Between the Sea and Sky

Nov 22, 2011 Wendy Darling rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: pn-sea-creatures, read-2011, huge-disappointments, heroines-wimpy, 2011-publication, cover-fraud, mg-not-ya

Ten (Unfulfilled) Wishes for this Book:

1. If this is was supposed to be a YA book, I wish that the story was more complex, the characters more fully developed, and the dialogue less juvenile.

2. If this was supposed to be a middle grade book, I wish there were no fewer mentions of breasts and men looking at them, fewer mentions of drunken sailors making suggestive remarks, and less focus on the rather insipid romance. Such random lascivious behavior inserts an ugly note into the story for no reas...more

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Jul 08, 2010 Jaclyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

About eight years ago, I was working on this big epic mess of a never-finished novel. I wasn't very good back then at outlining or understanding what the core of the story was, but in hindsight, the core was the story of a mermaid and a winged boy who were childhood friends that met again later in life. Now I finally have a chance to tell that story, and though the players have changed (for the better), it still feels like an old story I've been dying to share.

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Dec 29, 2012 Nerissa Ayala Lesko rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

If this book really happens, I will be the happiest person!! Love mermaids, even is the are sirens = /

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Mar 24, 2012 Jillian -always aspiring- marked it as to-read-someday

Shelves: covers-i-love

Oh, Jacyln Dolamore, you are so very imaginative. Magic Under Glass stole my heart, I am eagerly awaiting Magic Under Stone -- and then there's this book in the interim. A story about a mermaid who wants to be a siren and a winged love interest? SIGN ME UP.

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Oct 16, 2011 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-release, arcs-i-own, mundie-moms-reviews, 2011-100-book-challenge, books-i-own

4.5 stars

This is a magical, fascinating historical fantasy that reads like a classic fairytale with it's rich lore, sweet romance and exciting adventure. I fell in love with Jaclyn's writing after reading her debut Magic Under Glass and I really loved the magical world of sirens and winged people she introduced me to with Between the Sea and Sky. Jaclyn's writing is whimsical, magical and completely intriguing to me. True to her creative writing style, she has a richly detailed setting, and an a...more 4.5 stars

This is a magical, fascinating historical fantasy that reads like a classic fairytale with it's rich lore, sweet romance and exciting adventure. I fell in love with Jaclyn's writing after reading her debut Magic Under Glass and I really loved the magical world of sirens and winged people she introduced me to with Between the Sea and Sky. Jaclyn's writing is whimsical, magical and completely intriguing to me. True to her creative writing style, she has a richly detailed setting, and an adoring romance that's simple, sweet, and innocent.

The story follows Esmerine, main character who's just become a Siren, an honor that only her and her older sister Dosia share within their family. Having been close and yearning for a sense of adventure, Dosia goes missing after telling her sister she's visited with humans before in their world, a dangerous thing to do for any mermaid. Fearing for her sister's life, Esmerine enters the human world to find her sister and an old childhood crush in Alan, the winged boy she used to play with as a child. What ensures is an adventure into a new world, a beautiful country side, and a rekindled romance. I really liked how these two love interests were re-introduced to each other and how their feelings for one another grew over the course of Esmerine's search for her sister.

Aside from the sweet love story, I loved the story's unique, richly detailed mermaid lore. I was really fascinated with the way Jaclyn coupled the siren myhtology with that of the winged people, also known as Fandarsee, which Alan is. I loved the two different worlds Jaclyn created both under water and above, and the way she merged them together. I never would have thought to merge these two distinct lore together and the way Jaclyn did it was brilliant.

I like it when a story's setting isn't dated, and it has an appealing early turn of the century feel, which this story has. For me, it makes the story feel ageless and it has a fairytale quality to it. I thoroughly enjoy Jaclyn's writing. I know I can sit down and I'll instantly be whisked away into her story. Between the Sea and Sky is one of those charming, delightful, quick reads and that I sat down and enjoyed one sunny afternoon. My only compliant is that the ending felt a little too rushed. I wish it had been a little more drawn out. I highly recommend picking this book up if you enjoy a simple love story, mermaids and a story that reads like a fairytale. It's a clean cut, wonderful read.(less)

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Jul 07, 2010 Stephanie marked it as to-read

I've seen this book's cover and it is so so gorgeous!

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Jul 06, 2011 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: giveaways-arc-s-first-reads-winning

Ok, so because the book is written in English and I don’t know when or if it will be translated into Swedish so I’ll try to do a review in English.

Esmerine is a mermaid who gets the highest honor of becoming a siren and is looking forward to joining her sister Dosinia, Dosia, who has been a siren for a while. The two sisters have always talked about exploring the surface world together. Esmerine knows that her sister visits the human world and when Dosia disappears from their village and her fam...more Ok, so because the book is written in English and I don’t know when or if it will be translated into Swedish so I’ll try to do a review in English.

Esmerine is a mermaid who gets the highest honor of becoming a siren and is looking forward to joining her sister Dosinia, Dosia, who has been a siren for a while. The two sisters have always talked about exploring the surface world together. Esmerine knows that her sister visits the human world and when Dosia disappears from their village and her family gets news were she is on the mainland Esmerine decides to go after her.
When arriving on dry land she finds her childhood friend, Alandare, a boy belonging to the winged race she and Dosia played with when they were younger. When Alandare offers to help Esmerine find her sister their friendship starts to come back and maybe a little more…

I love this book! I was planning on just starting to read a few pages before I was going to sleep, just to get a feeling for the story, but a few pages became a few chapters and before I knew it the sun was starting to shine in through my window. It is not many books that can make you forget time like that but this is definitively one. It sucks you in and won’t let go (in a really good way!) until you finished the story.
I don’t know what I liked the best. I always loved mermaids and the myths surrounding them and in this story you get to follow a mermaid under the surface and explore here world in a way that I never experienced before. It’s like you have to check yourself and remember that its fiction because you start to think that this could, maybe, happen (or have happened, since the language suggest a world and time far away).
I loved the part that people lived whit the knowledge of mermaids, that they knew they walked among them and traded with them. I loved the idea of the winged people and how everyone coexisted. I love the detailed description that makes it so easy to see everything in front of you.
I would recommend this book to anyone who love mermaids and to anyone who wants to escape and lose them self in a good book. Just see to it that you’re not doing anything for a few hours because when you start you won’t be able to stop!

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Jul 08, 2011 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, arc, bea-2011

For years, Esmerine has longed for the day when she can join her older sister, Dosia, as a siren, and now that day has come. Becoming a siren is a great honor for a mermaid and her family. But the very next day, Dosia disappears. Esmerine's worst fears come true when she learns that her sister has gone to the surface world and married a human. Esmerine fears her sister was taken against her will and is desperate to find her, even though it is unlikely she can save her.

Unable to make her way on t...more

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Dec 17, 2011 Whatchyareading added it

Shelves: caitlin, fantasy, young-adult

I have a confession to make. I have a sort of thing for fictional guys with wings. If this weren’t a YA blog I might even call it a kink. I don’t really know why. I just think guys with wings are better than guys without. You know?

Not only does the guy have wings, but the girl is a mermaid. Second confession time. My best friend growing up (*waves at Candace*) had a pool in her backyard and we would spend hours in there pretending to be mermaids. And sometimes dolphins. And sometimes Sailor Moon...more I have a confession to make. I have a sort of thing for fictional guys with wings. If this weren’t a YA blog I might even call it a kink. I don’t really know why. I just think guys with wings are better than guys without. You know?

Not only does the guy have wings, but the girl is a mermaid. Second confession time. My best friend growing up (*waves at Candace*) had a pool in her backyard and we would spend hours in there pretending to be mermaids. And sometimes dolphins. And sometimes Sailor Moon but that was unrelated to the pool.

So, basically, this book was written for me. Both childhood me and adult me. Between the Sea and Sky is a short, fast read but that in no way dampens the richness of the world it takes place in or the depth of the characters. The world has three different main areas to it. Under the water, on the land, and in the sky. And the story is about how someone from beneath the water and someone from the sky can meet in the middle and find each other on land.

The relationship between Esmerine and Alandare is palpable from the first moment they see each other. They were forbidden childhood friends before this and when they come across one another as adults, it’s perfectly clear that for neither of them was it ever going to be friendship.

Esmerine is on a mission to find her sister and enlists Aandare to help her find her sister fast. Because Alandare can fly. Because he has wings. And we like boys with wings. Yep. Anyways, in their journeys we get too see a lot of different parts of the world and get a true appreciation for the complexity of the different cultures that pepper it. I loved the glimpse we got into the winged people’s lives and how constrained it seemed despite the freedom we, as land bound humans, always seem to associate with flying. I really loved that.

I guess that was what the book was really about. Finding the freedom from one’s culture or society to go after what one really wants. And what Esmerine and Alandare really wanted, since they were children, was each other.

All in all the story was cute and one in which I really cared for the characters and wanted them to be happy. I will say I thought the ending was slightly rushed. Or something. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was, but I wanted something a little more before…well, before that final scene which I enjoyed immensely.

I highly recommend this book for a fun, fast read, with a cute romance, and characters you want to cheer for.

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Nov 14, 2011 Shannon (aka Readergirl) added it

Shelves: own-arc

Okay, I'll admit it. I truly expected this to be a young adult book version of The Little Mermaid. I loved The Little Mermaid, don't get me wrong, but I figured this would be perhaps a bit more serious of a retelling of that. I was very surprised with what the author did with this book. This was really a very unique story, unlike any other mermaid story I've read.

Although there is a "real world" beyond the ocean and the mere people, this story read more like a fairytale than anything else. It wa...more

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Nov 07, 2011 Amy Jacobs rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Is it just me or does it seem like there is a downpour of mermaid themed books lately? Even with the amount of mermaid books on the market right now, I still wanted to read this book and see what sort of spin this author could bring to the mermaid tale. While I never read the authors first book Magic Under Glass, I understood that it was a sort of spin off from that one involving certain characters.

Again, since I have never read anything by this author before, I did enjoy this book and the tale...more

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May 06, 2013 Cheyenne Current rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fairytale, family-related, old-timey

I liked the overall concept of this book, but I felt the characters lacked a certain chemistry that most really good YA novels have. The romance lacked in certain areas, but the storyline and the attention to details made up for that a little. One thing I noticed is that this book contained so many little details about mermaids, that I never would have thought about before. Like how do mermaids go to the bathroom? How do mermaids stay on land? What is the difference between Sirens and Mermaids?...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Littlecheese rated it 2 of 5 stars

Okay, so when i read the summery of this, i thought "Cool, a mermaid and bird romance, never read that."

Now I'm not gonna say it was a bad book. I did enjoy reading it still, but in the end, I felt like there was some elements that were there to tease me.

First is worlds. I didn't really get much but the human world the must. I didn't really get anything from them. That feel for the imagination wasn't there. I got no real image or real info of there worlds.

Then the search for the sister. It felt...more

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Jan 15, 2013 Isana rated it 4 of 5 stars

While the summary didn't exactly stand out, I'm glad I gave this book a chance.

It's a fun, unique story. I remember reading in Dolamore's blog that she had envisioned it somewhat like a Miyazaki movie, and I definitely had that feeling when I was reading the book as well. My only complaint is that it was a bit short (with all that worldbuilding, it could have been twice the length and I would have happily read it all in one sitting).

But the amount of thought that Dolamore put into this story i...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Ravenous Biblioworm rated it 2 of 5 stars

Rating: 2/5

I didn’t have too much expectation out of this book. One, being a fantasy novel, this book was really thin. Two, I read Dolamore’s Magic Under Glass and remembered liking it and in fact, there are still scenes I recall from the book, but again I don’t have it on my book shelf at home, so it didn’t make too much of an impression on me. But I was intrigued by Dolamore and her worlds.

After reading the book, I found myself wondering what exactly was the plot of the story. Was it the missi...more Rating: 2/5

I didn’t have too much expectation out of this book. One, being a fantasy novel, this book was really thin. Two, I read Dolamore’s Magic Under Glass and remembered liking it and in fact, there are still scenes I recall from the book, but again I don’t have it on my book shelf at home, so it didn’t make too much of an impression on me. But I was intrigued by Dolamore and her worlds.

After reading the book, I found myself wondering what exactly was the plot of the story. Was it the missing sister Doria? Or the forgotten love realtionship between our main character, Esmerine, and Alan. Initally, I thought it was the missing sister Doria, but that didn’t quite sit right, because there was close to no tension in the search for her. Esmerine constantly says she has to find her, but the days goes by with Esmerine and Alan’s relationship explored, and Doria being missing just seems forgetton, only to brought up again to add a psuedo tension of “I have to find my sister.” As said, days goes by… and there doesn’t seem to be any inclination of true danger for Doria. No tension, no urgency.

The build up was also missing. There wasn’t enough showing of Doria personality or Doria’s worth to Esmerine. There lacked any ties or revelation of the bond that Esmerine and Doria’s relationship as sisters. The mere fact that they were sisters was the only detail given to readers to compel readers to hope for Doria’s well being. I wanted to see more scenes of Esmerine and Doria together. I wanted to see their bonds of sisterhood. How much they cared for each other and what they meant for one another. The reasons were given only in passing (told), skimming the only the surface of what could be glimpse of a deeper relationship. Why should Esmerine care about Doria being missing? Give me reasons to care. Being told that they were sisters and had plans to do things together is just to dull and boring for me to actually really care, thus I didn’t really care for the fact of Doria being missing.

Then there’s the relationship of Esmerine and Alan. The connection between the two were there, but I just didn’t care for them. I think the issue here was the world building wasn’t told well enough for me to understand their relationship. So their world were different, thus they couldn’t be together. The personal reasons were valid – I believed them, but then I wanted to see this world that had this suggestion that alluded to them being apart. I wanted to see more of the mermaid world and more of the Avian world to completely understand this misgiving. It seemed more of a personal family issue at the core rather than ill-fitting cultures.

Doria being missing and Esmerine and Alan’s relationship were the core to the novel. There were the framing of ideas set down and laid before us, but no compelling, interesting, or intricate detials to pull us in.

Overall, at the core, there was too much skimming the surface in too many areas for me to enjoy the book. The ideas were present and I had an inkling of an understanding but I wanted a better, deeper, and more initmate look. More relevant and intimate details and scenes would make this a more likable novel, unfortunately these things were missing from the story too much.

Verdict: I wanted to like this book because I knew what was trying to be said, but it wasn’t there completely and shown well. I’ll have to say pass.

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Apr 16, 2012 Hylary Locsin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

Esmerine has recently been invited to follow in the footsteps of her older sister, Dosia, and accept the highest honor a mermaid can receive: the title of siren. Being invited to become a siren, and inherit a siren’s belt with all of its intrinsic magic, is a very prestigious event, and Esmerine is excited to begin to live a siren’s life, enchanting human men and guarding the bay from those who ab...more Originally posted on my blog: http://libraryladyhylary.blogspot.com ! Check it out for more reviews!

Esmerine has recently been invited to follow in the footsteps of her older sister, Dosia, and accept the highest honor a mermaid can receive: the title of siren. Being invited to become a siren, and inherit a siren’s belt with all of its intrinsic magic, is a very prestigious event, and Esmerine is excited to begin to live a siren’s life, enchanting human men and guarding the bay from those who abuse its abundance. Soon after Esmerine pledges herself as a siren, however, Dosia disappears. Worrying that she has been kidnapped by a human, her siren belt stolen trapping her on land, Esmerine leaves the safety of the ocean and travels to the human city of Sormesen. Although mermaids are able to take human form if they desire, the transformation is very painful, and Esmerine has difficulty walking through the busy, crowded streets. Fortunately, she soon reunites with Alander, a handsome winged boy who taught her to read years earlier. Now, Alander is almost nineteen, and Esmerine feels drawn to him, even though their races, she being a mermaid and he a Fandarsee, would never allow them to be together. Esmerine is determine to rescue Dosia, but the more time she spends in the human world with Alander, the more she begins to wonder if a life on land is what she is really seeking.

Light, brief and sugary sweet, Between the Sea and Sky is the perfect pick for tweens (and parents of tweens) who want a paranormal romance that is appropriate for upper elementary or middle schoolers. Set in a fictional land full of mermaids, winged humans, fairies, and other creatures, this novel also makes for a great introduction to the fantasy genre. Author Jaclyn Dolamore doesn’t spend a great deal of time delving into the mythology or layout of Esmerine’s world, but there is just enough build-up of the setting to give a little more meat to the story. Readers will enjoy the blossoming romance between Esmerine and Alander, picking up on the common but always popular “there are forces dividing us” theme. There is also little in the novel to give alarm to parents, with only some minor kissing and a few suggestive turns of phrase delivered to Esmerine from some unsavory humans. Overall, there isn’t a whole lot of depth to Between the Sea and Sky, but that makes it an ideal choice for readers who are just beginning to get into the young adult scene.

I had heard that this novel was a bit fluffy, but after reading it I found that that was what I enjoyed about it. I really appreciate the author writing a story that is interesting and creative but also appropriate for younger teens and tweens. So often authors have really clever ideas, but the resulting books can only really be appreciated by someone over fifteen or sixteen. I could easily see a 5th or 6th grader enjoying Between the Sea and Sky, and I think there is definitely a place for novels like that in the young adult genre. Even though there is nothing Earth-shattering in the story, I would recommend it to someone who wants something easy, light and entertaining.

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Dec 19, 2011 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bloomsbury-allen-unwin

Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

Esmerine and Dosinia are the first two sirens in the Lorremen bloodline, holding prestigious titles that will gift their family with special magic forever. When a mermaid becomes a siren, they receive a belt from which they can draw power, but it can also be their undoing. If a man were to steal that belt, they would forever be his property and lose their tail to legs. When Dosinia mysteriously disappears after speaking about her two human male fri...more Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

Esmerine and Dosinia are the first two sirens in the Lorremen bloodline, holding prestigious titles that will gift their family with special magic forever. When a mermaid becomes a siren, they receive a belt from which they can draw power, but it can also be their undoing. If a man were to steal that belt, they would forever be his property and lose their tail to legs. When Dosinia mysteriously disappears after speaking about her two human male friends, Esmerine makes it her mission to find her sister and to discover what happened. Not only can a man steal the belt but a mermaid can offer it while in love, pledging their faith to the human race forever. So which category does Dosinia fall under?

One thing I really enjoyed about this novel was its merfolk and siren lore. I liked that sirens were specifically chosen for the job and that they were tasked with diverting warships, sinking boats which went over their fishing limit, and motoring sea traffic. They didn't simply sing to seduce and kill men, but pledged to protect their kind from humans while disregarding their own desires. In a historical world that's aware of the supernatural, seeing Esmerine transform into a human is an wonderful sight. In constricting dresses and feet which hurt with every step, Esme is out of her element and doesn't know how she will traverse the bustling town of Sormesen. While I was interested in Esmerine's travels and search for her sister, I didn't get the feeling that this novel had a large conflict or climax. It was more of a journey over the entire book, rather than anything with a real complication.

While on land, Esmerine gets word that her best childhood friend, Alander, may be working in a bookshop. As children, the winged boy (a fandarsee) would teach her how to read and write, sharing tales which depicted princesses getting their princes and young girls embarking on magical journeys. Both were devastated when Alan had to attend the Academy before he was to become a messenger. Contact was lost for four years and their reunion was not at all like Esme expected. Nowhere to be seen were the tight hugs and reminiscent conversations she imagined, but an unfriendly man who was only interested in the academic side of literature. When Alan agrees to fly Esme to the mountains for the search, their relationship slowly rekindles while swooping over the colourful landscape. Small moments of tenderness are seen and it's all very sweet! I wouldn't call this an epic romance with a ton of depth, but it's nice if you're looking for something light-hearted.

Between the Sea and Sky doesn't market itself as a serious fantasy, but as a quick, fresh and fun read with a fairytale feel. If simple and innocent relationships do it for you, you'll be delighted with the love Alander and Esmerine share. I enjoyed the nice escape it provided me with but won't be shelving it as a favourite. I love novels with substance, so it was a little difficult for me to be thrown into a world where everything seemed a little too easy and without large consequence or conflict. With more character and plot development, this could've been a great novel! Nevertheless, you'll be pleased with the sweet conclusion that gives everyone their happily ever after. (less)

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Dec 03, 2011 Ella Whiddett rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Outline

Esmerine is a mermaid who's just been promoted to siren position like her older sister. She's grown up an outsider in her underwater town for playing with one of the winged folk, Fandarsee, on the island nearby. It's been years sinse Esmerine last saw Alan, the winged boy, her best friend, but when her sister, Dosia, goes missing, supposedly kidnapped by a human on land, she calls on Alan's help as Esmerine takes to the land to find and return her sister.

This book is sweetly old-fas

...more

The Outline

Esmerine is a mermaid who's just been promoted to siren position like her older sister. She's grown up an outsider in her underwater town for playing with one of the winged folk, Fandarsee, on the island nearby. It's been years sinse Esmerine last saw Alan, the winged boy, her best friend, but when her sister, Dosia, goes missing, supposedly kidnapped by a human on land, she calls on Alan's help as Esmerine takes to the land to find and return her sister.

This book is sweetly old-fashioned, and softly, softly explores three very different worlds throughout; the sea, the sky and the place inbetween - earth. It flows well and has scenes that make you smile and ones that make you crave more about the world, the characters and the mythological beings.

The World-Building

The majority of the book is spent on land, but in the first few chapters we really get a feel for life under the sea. Reading about banquets held on the seabed, houses where fish would swim through the windows, and where seaweed was top cuisine was entertaining. The witty presentation of such ideas was compelling and definitely painted a picture in the reader's mind that's unlikely to be forgotten any time soon. There are also brief glimpses of life soaring through the sky on Alan's back. I would liked to have seen this explored more because I think, like the sea, it's a whole other world that's so very mysterious to humans and so much can be created from it by an author.

I assume that this book is set in medieval times...but I'm not really sure; it was never made clear. I came to this conclusion from the clothes worn, the lack of technology and transport and also the general hierarchy that existed in the different communities - Lords, servants, maids. Whilst the descriptions of the bookshop and the grand home of Dosia's new husband were enjoyable to read and then imagine in my head, I do think that Esmerine's struggle with adapting to life on land should mean that the actual land was developed on and we'd seen a bit more insight into what she thought of it. Alas, this would have been hard because of the third person narrative, which was too impersonal for my liking. It felt like Esmerine was just sitting back and watching her life events unfold with me, not like she was the actual lead in her life.

The Characters

Yes, Esmerine was somewhat a vacant character. She was peaceful in attitude and demeanor but this perhaps almost made her very boring. It was attempted by the author to make her seem smart and strong because she is described as being the clever one in her family and also because she took the pain of walking on land, but really she was vague and timid. Much of the dialogue between her and other characters was stilted and slow, but this could have been because of the time the novel was set in, when this was just the dialect of such people.

Like many YA books nowadays, there really were only two characters. Esmerine and Alan. They made up most of the book, with only short appearances from other characters who I would hav thought quite important, but didn't seem to be. Even Dosia, who seemed interesting and cool in the beginning, was just a secondary, flat character by the end who was a very different person from the start and it was never explained why this change came about. Both leads' families could also have been more deeply explored so we could know more about the main characters themselves. However, Alan is a complex character which perhaps made up for the lack of other serious ones. He has all these sides that make him hard to figure out, but the past connections and history between him and Esmerine made a romantic sub-plot inevitable.

The Romance

It was delicately drawn-out and nicely woven into the story but the predictability of it made it much less authentic. I also felt like, despite the vast majority of the book being dialogue, Esmerine and Alan never really said much of great importance to each other.

The Writing

Dolamore writes well with flow and grace, but there is little that catches the attention - no grand scenes or events that made me think wow. The volumes of dialogue also put me off a bit because I believe it's a bit of cheat for authors to have quite so much speaking, when really they should be delving into feelings and settings. But, as mentioned before, this was impossible because of the third person narrative.

Overall

An enjoyable read, if somewhat slow at times and containing too much speech, but the fantastical and mythological elements behind it were sweet and innolaced with innocence.

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Nov 30, 2011 Kate added it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

First Impression:
"A fish may love a bird, but where would they live?"
-Drew Berrymore, Ever After

This quote instantly came to mind as I read this summary. Fish.. Bird.. forbidden love. It was all there like a siren song. Begging me to read it.

While Reading:
Esmerine is not like her fellow mermaids. Most are content with becoming sirens. The highest honor a mermaid can hope to achieve. But not Esmerine. She longs for more. The lands that are described in the books she reads. Seeing what secrets the...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Lin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fantasy

Loved it!

In the authors thanks she says that she tried to write an epic while listening to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack
Whereas this was the book she wrote while listening to studio Ghibli soundtracks
Which is a perfect explanation for this book

It's a bit like Sharon Shinn or Meredith Ann Pierce had infused just a bit more modernYA like writing with their own

I have to say that opening chapter isn't great - it's not a great way to set the story up - the writing seems so shallow and laboured com...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

Hands down, this has got to be one of the most romantic books I have read in a very long time. There is just something mystical and beautiful in this story that makes you sigh on one page, cry on another, and laugh at one more. In the book, Esmerine (the mermaid) falls in love with Alander (the Fandarsee - or winged creature). Of course, they are a classic love story - as Esmerine can never fully live out of the sea with Alander, and he can never live in the ocean with her.

This story not only ca...more

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Nov 11, 2011 Deborah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels, latest-reads, older-children-book, paranormal, recommends-from-friends, reviewer-book, woman-writer, ya-novel

The Dame's Review:

Gentle story replete with all the fantasy of mermaids' culture in their seaside home, this book will take you back to the classic tale of "The Little Mermaid." Jaclyn Dolamore writes like a dream, lending her fantasies to the cause of siren songs, wrecked ships, castaway treasures, stranded pearls and sailors' tall tales throughout time. This is a star-cast book, replete with angels and mermaids that steal your heart. And, it's age appropriate as well as being beautiful and ro...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit, I was drawn in initially by the cover of this book. I mean look at it! So fantastical and mesmerizing. Then when I read the description.. knowing that it was a book about mermaids.. I hesitated. Did I really want to dive into this book when so many other mermaid themed books left me drowning in frustration? But I braved the muddy waters of -what had been a lackluster theme for me- and came out pleasantly refreshed !

Through the first few chapters I could not help but compare Esme...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am a big fan of Jaclyn Dolamore's previous book Magic Under Glass, so when I was approached to write a review how could I possibly say no? Then reading the summary it just intrigued me even more. Mermaids, magic and romance, plus just look at the beautiful cover! Over-all I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read Between the Sea and the Sky, it was a quick (only 240 pages) yet delightful read.

While reading, everything just flowed, from the writing to the characters and plot. I really enjoyed...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Harmony Beaufort rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gah, what a sweet book! It's this blend of the magic in middle grade and the romance and writing style of YA combined to make a luscious, light high fantasy that everyone can enjoy!

The book definitely doesn't read like a High Fantasy, which makes it very accessible for people who don't really like High Fantasy in the first place. While you're reading it, even though they're are people with sings and mermaids, it never feels like you're in a completely different world. Jacklyn's writing is so sub...more Gah, what a sweet book! It's this blend of the magic in middle grade and the romance and writing style of YA combined to make a luscious, light high fantasy that everyone can enjoy!

The book definitely doesn't read like a High Fantasy, which makes it very accessible for people who don't really like High Fantasy in the first place. While you're reading it, even though they're are people with sings and mermaids, it never feels like you're in a completely different world. Jacklyn's writing is so subtle when she slips me details that half-way through the novel was when I realized, this isn't in an alternate Earth, but a whole new land!

Esmerine was such a sweet (sweet is going to be a common word in this review, because that is just the overall feel of the novel!) and determined girl, and you really see her grow up and come into her own throughout the novel. She's conflicted the whole time about her duty to her community and her duty to herself, which is a problem most people face, and she was, at times, was so level-headed about it that I just loved her from the start. Alandare is awkward and doesn't really know how to talk to people and it's adorable and I just wanted to give him a big hug (which would probably confuse him, but what do I care?)

I loved reading about the concept of the mermaids and how Sirens were these esteemed kind of guardians for the mermaid world underwater. The society functions very much like a dystopian government in the sense that you only know what they tell you, and no one ever talks about the bad things. I also loved how the entire plot of the novel revolves around Esmerine trying to find her sister, right? But it's not to force Dosinia to come back to her or make her feel awful, but just to see if she was alright and if she was happy! Because in family, that's the important thing!

Alandare and Esmerine's relationship was so lovely to read. You get to hear about their past when they were children and then when there are reunited as late teenagers and how difficult it is for them to be two completely different people with an almost impossible romance but still love and care for one another. I adored the ending and the way that Jacklyn solves everything is neat and makes sense, which is always a plus.(less)

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Oct 31, 2011 Alexandra george rated it 3 of 5 stars

I rather liked this soft, romantic book. Its main focus is Esmerine's search for her sister in the world on the land. But in the process she grows up, matures, find romance and finds herself.
I really liked the aspect of the romance between a siren and a winged boy. How she learned to trust him to carry her while he flew, how they both had to compromise in order to fit into each other's lives and worlds.
They are a bit of star-crossed lovers, too, in the way of the saying "a bird and a fish can'...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Heather Anastasiu rated it 5 of 5 stars

So, full disclosure: I watched The Little Mermaid every single day after school for a YEAR in 2nd grade. I have a special warm place in my heart for mermaid stories :D Jaclyn Dolamore more than fulfills all those old-world mermaid fantasies and introduces a new generation to the romantic mermaid fairytale!

My first impression of this book was that it reminded me of Robin McKinley's books back in the day, like Beauty and Rose Daughter and The Hero and the Crown, those epic fantasy/fairytales that...more

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May 23, 2011 Alanna (The Flashlight Reader) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, ya, 2011, middle-grades, mermaid-books

If Hans Christian Andersen were still alive, this is a story he would write. I loved the world create by Jaclyn Dolamore in Between the Sea and Sky. Esmerine, a mermaid who befriends a "winged boy", is a little different from all the other mermaids. She has learned how to read and write; a thing most mermaids find impractical. She has also learned how to transform into a human and walk on land. Alander-- the "winged boy"-- is a Fandarsee. Like Esmerine, he is also different from the others of hi...more If Hans Christian Andersen were still alive, this is a story he would write. I loved the world create by Jaclyn Dolamore in Between the Sea and Sky. Esmerine, a mermaid who befriends a "winged boy", is a little different from all the other mermaids. She has learned how to read and write; a thing most mermaids find impractical. She has also learned how to transform into a human and walk on land. Alander-- the "winged boy"-- is a Fandarsee. Like Esmerine, he is also different from the others of his kind. Instead of being content as a messenger, he enjoys reading and studying philosophy.

When Esmerine's sister (Dosinia) goes missing, Esmerine travels to the human world to find her. She knows that her sister has been visiting with humans, and she fears that she has been captured. Once on land, Esmerine finds her old friend, Alander, and begins her search for Dosinia. But Esmerine is not just looking for her lost sister. She is also searching for her own place in the world and the bonds that unite her heart with Alander's.

One of my all-time favorite fairy tales is The Little Mermaid, even Hans Christian Andersen's tragic version. The mystery and beauty of living under the water has always enchanted me. This book did not disappoint me. I still managed to get the tingly feeling while reading about Esmerine's life under the sea. Above all that, though, I think I liked the fact that the created world was so different from any mermaid story I have ever read. In this book, mermaids and Fandarsee are a well known fact, not a hidden secret. The humans are not surprised to see the mystical creatures walking and living among them on land. In fact, merpeople, Fandarsee and humans interact daily and conduct business together. That alone is fascinating and unique.

The characters are delightful. Esmerine is different from the other merpeople. She's described as "practical" and snubbed by her peers. She has learned how to read and write from Alander, but the other sea-dwellers don't find that fascinating. How typical of people to disregard the things that they do not personally understand? Alander also deals with the same struggles on land. His father wants him to follow in the family's footsteps and become a great scientist. Alander, however, has no desire to "discover" things; instead, he wants to educate people and spread knowledge. It's no wonder that Esmerine and Alander feel like two parts of the same whole.

If I had to pick one thing that I liked the best in this book, I would have to say the descriptions. The vivid details helped bring to life the setting. When the story was taking place under water, I could picture the living quarters and imagine the class rankings (Yes, social classes under the sea!). The subtle snobbery of the "rich" merpeople was felt in every word and action. I didn't feel like the human world was described in as much detail as the ocean, but you still got a good sense of the setting. I feel like there should have been a little more detail and perception given to the human experiences since Esmerine was experiencing this land for the first time in human form.

Overall, this is a good read. It didn't take long to read--I finished in one sitting. If you like Hans Christian Andersen's version of The Little Mermaid, you will enjoy this story. There are elements that resonate in his version that continue in Dolamore's story. Between the Sea and Sky is romantic enough to earn a YA label, but clean enough for Disney. There are no graphic scenes--just a drunk and a few kisses. I enjoyed this one, but then again, it's hard to disappoint me with a mermaid story.
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Oct 15, 2011 Ceilidh rated it 3 of 5 stars

I found Dolamore's debut “Magic Under Glass” to be a charming and creative book that could have benefited from some tighter plotting and characterisation. It certainly sparked my interest for her next book, a standalone mermaid story, especially after Dolamore mentioned how she wrote the book to the scores of Studio Ghibli films (indeed, I noted in my earlier review how her creative worlds would be ideal for Hayao Miyizaki's next film.) While the mermaid craze never quite took off the way that m...more I found Dolamore's debut “Magic Under Glass” to be a charming and creative book that could have benefited from some tighter plotting and characterisation. It certainly sparked my interest for her next book, a standalone mermaid story, especially after Dolamore mentioned how she wrote the book to the scores of Studio Ghibli films (indeed, I noted in my earlier review how her creative worlds would be ideal for Hayao Miyizaki's next film.) While the mermaid craze never quite took off the way that many bloggers and publishers thought it would, there is still a gap in the market for a strong mermaid YA to join the myriad of vampires, werewolves, angels and other assorted creatures of mythology already so well known to readerrs. Unfortunately this book did not meet my excpectations.

I found that many of the same problems I had with Dolamore's previous novel appeared in “Between the Sea and the Sky”. Wonderfully imaginative elements of world-building, including the mermaid-siren hierarchy, the relations between each of the species and the world of the winged creatures, the Fandarsee, were introduced to us but never fully developed. In “Magic Under Glass”, Dolamore introduced the strands of political and cultural complexities that I was desperate to know more about, yet such elements never came to fruition, and the exact same thing happens here. While there were moments of vivid descriptive scenes throughout her consistently strong prose, I never felt fully immersed in the world-building. To be honest, much of it felt very underdeveloped. I have a feeling this book may be marketed to a younger, more middle-grade audience. The prose and story-telling feels more suited to pre-teen readers, although it's very readable for all ages. I did find that the frequent dumping of exposition began to grate extremely quickly, especially since this is such a short book with very little action and a highly predictable plot.

I did not find Esmerine to be as interesting or well developed as Nimira in “Magic Under Glass.” The idea of the young beautiful mermaid dissatisfied with her lot in life and yearning for more on the surface is nothing new. In fact, it's a staple of the great mermaid tales going back as far as Hans Christian Andersen, maybe even further. I can understand the harking back to influential tales but so little is developed from that point onwards that it can't help but feel stagnant and unsatisfying. This applies to pretty much every supporting character in the book, although nobody is ever really given any real time to shine or become more three-dimensional. Of course, this doesn't bode well for the romantic element, which felt too heavily reliant on the childhood friends trope to explain Esmerine and Alandare's relationship. One part of the book that really left me scratching my head was the depiction of humans. While mermaids and the Fandarsee are granted some variety of characterisation, pretty much every human is seen as selfish, rude or extremely ignorant of other species aside from themselves. They seem to view all others as a side-show novelty. I could understand this possibly for one or two characters from more isolated parts of the country, but these interactions and knowledge of other creatures are well known, so it didn't make much sense to have every human act like a fool when in the presence of a mermaid (whom they are especially susceptible to falling under their charms) or Fandarsee.

While “Between the Sea and the Sky” possesses much of the charm and imagination of Dolamore's debut work, the same flaws are also still present and overwhelm the positive elements. Wonderfully creative elements and ideas are introduced but left to flounder instead of being given their deserved attention, while the characters and romantic element are pretty stock for the genre for the most part. The readability of its prose and short length make it ideally suited to younger readers, although the book itself is not without merit for readers of all ages. Once again, it's an ideal framework for a Ghibli film, but also hints are Dolamore's possible strengths as a short story writer.

2.5/5. (less)

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May 09, 2013 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-books, books-that-disappointed, curl-up-and-read-this, don-t-judge-these-books-by-their-s, forbidden-romance, gorgeous-covers, mermaids-sirens, mystical-creatures, ya-fiction

I love books about mermaids. Seriously, I have ever since I was a kid and that fascination never went away. I guess it has to do with the mysteriousness and other worldly quality of these creatures.

Between the Sea and Sky is about Esmerine, a mermaid who has just been chosen to be a siren. The highest calling a mermaid can have. She joins her older sister Dosia who is a siren as well. In their world, magical creatures live along with humans and are regarded with awe and fear. Esmerine has never...more I love books about mermaids. Seriously, I have ever since I was a kid and that fascination never went away. I guess it has to do with the mysteriousness and other worldly quality of these creatures.

Between the Sea and Sky is about Esmerine, a mermaid who has just been chosen to be a siren. The highest calling a mermaid can have. She joins her older sister Dosia who is a siren as well. In their world, magical creatures live along with humans and are regarded with awe and fear. Esmerine has never forgotten Alander, her winged childhood friend. But they drifted apart as they grew up. Dosia disappears suddenly and worried sick, Esmerine goes to the surface to search for her, fearful of what might have happened to her for all the stories the merfolk tell of human men.

She braves it all anyway and looks for Alander first as he is the only one who can help her but when they meet, gone is her childhood playmate and best friend and in place is a cold, distant man. Alander shared books with her and taught her how to write, she is ever grateful to him but his reaction to her now is unexpected. Eventually he agrees to come with her to help her find her sister.

I think the world building and fleshing out of the mermaid mythology will not go down with everyone. I can see how people might not like the way mermaids are described and played out. I felt a little lacking of that spark that would light up the world created. I mean, I liked this protrayal I just felt it missed that little something that would have catapulted it into great YA fantasy fiction. With minimal expounding on the world created, this book felt geared towards preteen readers and younger teens for that reason.

What did surprise me was the winged people, initially I assumed they were angels but they turned out to be these bat winged liked creatures. Interesting.

I know this was suppose to be a romance but if halfway into the book is any indication, romance readers will be disappointed. The book is centered on the search for Esmerine's sister and her assimilation to the human world. The romance was lacking and non existent. Sigh, no chemistry or steamy moments at all. Quite a disappointment as I have read fairytale retellings with even better romance than this. Granted they are childhood friends and all but that's all it seemed to be. They must well have remained friends for all the book was worth. Their getting together and acceptance of one another and sappy wedding at the end was so fake, it felt like the author needed that type of happy ending just to make the novel satisfying.

This was a good take on mermaids. Quite the effort but not the best or even great. I think this would be a fair read if you want something light and quick. Do not expect much from this.(less)

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