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Aug 07, 2010

oliviasbooks rated it:

It's kind of a cross between Cinderella and The Little Mermaid - or, to be more precise, one of those fairytales dealing with a fisherman lured into the sea by a terrifyingly beautiful sea creature. Rather sad, but featuring a strong heroine and concluding on a satisfying note.

3.5 stars.

Later clarification on the sadness part:

The writing is good. I just do not feel well, when I am constantly pitying an almost angelic heroine - and screaming in frustrati More...

14 comments like (7 people liked it)

Mar 04, 2011

Stacy rated it:

This is a warm human story with enough suspense to grab you and hold you from the first page. The characters were so real to me, I couldn't put it down. There is no needless explanations in the beginning or long episodes of backtracking in time. The story stays in the moment and so does the reader. Children and adults will both love this book. I can't wait for the sequel.

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Nov 12, 2011

Kelsey Paige rated it:

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

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 28, 2011

EA rated it:

I really enjoyed reading this book. One of the biggest reasons I liked this book is even though the girl is more of a tomboy, there is a very good reason behind it instead of just the author wanting to write a period piece but not wanting to write true characters from that period.

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Jan 20, 2012

Heidi rated it:

I came across this book while doing reading for the Beehive Book Awards. The premise didn't appeal to me much, I am not a big fan of mermaids. But Adrianne has such a strong voice and I found myself rooting for her from page one. It quickly becomes apparent that Adri is the strong one in her family of four. Her younger sister is adorable but unequipped to take care of herself. Adri's mother is likewise too weak of spirit to even defend her daughter from the malicious attacks of her aunt. H More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 14, 2011

Liyana rated it:

This is the first mermaid book I've ever read. That's not to say that it focuses mainly on mermaids and life underwater. Nielson has written a finely crafted story about a girl who doesn't want to be a mermaid. And that has to be the best introduction to the mermaid genre for me.

The main character, Adrianne is a good role model* in all aspects. She comes from a humble background, and she works back breakingly to support her family, unappreciated, while nursing a crush on her long time More...

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May 02, 2011

Meredith 4th rated it:

This book is amazing! It catches your attention right away. I would recommend this book. The Forbidden Sea is about a girl named Adrianne. Her little sister runs away one day and goes to the rumbles which are really just rocks right next to the sea. her sister doesn't know how to swim and the tide starts coming in. The whole island is looking for her. Adrianne decides to go to see if she is at the rumbles. When she gets there she sees a faint shape of her little sister on one of the big rocks. S More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 22, 2010

Kelsey rated it:

This book has many things that make it quite special. The character development throughout it, is exquisite! I knew exactly what Adrianne, the main character felt like and I knew what was going on the whole time. It did take me a bit to figure out that it is set in either the early 1800's, the late 1800's or in the early 1900's. It takes place at Windwaithe, a small fishing town, where the people are more than superstitious. With tales of mermaids and mermen awaiting for prey in the vast ocean More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Oct 17, 2010

Taffy rated it:

A good, clean book any YA reader would enjoy.

Adrianne is thrust into the role of provider for her family after her father is killed in an accident. She lives on a small island with small-minded people, including her own aunt. The seemingly only tolerant people are the rich.

Everything bad happens to Adri and only gets worse. I felt myself getting it more and more frustrated for her. She takes everything in quiet determination.

Except for the mermaid who wants t More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 13, 2010

Kiirsi rated it:

First of all, I did like this book. The writing was good. I cared about the characters and wanted them to be happy.

That said, 4/5 of the book takes place on the island--and island life is pretty boring, it seems. From the cover, I expected the book to be about mermaids, and it was--the last 1/5. I wish the other part had gotten going faster and not been so much "land" life.

Another gripe was that sometimes protagonists in books seem to have truly rotten liv More...

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Jul 12, 2010

Tiffany rated it:

After the first nail-biting chapter, I knew this was not going to be one of those books I would have to feign praise for. The writing is beautiful, original and I instantly related to the main character--Adrianne.

When Adrianne's father is killed in a riding accident, her mother spends months listless on her bed, leaving Adrianne to care for the household. At 12 years old, she was forced into early adulthood when the money ran out and she and her mother and sister became destitute. On More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Apr 29, 2010

Ellz rated it:

My thoughts...One of the biggest things I look for when reading a book is a strong heroine. Adrianne, the young girl from The Forbidden Sea is just that. She is very strong willed, smart, determined, and very devoted to her family. I instantly felt sympathetic for this girl who lost her father in a tragic accident. She finds herself living in poverty with her mother, sister, and an aunt that treats her very disdainfully. She has an inner strength that helps her deal with some very difficult More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 29, 2009

Danette rated it:

Loved this book, it is a must read. Grabs your attention on the first page and you can't put it down.Sheila knows what a great book is all about and knows how to write them. She knows what the young readers like and so she put her soul and heart out there to grab there attention in a way a lot of writers don't know how to do. You will love this book and can't wait for more of hers to come out. I would recommend this book for all ages. Great job Sheila! Love ya tons!

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Apr 11, 2011

Khornberger rated it:

Right from the start, first time author Sheila A. Nielson weaves a beautiful story about a girl and her family whose fortunes have changed and they are struggling on a daily basis to survive. The characters are exceptionally well drawn beginning with Adrianne, who stops at nothing to help her family (and others) obtain food and happiness. After her father's death, Adrianne is left with a beloved little sister (reminiscent of Prim in The Hunger Games), a loving yet meek mother, and a horrible a More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Oct 16, 2010

SJH (A Dream of Books) rated it:

What an amazing book! Sheila A. Nielson has woven a beautifully imagined tale of magic and mermaids that is imaginative and wonderfully written. I read this in one evening and found it absolutely impossible to put down. I loved the central character Adrianne who is compassionate and empathetic and wholly unselfish. After the death of her father, she is left to look after her younger sister and mother. She is responsible for ensuring that they have food on the table, although there is little More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Feb 10, 2011

Jennifer rated it:

It is refreshing to read a coming-of-age book that doesn't focus on a boy-crazy main character.

Adrianne is a young girl who has lost everything with the loss of her father in a tragic, fatal accident. Since her father's death, she has done everything she can to keep her family together - despite an aunt that treats her horribly and tells her that she will never amount to anything.

She has an encounter with a mermaid on a night when her little sister ran away that leaves he More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 29, 2012

Shelece rated it:

Very sweet and romantic. Definitely has a little bit of a Cinderella twist to it. The main character, Adrianne, lives a very difficult life. Some of the situations she gets into torn my heart in half! The author does a great job of creating emotions in the reader. I hope Sheila A. Nielson writes more books in the future, because I will definitely read them!

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Aug 09, 2011

Abigail rated it:

The forbidden sea was pleasant retelling of the little mermaid and I have to say I found the book enjoyable.

Windwaithe island has its own legend. The story of how young Lady Lauretta was said to have been bewitched and lured into the sea by a mermaid. Now decades of years later, history seems to be repeating itself - only imbued with much more fear this time.

Adrianne was a fine protagonist. She was strong-willed and independent. Even after all the trials and tribulations she More...

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Jan 06, 2012

Maggie rated it:

This book was AMAZING!!!!!!! It was about a girl,named Adrianne, who gets "marked" by a mermaid. The whole town thinks that the mermaid will bring bad luck if she doesn't get Adrianne. The Mermaid says that she wants her to come because she needs to marry the sea prince. I LOVED this book!

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 08, 2012

Mudi1998 rated it:

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

0 comments like

May 17, 2011

Heidi rated it:

Bought my copy at ULA and had it signed by the author--my former co-worker!! Very enjoyable story. I haven't read much with mermaids, so I was intrigued with the world created and could not put the book down as I followed Adrianne's adventures. Very good tone and mood to the book, too. I liked that Adrianne was realistic and one I could relate to. I also loved that her world was realistic in being tough, not always easy, and yet still beautiful and, well, home. I was very happy with the end, the More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 13, 2011

Heidi rated it:

This book was amazing! I can't wait for my girls to be old enough to listen to chapter books so I can read this to them. The story in this book follows a fairly typical fairy tale type pattern, until you get to the end. The choices the main character makes for her future are little different than what you would find at the end of most fairy tales. I love the strength of the female main character in this book and I love what she learned about beauty and worth and how it important it is to rec More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 07, 2011

Lauren rated it:

If you want to know the storyline of this book, read the synopsis, because I don't get the reason why everyone writes summaries for the story in their reviews when it's already provided. If you want to know what my thoughts were after finishing this, continue reading.

I was very interested in the love connection between the two characters in this book. I really liked this book a lot, and I would recommend this to anyone who likes the Cinderella Stories [movie] or any suckers who like a More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 13, 2011

Celeste rated it:

This book was AMAZING! I was in the middle of this when I took a trip to St. George and read this book was all I wanted to do! One of the BEST books I have ever read! (thanks for the recommendation Lauren)

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 22, 2011

Christina rated it:

I put off reading this book because I know the author, as she is a children's librarian at our library. I didn't want to read it, hate it, and then have to come up with some polite, tactful way of complimenting her without telling her I hated it.

Luckily, the book is wonderful -- the story of a young girl's hardships, her attempts to understand and have compassion for those around her, and her encounter with a mermaid. There will be no need for tact or carefully chosen words the nex More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 29, 2011

Roxy rated it:

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

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 09, 2011

Rachelle rated it:

Sheila Nielson did a fabulous job with her descriptive details and I loved the spin she put on the myth of the mermaids. This story has a classic Cinderella feel to it and at the beginning, I'll admit I was slightly depressed at how hard Adrianne's life was--that's a good thing though--it means the author did her job well of making the main character so realistic that I felt genuine sorrow for her.
I highly recommend this book because the message that Nielson weaves throughout the story More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 31, 2010

JG (The Introverted Reader) rated it:

Adrianne's father died a few years ago, leaving her and her sister, mother and aunt practically destitute. Adrianne blames herself for the family's misfortune. She works hard and tries her best to take care of everyone. One night, her younger sister runs out of the house and gets caught in a raging storm. Adrianne goes to the shore looking for her and finds her in the arms of a mermaid. The mermaid scratches up Adrianne's wrist but eventually lets Cecily go. This is only the beginning of A More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 01, 2011

Heather added it

Enjoyable read! I stayed up way too late finishing it. Supernatural beings are a very popular fictional subject lately (i.e. vampires), but I haven't read much about merfolk. So it was a refreshing fairytale-like story.

My main issues, though, are two. First, I don't like the title. I just don't think it is memorable or relates well to the main story. But I'll think about it. . .
Second, the main character is too good, and most everyone is so unkind to her, that she felt a lit More...

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May 18, 2011

Julia rated it:

I just finished Forbidden Sea by Sheila A. Nielson. Forbidden sea is about a young girl named who lives with her mother, sister, and aunt in a small cottage, after her papa dies her family lost everything. after saving her sister from the surf one stormy night, Adrianne is marked by the Windwaithe mermaid. Thinking the mermaid is after her sister, Adrienne keeps her out of the water. The mermaid can speak to Adrianne in her mind and Adrianne soon discovers it is not her sister the mermaid want b More...

1 comment like