the tall tales she has heard since she stepped foot on the island are real or not. But then again, does she even care?
-Danielle
(less)

like · see review

Jun 11, 2011 Kaycee Looney rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is a book I just picked up at work yesterday because I wanted to give a new author a try. It seemed to be my kind of book (aka YA Fantasy) and I after reading the first couple pages, I liked the MC's voice.

The basic premise is that the MC, Miranda Merchant, is going to a small island off the coast of Georgia that is supposed to have mythical creatures lurking in the waters around it. But Miranda is a scientific sort and doesn't buy into the stories. Until she meets a local boy who begins to...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 27, 2010 Lyndsey Rushby rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

I have to admit that I only added this book to my wish list quite a while ago due to the cover. I love beautiful book covers and this one looked so enchanting. With its pearly blue colour and beautiful boy and girl, the cover instantly drew me in and made me want the book, no matter what it was about.

Miranda was a great protagonist and as the story is told from her POV, I got to find out a lot about her. At the beginning, she knew what she wanted out of life and knew that she was never going to...more I have to admit that I only added this book to my wish list quite a while ago due to the cover. I love beautiful book covers and this one looked so enchanting. With its pearly blue colour and beautiful boy and girl, the cover instantly drew me in and made me want the book, no matter what it was about.

Miranda was a great protagonist and as the story is told from her POV, I got to find out a lot about her. At the beginning, she knew what she wanted out of life and knew that she was never going to be one of the beautiful, popular girls. Although she was a bit neurotic at times, I did like her, mostly because she was down to earth a lot of the time. It was interesting to see Miranda change once she arrived on Selkie Island, even if the transition was a little too quick for my liking. Maybe that was just some of the magic of the island showing through though. For a girl that recently suffered from some boy trouble, Miranda was incredibly quick to trust the boys on the island. If that had been me, there is no way I would have rushed into anything with anyone, no matter how nice they seemed.

Leo was so fascinating. As soon as Miranda saw him on the beach, I knew I was going to fall in love with him. It was clear that he wasn’t like the other boys on the island, the ones that summered there and that instantly drew me to him. I think he would have come close to being perfect for me. He was sweet and caring but also mysterious and cheeky with a added hint of bad boy thrown in for good measure. Although deep down I think I really knew that he was a nice guy, I couldn’t help but hope he was a lot more naughty than he seemed. There was so much mystery surrounding Leo and his family and I couldn’t wait to find out more about him.

Considering I thought that this book was about merfolk, there wasn’t really an awful lot about them included, apart from some legends that Miranda gets to read about. I wanted to know who, if anyone, was a mermaid/man but I never got to know. One of the things that I thought was going to be exciting about this book was that Miranda would fall in love with a merman or that she would be a mermaid herself. I guess the author did leave a lot of that up to the readers imagination but I would have liked a bit more fact in it all. As I was reading, I kept thinking that the merfolk parts were coming up but they never did so this was quite disappointing at times.

Along with the lore of merfolk, Sea Change also had a lot of history. I loved this aspect of the book as I really enjoy knowing a background of a place or person and here, I got to know both. Isadora was a complete mystery to begin with and although her story wasn’t the main aspect of the book, her own story came through nicely, which explained a lot about Miranda and her mother. History didn’t just focus on the Merchant family though and I liked that other inhabitants of the island were also included. Knowing all of these little things helped to wrap up some of the story nicely and tie everything together.

My biggest problem with this book was that it was so short and there is no sequel in sight. I felt like there was no real closure for a lot of the characters and no definite answers to many things. I really wanted to know what happens next with Miranda and Leo but for now, it seems like it is going to remain a mystery forever. Other than that though, Sea Change is a wonderful read full of romance and fantasy. (less)

like · see review

Oct 28, 2010 Melanie Goodman added it

Miranda, a girl obsessed with science and logic, moves to the mysterious Selkie Island for a summer after her grandmother dies in order to help her mother get the estate in order. When Miranda hears myths about kraken and merfolk, she ignores them. After all, Miranda is the kind of person who needs research and hard facts to believe in anything. Little does she know that both the island and her family have secrets that can’t be explained away by scientific research.

While on the island, Miranda s...more

like · see review

Oct 15, 2010 Soph...*Lock&Key* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, 2010-2011-faves, predictable-reads, made-me-grin

I loved this book, Its was a nice easy read that made me smile. I hope there is a sequal though, because the ending kind of leaves you hanging.

I will admit that this book was a bit pradictable, but it was pradictable in a good way. The author didnt try to make the romance a surprise like most authors do, the reader always know who she is going to pick therefore making it pradictable, but to me its a good kind of pradictable. :)

Okay, so I think the reason why I liked this book so much was because...more

like · see review

Sep 11, 2010 Gerri Leen rated it 3 of 5 stars

About halfway into this I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like it. The heroine seemed to be about five steps behind the reader on clueing in to what was going on (in a scenario that was sort of part Gossip Girl, part Dawson's Creek, part Roan Innish, and part Twilight). I kept reading (mostly 'cause I'm wicked behind on this challenge this year and this book was a fast read) and I will say the author pulled out a lot at the very end (in the very last chapter)--something I'd normally frown on b...more

like · see review

Aug 01, 2010 Grace rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

1 like · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
What do you think	15	28	Jan 21, 2013 08:16am
Sea Change	5	38	Nov 07, 2012 01:53pm
Suggestions.	2	2	Oct 20, 2012 12:35pm

combine
Other Editions (7)

More editions...

Genres

Young Adult

189 users

Fantasy

129 users

Mermaids

112 users

Romance

104 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

59 users

Romance > Paranormal Romance

27 users

Fantasy > Supernatural

23 users

Fantasy > Mythology

22 users

Young Adult > Teen

19 users

Contemporary

12 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Aimee Friedman

Aimee Friedman (born 1979) is the author of several young adult novels published by Scholastic Inc. and S&S. Her novels South Beach (2004) (a New York Times bestseller), French Kiss (2005), and Hollywood Hills (2007) focus on the scandalous adventures of on-again, off-again best friends Holly Jacobson and Alexa St. Laurent. A Novel Idea (2005) is a romantic comedy about a teenager who starts a...more

More about Aimee Friedman...

Books by Aimee Friedman

Breaking Up (Fashion High Graphic Novel)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Sea Change

21 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Sea Change

“It struck me then how much the past - not just the past but history and family - was like the ocean tide. It was always the same ocean, but the waves made it fresh and new each time.” — 36 people liked it

“Come find me," Leo put in, his gaze full of understanding. "Whenever you want. I'll be here.” — 13 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Sea Change
avg rating	preview: Sea Change Goodreads rating: 3.64 (4396 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5598960-sea-change?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328843380l/5598960.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5598960-sea-change?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Sea Change by Aimee Friedman[/url]

Sea Change

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website