Promises

Syrenka #1

by Amber Garr

Sometimes following your heart can end up destroying the ones you love. When seventeen-year-old Eviana Dumahl is faced with the responsibility of an arranged marriage and clan leadership, she is forced to choose between the life required of a mermaid and one of a teenage girl simply infatuated with the wrong guy. Kain, her devoted fiancé, would make a wonderful husband except that she’s been in love with Brendan, a shape-shifting selkie, ever since they were kids. Choosing to abandon her family, her clan, and her life with Kain will have dire consequences far beyond anything she could have imagined.A war is brewing amongst the clans and Eviana unwittingly becomes a pawn in the intricate schemes of a twisted mastermind. With Brendan’s life on the line, she has no choice but to involve those she once considered friends. Amidst encountering senseless tragedies and immense loss, Eviana discovers that she is more valuable as a clan leader than anyone ever suspected. Her survival is not only dependent upon the loyalty of her friends, but also on her acceptance of a life she so adamantly tried to escape.Promises is the first book of The Syrenka Series trilogy following Eviana and her friends through the perils of growing up in a discrete world that inherently threatens human society.

Genres: Mermaids, Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Fiction

251 pages, Paperback

First published December 7, 2011

About the author

Amber Garr spends her days as a scientist and nights writing about other worlds. Her childhood imaginary friend was a witch, Halloween is sacred, and she is certain she has a supernatural sense of smell. Amber is an award-winning author who, when not obsessing over the unknown, can be found reading or enjoying a good movie.

Learn more about Amber Garr and her other romance pen names at www.algarrbooks.com.

Reviews

[Karlyflower *The Vampire Ninja, Luminescent Monster & Wendigo Nerd Goddess of Canada (according to The Hulk)* · Rating 2 out of 5]

Guys!!! Guys!! It's a book about mermaids, guys!!



Buddy-read with the fabulous Jess and the amazing Heather to take place at some point in august :)

2 Stars

I have been having the devil of a time with novels lately. I just can’t seem to find a story that satisfies me. Promises is no exception, while there are some truly interesting moments the book as a whole ultimately failed me.

Probably the biggest reason for that is INCONSISTENCY. I had such a hard time figuring out motivations for these characters, and the ones that were present DID NOT make any bloody sense to me given the ages, and behaviour of the characters up to that point of choice. Honestly, I will forgive writers for giving teenagers responsibilities that make no sense to be held by such, (I enjoyed both Divergent and Harry Potter despite an abundance of adult responsibilities being foisted upon young people with no knowledge of what the hell is going on.) but what I won’t forgive is teenagers acting like middle aged characters one minute and petulant children the next without any fucking motivation for this personality swap. I also will NEVER believe that a teenage boy would accept (and encourage, in a way) a fiancé having a lover on the side no matter how fucking much he loves her, THAT is HORSESHIT!! Teenage love is incredibly finite, and in that way I did relate to some of the points of this book.

I had no problem accepting Eviana (DO NOT get me started on the idiocy of that name) making the choices she did with regards to Brendan, no matter how selfish they seem, because teenage love IS selfish. It is quite literally the most extreme love you will ever feel, not because it is the best or the greatest, but because your first love knows no limitations. It has never been qualified or tested, and in that regard it will always be the most consuming. However, in that same regard I found both Brendan and Kain’s motivations, as likewise finite teenagers of extremely untested emotions, non-existent or entirely unbelievable. This inconsistency infuriated me.

Oh yes, and the love triangle… I think everyone knows how much I love me a love-triangle.



It’s a trope I care for almost as little as insta-love. It is in my opinion one of the biggest cop outs a writer could ever employ. Generally when a love triangle is introduced to a story it is because the heroine has a choice to make in how to proceed in her life (often it boils down to fight the system or remain a pawn to said system) and regardless of which choice she makes she will have a boy waiting for her who loves her and supports her. The lack of realism this trope employs enrages me. A TEENAGE GIRL IS NOT DEFINED BY WHETHER THE HOTTEST GUYS ARE IN LOVE WITH HER!!! STOP TRYING TO SELL THAT SELF-WORTH-AS-DEFINED-BY-THE-BOYS-WHO-LOVE-YOU BULLSHIT!! I am not buying it, that shit is expired and I do NOT want it. And reality, at least mine, has always involved choices I have to make for myself and those choices are not always pretty and simple. Oftentimes I have lost friends and boyfriends over those choices, and it’s messy and hard to do, but that is what a choice is. Never have I sat on a fence with a gorgeous man on either side willing to catch me when I jump or stumble, and I’m not saying it’s impossible but it isn’t reality.

I could rant on but I won’t, though Heather has touched on a few other annoyances I had in her review. This story has an interesting premise and I did enjoy the, although poorly developed, hierarchy and I loved all the different mythical creatures present throughout but the execution was underdeveloped, trope-riddled and frustrating to read.

Will I EVER find a mermaid book that I like?! That isn’t some deviation of this:



With some fresh paint thrown on it??

Category: A Book with a Love Triangle

[Jess ❈Harbinger of Blood-Soaked Rainbows❈ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hey, guys, did you know I'm obsessed with mermaids?

Thank you to my fierce Karly and fearless Heather for buddy-reading this one with me in August.

Admit it. You know you'd rather be one of them too!

-----------------

Read a book with a love triangle.

2 stars.

This is another one I just never got around to writing a review for. Overall this was a miss but there were a couple things I liked.

THE GOOD

Mermaids
Well this is me, so this should be expected. And I liked that the mermaids in this novel are kinda were-mermaids. They can shift between human form and mer-form at will. Eviana's love interest, Brendan, is a selkie and also can morph between human and seal form. Though this could have been a cheap way to conveniently get around the whole thing taking place in water, I enjoyed the new premise of merfolk. I only wished that premise had been explored further.

Pacing
The pace and action of this book could be quite good in spots. There were definitely places where I felt that itch to keep turning pages. The book is immensely readable and wasn't really boring. And yes, at times, I really wanted to know what would happen. I am much more forgiving if the book is readable rather than boring.

The mythology and hierarchy of the world
There were a lot of new things going on with the world building. I wouldn't say that the world building was good per say, but I liked some of this author's ideas. This leads me into the bad.

THE BAD

Inconsistency and flimsy world-building
Though I said I enjoyed the premise of this world, I found the building of it inconsistent and flimsy. I would have liked to see more differentiation between the human and the mer culture. But the merpeople seemed to be human except for the shapeshifting thing. However, they had their own government, laws, kingdoms, and clans apart from the human world. The mythology wasn't explored deep enough for me. If you are going to create a new world, then CREATE A NEW WORLD. Follow through, Be consistent. Go for it. Or the result will be lackluster and forgettable. Like this.

Characterization
There was none. I didn't care for any of these characters. At all. Eviana annoyed me to no end. Kain was petulant and foolish. Brendan was the only one with even a hint of depth, but there wasn't enough for me to care about him either. I can't get into a book if I don't care what happens to any of the characters.

THE UGLY

Love triangles, love triangles, love triangles
This book is basically centered around a love triangle, with conflict as a secondary plotline. Similar to Eclipse. And we all know how much I loved that piece of trash. I hate this particular trope. Hate it. Particularly the type like this one when the heroine is faced between her duty and her heart. And don't get me started on the idiocy of the future husband telling Eviana she could have a lover on the side. Nobody does that. The whole thing is stupid.

The ending
I won't get spoilery. But the whole thing was stupid and contrived and derivative. I haven't decided whether or not I will continue on with this series. This ending make me want to stop. But the completer in me is strong.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another buddy read with The Fabulous Jess and Karly! (Because I invite myself to things like that.) Set for August.

REVIEW

I almost don't want to give this one star, since I think there was actually good idea here. Somewhere.

I liked the initial setup. Mermaid loves selkie, mermaid is set to marry merman, mermaid runs way with selkie and ruins everything. The main issue was the characters' ages, really. It was hard for me to believe a clan of merpeople would be okay appointing an eighteen-year-old as their leader. Especially when the new leader/s have been taught basically NOTHING about their society, and their teen years were filled with tons of privileges like fancy cars and beach houses and who knows what else.

The writing wasn't terrible, but it could definitely have used some polish. There were misused words, like track/tract and discrete/discreet. Commas could have been used in some places and not in others. As for the characterization, there wasn't any. So this story was basically a bunch of drama involving people I could barely picture.

I wish the relationships had been explored more. That could have been REALLY interesting. Especially the part where the merman fiance says he would have no problem if the MC sees her boyfriend on the side after they get married.



Will I never find a mermaid book I actually like?

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m always eager to read anything involving mermaids so when I picked this book I was really excited and had high hopes. Sadly those hopes were quickly dashed to ribbons and then set on fire with the ashes left to scatter in the winds. This book was just PAINFUL to read. Not only were the characters and the writing cringeworthy but it was riddled with errors and weird formatting that just made my brain hurt. Do yourself a favour and skip this one. I went through the pain so you didn’t have to.

[Nickle Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read my review at my blog, Night Owl Reads

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Promises (The Syrenka Series #1)
Author: Amber Garr
Number of Pages: 276
Date of Release: December 7th, 2011
Summary From Goodreads:

Sometimes following your heart can end up destroying the ones you love.

When seventeen-year-old Eviana Dumahl is faced with the responsibility of an arranged marriage and clan leadership, she is forced to choose between the life required of a mermaid and one of a teenage girl simply infatuated with the wrong guy. Kain, her devoted fiancé would make a wonderful husband except that she’s been in love with Brendan, a shape-shifting selkie, ever since they were kids. Choosing to abandon her family, her clan, and her life with Kain will have dire consequences far beyond anything she could have imagined.

A war is brewing amongst the clans and Eviana unwittingly becomes a pawn in the intricate schemes of a twisted mastermind. With Brendan’s life on the line, she has no choice but to involve those who she once considered friends. Amidst encountering senseless tragedies and immense loss, Eviana discovers that she is more valuable as a clan leader than anyone ever suspected. Her survival is not only dependent upon the loyalty of her friends, but also on her acceptance of a life that she had so adamantly tried to escape.

Promises is the first book of The Syrenka Series trilogy following Eviana and her friends through the perils of growing up in a discrete world that inherently threatens human society.

Review: I don’t even know where to begin in this review! Let’s start with the cover that I cannot take my eyes off of. The design is not only breathtaking but also fits flawlessly with the novel. I am always leery of mermaid stories, because I haven’t had a good history with them. I was not expecting Promises to take me on such a ride! Promises is a breathtaking debut, that will leave your heart aching for Eviana. Amber Garr’s writing is effortless and the refined way she writes, left me needing more.

Eviana, has a sweet name, who has read a book with a character with that name before? I know I haven’t and I liked the originality. Anyways, I thought being trapped between two guys would make her kind of a well not nice person who I would hate to read about. That so didn’t happen and I loved every minute of her narration. The way Amber portrayed her as a character and the situations she put her in, was what made the novel. Seeing how Eviana was being forced to marry Kain, I expected him to be kind of dull, but man oh man was he HOT! There are things that he said to Evianna, that I just keep thinking about and man oh man that rarely happens. Not only that but he is one of the sweetest guys I have read about in a long time. Brendan while I knew was really sweet held back a lot, and it was that which made me a Kain fan instantly, but as you read on the favorite, kind of blurs. So now I have no idea which one is my favorite I am so TORN!!

So while I did anticipate some of the key plot points, it didn’t bother me because it was the minor conversations and events in those points that were such a surprise. Like I mentioned before, there is just something so effortless and lyrical about Ambers writing style and I can’t quite put my finger on it yet, but I love it. Another cool part of the novel was the legends and folklore that was added in on all of these creatures that you have only ever briefly heard of. I really liked that element and it made Promises truly unique. The only thing I really disliked was how Promises sucked me in and then spit me out! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME AMBER! I really need more, right now I am like a junkie waiting for my next fix.

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

[More of a rant than review]

I do not know where to start with this book.

But lately, I've been getting into indie reads and trying to discover something awesome, particularly in supernatural or folklore stuff, something as good as Angelfall.

But it turns out not every indie read can be expected to be as good as a debut as Susan Ee's book.

When I first read the blurb/summary for this story, I thought, sure, why not? It's a mermaid/selkie story and I haven't read anything fishy since the Little Mermaid when I was 12.

Call me crazy, but I got the ebook for 98cents and started reading it.

It. Was. A. Disaster.

Firstly, I could see all the self-publishing flaws, the misuse of wrong words, unfinished sentences, typos, grammar and even the occasional spelling mistakes. It was rather bad for something published - but then again, it was done independently, and you could expect the odd flaw or two.

Because nothing can be as good as Angelfall.

Moving on from the physical flaws, the plot and storyline, plus characterization, was a big no-no.
Firstly, the author contradicted herself with what hair color the protagonist had, and I didn't know if I was meant to hate her, like her, feel sorry for her or a mix of the three.

I just found her annoying and rather dull, and really whiny for a 17 year old.

Considering that her family is one of the most powerful mermaid clans, I would have expected her to have a strict upbringing that affected her attitude and her personality. I was expecting something more headstrong and a girl who knows her responsibilities. It was like she had reverted back to her 13 year old ways and threw away everything for the sake of love.

I guess in some cases, books that have girls who fall for love, it works, especially when the circumstance is difficult, like an arranged marriage with an old man or someone evil, but this bitch just kept crushing on Kain, while she was kissing another guy.

It was pathetic.

And the PLOT! So out of order.
I just can't say anything more, since I gave up and skimmed the rest.

So much potential, but it's like there's no thought put into trying to be original in plot and how an actual proper 17 year old acts. Not all teenagers are like that - and readers in that age bracket are usually a lot mature than the character. It's YA, but I feel slightly offended with how annoying the character is.

Enough said.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't know where to start with this book. There were so many times with it where I felt like I've been there, done that. I was bored with so many areas of the novel that I just wanted to put it down and pick up something else. Right when I was about to do that, something would happen in the book that would keep me reading it.

I love selkies, and that's probably the biggest reason I kept going with this because there just aren't enough selkie novels out there. But I really felt like the character development was lacking, especially in regards to Brendan and Kain. So much more could've been done there. The build-up to the story itself could've had a lot more done to it as well. When I get 40% of the way into a story and nothing has happened, there is seriously something wrong. At that point, I was going to call it quits. God only knows why I kept reading. I'm kind of glad I did (although at the same time, there are SO MANY OTHER good books out there that I could've spent my time on). Once Eviana finally ran away with Brendan, things picked up a little bit, but it still had the feeling of The Little Mermaid to it (running away from home to be with the boy she loves).

I liked the naiad, water sprite, and kelpies and wish they'd been featured in the novel a bit more. I also felt like there could've been a lot more information put into the background of The Legacy for the reader's information.

There's just so much lacking to this novel, I can't possibly give it more than two stars. But clearly the author did SOMETHING right because, hey, I finished it, didn't I?

[S.K. Munt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is going to be my most to the point review in history. In short:

*I do NOT like the selfish, stoopid heroine.
*I do not get hot for seals.
*There is only Kain...but I hate it in love triangles, when the other guy (you like) is divided.
*The level of tragedy was not cohesive to the girlish and flimsy narrative.
*This got depressing, fast-and stayed there

And finally???? Still one if the most intriguing mer books I've read, which has me scratching my head...it has to be Kain. Reminds me of Bishop in Book Of Ivy

[A Bear and a Bee Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

So first, confession time, I love mermaids! In fact, I’m pretty sure I thought I was one for a time period. That said, let’s talk about my overall impression of this book. I did enjoy it but would have loved more description relating to the water scenes. There is one portion with caves that I found very appealing. The characters are interesting but I would have loved some more back story regarding the friend group. They seemed to become lifelong friends extremely quickly. In addition, the writing style flowed but is reminiscent of former YA days. In the beginning I felt the groans coming but once the action picked up I did struggle to put it down. The pacing is on point and the book is a quick and easy read.

I am planning on continuing the series and think it is a great choice for summer reading. The plot is intriguing and there is enough drama to keep me interested. I would however have liked a little more emotional depth from the main character as it relates to her family. I’m hoping that the series expands on some of these things and that the characters continue to be flushed out.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Promises
(I received a digital copy of this book for free as part of the ‘Syrenka’ Blog Tour!)
This is book 1 in the ‘Syrenka’ series.
17-year-old Eviana is a mermaid. Not only is she a mermaid, but she is her clan leaders eldest child, which means that she will be the next clan leader. Mermaids are a dying species, which means that they must marry and breed appropriately. Eviana’s parents have arranged a marriage for her, to Kain – the heir of the Matthew’s clan, who as mermen go, is quite a catch.
Eviana and Kain have known about this arrangement since they were very young, but while Kain obviously has feelings for Eviana, Eviana has a boyfriend, a selkie (seal) called Brandon who her parents don’t approve of (as mermaids and selki’s can’t breed together).
With Eviana’s 18th birthday only a few weeks away, her marriage is fast approaching, and she knows that as much as she likes Kain, she belongs with Brandon, and they begin to make plans to run away together.
With tensions running high between Eviana and her parents, a Syrenka Cottilion to attend, and her wedding day looming, Eviana throws her entire life away to run away with Brandon, even when she knows that Kain would be a great husband and that they would be good together.
But when disaster strikes, and Brandon’s life is on the line, Eviana finds that having no family and friends to turn to could mean that she loses the only thing that she ever truly wanted, and she must swallow her embarrassment and ask the people that she left behind for help.


I really enjoyed this book, from the very first page I was swept into Eviana’s world, with both it’s magical beings, and teenage normalcy. I loved how Eviana’s problems were so similar to those of a normal teen – parents wanting her to do what she doesn’t want to do, parents not approving of her boyfriend, and also very different – being forced into an arranged marriage, and having to content with being the next leader of her clan.

I totally understood Eviana’s desire to run off with her boyfriend, and her wish to not have to marry at 18, but at the same time, I never for a moment thought that she would go through with it. I thought she would have a change of heart or change of circumstance and that she would stay and do her duty.
I personally was secretly hoping that she would stay and marry Kain who was a total sweetheart. He was more than happy to do his duty, especially when faced with his father’s impending death, and even offered to let Eviana continue to see Brandon in secret once they were married, which was obviously something that he knew would mean a lot to her.

Eviana was a strong female lead, she did what she wanted, but only after considering the consequences of her actions. She must have been so in love with Brandon to risk everything to be with him. Not only was she leaving her family, but her friends, clan, and way of life too. I don’t think I could ever do something like that, and I both applaud and frown upon her decision to run away. Whilst I understand that she loved Brendon and wanted to be with him, I also felt for Kain who was being jilted at the alter.

Eviana was always determined to get what she wanted, and this came across even more strongly when she was fighting for those that she loved and cared for.
If I had one complaint about the book it was when Eviana and Brendon slept together for the first time, and we were teased a bit and then told that they had ‘a wonderful night together’, I would have loved a little bit more here, nothing sordid or ‘fifty shades’, but just a little more than what we got!
Overall I liked this book though, and am looking forward to reading the second book in the series – Betrayal.
8 out of 10.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

*A copy was provided by Amber Garr for review purposes*

I haven’t read a lot of mermaid books in my life, so I’m trying to get more into the genre. Promises by Amber Garr seemed to be a great book to read, and it was okay. There were a few things that I didn’t really like, but overall it was a pretty good story.

I’ll just go right into it and rant about the things I didn’t like. The huge thing was the writing. I understand that as a self-published author you have to edit your own work and it’s hard to catch all the mistakes, but this is just inexcusable. I don’t think Garr checked her work at all. The punctuation was horrible, and the wrong words were used. And this didn’t happen only occasionally. This happened at least five times every page. Here are some examples:

“He bent down towards me placing both hands on my arms to hold me up”

~Page 11
Correct punctuation: “He bent down towards me, placing both hands on my arms to hold me up.”

“Aye…cat got yer tongue young maidens?”

~Page 145
Correct Punctuation: “Aye…cat got yer tongue, young maidens?”

Those were two out of five hundred mistakes. And, besides that, the writing was choppy and disconnected. It was sudden and didn’t flow at all.
On the bright side, I did enjoy the story. The idea was really original, and I loved the love-triangle. The story line was good too, and I loved how everything built on itself, and got explained at the end. I do think that the escapes were really easy and sudden and a little to convenient, but that’s okay. I loved the world building and the conflict, the choice between love and fame.

I will say that I am TOTALLY Team Kain! Whoop-whoop! He’s so nice; I don’t understand why Eviana doesn’t want him. But, if she doesn’t want him, I’ll take him :P
On the other hand, I don’t really like Brendan. I don’t know why, I just get a weird vibe. I don’t know for sure, but I’ve got a feeling that he might dump Eviana. That’s not a spoiler because I don’t actually know, but I think it might happen.
And, to complete the cast, I really liked Eviana. Like I said, I don’t know why she chose Brendan, but other than that, I think she was pretty kick-butt.

I really hope that Garr fixes her writing for the next book, because it was atrocious in this one. I hate to bash authors for their writing, but I just can’t ignore it this time. Please Amber, please, just fix it in the second book. :)

[Avry15 · Rating 5 out of 5]

originally appeared on:Bookshelf Confessions

First, I’d like to say that I loved the cover. It fits wonderfully into the theme of the novel.

“Promises” is the first book of The Syrenka Series trilogy following Eviana and her friends through the perils of clan wars, tragedies and immense loss.
I admit that it’s easy to predict the storyline in the first chapters, but soon I’d find a lot of unexpected turns and twist that left me stunned and emotionally affected. And from there, I was totally hooked with the story.

What makes the story so relatable and enjoying to read is Ms. Garr’s writing. I enjoyed reading the conversations, and she made the story flow naturally.
I enjoyed the author’s description especially how these sea creatures change from human form to their magical form. It’s easy to picture it happening. I enjoyed the mermaid lore and other stuffs about them. This is actually my first mermaid novel and I was not disappointed.

This book is a love triangle, and even though it was Brendan that Eviana loves, I find Kain to be charming and lovable. With Eviana’s narration, it’s easy to see that she has a mounting feeling for Kain, which makes Kain almost the center of the book. There was more detail on him than Brendan, but I hope to learn more of Brendan in the next book too.

Eviana meanwhile, even though I want to smack her most of the times, her character was developed as the story goes on. In every situation she was put in, she grows and learns something from it.

The ending of this book meanwhile is a little too-happily-ever-after for me. But the excerpt of the second book takes that feeling back and replaces it with thrill and excitement..:)

All in all, Promises is a great book to start The Syrenka Series. I was deeply absorbed with the book from beginning til end. YA Romance mixed with sea folklores and legends make “Promises” a unique book that is fascinating, engaging and over-all a must-read!

Highly Recommended to everyone!..:)

P.S.There is a free excerpt of the Chapter 1 of Betrayal , the sequel at the back of the book. It promises another Eviana and Kain moment, and a little bit creepy…:)

[MeMe Belikova First lady Ivashkov · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am happy to say that 'Promises' was my first mermaid book and I enjoyed it! Amber Garr did an AMAZING job creating this magical world of mermaids, nymphs, water sprites and Selkies. I fell in love with all of the characters they played a great roll in the story/plot.


The Plot:
Seventeen year old Evianna Dummahl is a mermaid that just wants to live her life, her way. That is clearly impossible for Eviana because she is next in line to be clan leader of her tribe and she also is being forced to marry her fiance, Kain, who is in love with her but unfortunately Eviana has her heart set on her boyfriend and childhood friend, Brendan. Eviana has made a decision to run away with Brendan to have the perfect life, but what Eviana doesn't know is that a declaration of war is coming in the mermaid world between the clans and running away from her family and friends just might cost her her life and also theirs. Eviana finds what she is destined to be and that she must fight for what she believes in.

This book was a great start for this series, there was ALOT of action, funny moments that I actually LOL'd at, and some heartbreaking moments in this book. I love this new world of mermaids and the whole arranged marriage type situations. Eviana's story is refreshing and everything I would want the mermaid world would be in my imagination. I recommend this book to the pre-teens and above, this was a great read! Can't wait for the second installment "Betrayal' It is going to be so AWESOME, Im so excited hopefully it comes out soon so I can get my hands on it and see what happens to Eviana next!


Thanks to Amber Garr herself, for giving me the opportunity to read her AMAZING book! :)

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very few books about merfolk hook me after the first chapter, sad but a true fact. This one however (and thankfully) was not the norm, it completely had me entangled in the story after just the first few pages.

The writing was beautifully done and flowed so smoothly that I started the book and before I knew it I looked down and I was almost half way through it. It felt like no time had passed at all as I became so immersed in the story that I had lost track of everything else around me.

The character were very well fleshed out and felt very much like real people. I admit, I really liked Kain from the very beginning and my heart immediately felt for him and for his unrequited love for Eviana.

Secondary characters can make or break a book in my opinion and thankfully this book not only had great primary characters but some pretty amazing and fun secondary characters as well.

I really liked Eviana, I didn't always agree with her choices but in the end, she did what she had to do and it came at a great price to her. It will be really interesting to see how much she grows in the next book as well, I have a feeling there will be a lot more in store for her as the trilogy continues.

This book was pretty gripping and I had a hard time putting it down. I am so glad I have the next two books because I can already tell that it will be really hard not jumping right into them to find out what happens next.

Overall this was extremely well done and I give it a very solid 4 Stars!

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Promises is a FABULOUS read! Once I started reading it I could not put it down. I had to continue reading to see what would happen. I have the honor of being on The Syrenka Series Blog Tour and I have to say this series so far is AMAZING. There is something about Mermaids and Mermen that draws you in and you can't help but want to read and read until you get to the end. In Promises there are so many twists and turns you would have never thought but the way Amber weaves her story makes it fit nice and neat.

Eviana is not your average teenager. She is a mermaid who who is engaged to a mermen Kain but she is dating a Selkie Brendan. Her parents do not approve of their relationship which causes problems between them. They decide to run away to be together and once they do that a war starts to brew. Eviana is going to have to be strong and stand up for what she believes in but she is also a pawn in the war between clans. She will have to use her leadership status to bring the clans together.

What will Eviana do? Will she stay with the love of her life Brandan or will she marry her pre picked husband Kain? Eviana will have to be strong and make decisions that will effect more than just her and her true love. I have to say I really do love how Amber did this love triangle because both guys are perfect in every way so it is hard for Eviana to choose but She opened up to Kain in the end. So we will have to see in book two what happens between her and Kain.This is a summer must read!

[CαthεεBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title : Promises
Series : The Syrenka Series 1
Author : Amber Garr
Pages : 251
Release Date : Dec 7 2011
Publisher : Self-pub
Format : Paperback
Source :
**From the author in exchange of an honest review**






My Opinion :


It seems like mermaid books are getting more and more popular, and, I am really happy about that, because I love them and books about them!

Promises is a debut that will leave you curious for more!


Sometimes following your heart can end up destroying the ones you love.
Promises is the story seventeen years old Eviana, a mermaid and now unhappy fiancé of the soon-to-be leader of her mermaid clan. Even if she likes Kain, the soon-to-be leader, she is in love with a selkie named Brendan. Then, she runs away with Brendan to gt away from her so-called destiny. And, Brendan gets hurt. And a war begins. You know, good ole' stuff!

A great mermaid book to add to your to-read list!


Amber Garr'S writing is easy to read and flows easily; it is not easy to keep yourself from turning the pages again and again, because the story is intriguing and pulls you in.

I thought the romance between Eviana and Brendan's romance wasn't real enough for me; as you may know, I LOVE romance.

One thing that I just LOVED is the constant drama in the book! I am a drama-holic, just so you know, and I think that drama and romance are the two things that make a book good. :D

Great book!



RATING

[Beatrice Rivers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mermaids and selkies are not allowed to be together so, of course, Evian and Brendan have it in for them. But I didn’t foresee the complications that Brendan's seal skin brought him or the fact that everything would go downhill for the couple as the book neared the end…

I cannot choose – Brendan or Kyle? Or even Daniel for that matter? I think that I finally decided that I would have Daniel as my boyfriend because he seems like the most patient, loving and even tempered of the three of them, and Kyle and Brendan as my best friends.

I must say that when Brendan made his first appearance, I thought that he was attacking Evian. I’m not sure if it was meant to appear that way, but I was a little suspicious, as I wasn’t sure if a seal would do that… it turned out that it was just Evian and Brendan messing around and seeing who would win between the two of them.

I don’t think that I liked Carissa. She seemed like the sort of person who would steal your boyfriend from under your nose, and everyone would take her side because she was ‘awesome and everyone wanted to be her’. I don’t know if that’s just my imagination running away with me, but I just don’t like her.

All negative things left behind, I am now contemplating buying book two, so that I can find out what happened, because the extract from book two, which was in the back of book one, wasn’t enough to satisfy me.

I Recommend this book to young adult readers who like mermaids and the idea of swimming along the sea bed.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at Reflections of a Bookworm

What worked: The cover completely drew me in but before I read Promises, I had never read a mermaid book before but if the rest of the series is anything like this book, I'm in for a treat! Amber really has a talent for conjuring up really vivid scenes in your imagination and I have to say that I'm Team Kain all the way. I found the world and hierarchy's that Amber created were really intriguing and I loved all of the characters, especially Kain of course ;) About 3 quarters of the way through the book, I had the urge to help Eviana and give her a hug and it's not often that a book can affect such a hard-hearted mare like me!

What irked: Close to the end of the book, I felt that the pace really picked up and I had to remind myself what was going on and then it slowed again but it was only a minor irk.

Recommended to: Anyone who hasn't picked up a mermaid book before. I know it can seem really cheesy when you think about it but I couldn't have been more wrong. Please excuse me while I make room in my budget for the sequels: Betrayal and Arise.

[Myndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, the first thing I must make clear is that I LOVE mermaids. I have since I was a kid. That will color my opinion of mermaid related books, just to be clear.
That being said, I did love this book. It's got everything a great YA or Paranormal Romance book needs. We've got a forbidden love, some disapproving parents, tragic circumstances, adventure, danger, and mystery all rolled into the first installment of Syrenka. Eviana is our main mermaid character...I found her to be strong willed, and opinionated. She's a bit whiny and sullen with her parents, but she is just 17...let's let her grow before we judge her too harshly on that. I think my favorite aspect of the book, was the fact that we've got other water creatures involved. Selkies, water sprites, kelpies and more round out this world. I've already moved on to book two!

[Caketress · Rating 2 out of 5]

*sigh* I've liked all of the mermaid books I have read but for some reason, this one.. I don't know. It moved way too fast for me. And not only that, I feel like I never got a good idea or mental picture of the characters or locations/surroundings. This story felt so rushed to me.. it makes me not want to read the next two. I suppose I'm just not a fan of Garr's writing style. I liked the storyline but the pace of the book was frustrating.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eviana is a seventeen-year-old and the first born of her mother Mistress Dumahl, the clan leader. Which means she has certain privileges, but along with those privileges come responsibility, responsibilities that Eviana doesn't want to have to face. As her eighteenth birthday is nearing, so is the time that she should be married and start having children to ensure the future of their clans. In Eviana's case, this is one of the very last things that she wants to do, become a teenage bride and start having children, let alone the fact that it's to be an arranged marriage. Her mother promised her to the Matthews clan when she was a mere toddler, hoping that their union would finally bring the two clans together and give them not only a better standing in their world, but also larger numbers. Kain, the young man that Eviana has been promised to, is the picture of amazing and any girl would love the chance to be married to him and a part of his life. He has beautiful blonde hair, caring blue eyes, a smile that lights up the world, and a good heart. It doesn't hurt that he's next in line to be the leader of their clan, which will probably happen sooner rather than later as his father is in failing health.
However, Eviana has plans of her own. Her heart belongs to Brendan, a selkie (or seal shape-shifter) that she's been best friends with and seeing for years. Her heart belongs to him and she would do anything to be with him, but their parents don't support it, neither do their species. As the mer-world that Eviana is a part of, she is supposed to produce mer-children. When is comes to selkie-mer relations, children aren't conceived. Plus, mers look to selkies for the most part as underlings or something that is beneath them to be in relationships with. Eviana can't see why on Earth this is and ignores her family, her clan, and everything her people have taught her as she continues to choose Brendan over Kain. When push comes to shove and the clan leaders set a date for her and Kain to be married she does the most heart-wrenching thing that she could do to her parents and secretly plans to leave them and her world behind in order to stay with Brendan.
Unbeknownst to her, there's a lot more going on in the mer-world than she's ever been aware of in her life. Her family has protected her and her younger sister their whole lives, sheltering them from the truths that they may have to one day face. There is a war brooding among her people, betrayals, alliances, and deals are being struck behind closed doors; tensions are getting high and their societal way of life is becoming more and more in jeopardy. They aren't the only water creatures left in existence, the fairies, water spirits, etc. that they have been told are endangered or extinct are in fact alive and trying to survive in their own ways as well. Their lives, way of surviving, and reasons to fear the mer-people are still all a mystery to Eviana, but those mysteries are about to become a large part of her life as she flees from the mantle of responsibility in order to continue her forbidden love.
Will Eviana and her beloved selkie Brendan be able to stay away from the mer-world for long enough? Will they be able to enjoy their love, lives, and happiness together? Or will the politics of the mer (or worse her parents) catch up to them and force Eviana into a marriage that she doesn't want? What else have her parents and the clan adults been hiding from her and her sister?
Good for young adult, female; themes of relationships, betrayal/lies, family matters, fairy tale.

[abby ✧.* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. My Mum put it onto my Kindle when I first received it for Christmas in 2016 since it was a freebie. I read the first few pages and thought “ugh this is boring” so I deleted it.

More recently, I was swiping through my clippings and I saw a nice description from this book. So I thought “hey, why not give this another try?” so I downloaded it again to give it a second chance.

Actually, I’m really glad I did. I think this was really well written for a book that didn’t have many good reviews. I read on one review that it seemed a lot like another book, but I haven’t read the other book it was compared to, so I can’t make that link and accusation.

The story comes from Eviana’s point of view. She’s a mermaid and the girlfriend of Brendan, a selkie whom she is not allowed to be with. But she’s also promised to a boy called Kain, who is the heir of a clan that Eviana’s family is close to. However Eviana and Kain go on sort of like a camp thingy which I forgot the name of which teaches them how to act royally. To my surprise, Kain and Eviana grow quite close. However Kain’s Dad dies during the dance and Kain had to be appointed leader of his clan. Much to my happiness, Eviana and Kain share a long kiss which makes me like Kain even more. Then, Brendan — such a mood killer — suggests Eviana runs away with him, abandoning Kain on their wedding day. She does and this causes upheaval in both clans; resulting to Eviana’s parents dying and the start of a war between a merman called Lucien (made me think of ACOTAR there 😊). I thought it was a bit mean of Eviana because she seemed quite selfish, and if I was in her situation, I would have gone with Kain because it meant I would have a solid, worthwhile relationship. This is because I learnt throughout the novel that selkies tend to have sex with their mermaid girlfriend/wife, stay with them and then take the child away from its mother once it’s old enough and teach it selkie ways. With Kain, Eviana would not have had the potential danger of this. Brendan then decides to take a break from Eviana which makes me really happy because I disliked him when he made Eviana go away with him.

Overall, this was well worth the second chance because I actually enjoyed this and I may even go as far as purchasing the next books.

[YA Reads Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted on www.yareads.com, reviewed by Nichole.

Sometimes following your heart can end up destroying the ones you love.
When seventeen-year-old Eviana Dumahl is faced with the responsibility of an arranged marriage and clan leadership, she is forced to choose between the life required of a mermaid and one of a teenage girl simply infatuated with the wrong guy. Kain, her devoted fiancé would make a wonderful husband except that she’s been in love with Brendan, a shape-shifting selkie, ever since they were kids. Choosing to abandon her family, her clan, and her life with Kain will have dire consequences far beyond anything she could have imagined.
A war is brewing amongst the clans and Eviana unwittingly becomes a pawn in the intricate schemes of a twisted mastermind. With Brendan’s life on the line, she has no choice but to involve those who she once considered friends. Amidst encountering senseless tragedies and immense loss, Eviana discovers that she is more valuable as a clan leader than anyone ever suspected. Her survival is not only dependent upon the loyalty of her friends, but also on her acceptance of a life that she had so adamantly tried to escape.
Promises is the first book of The Syrenka Series trilogy following Eviana and her friends through the perils of growing up in a discrete world that inherently threatens human society.
At seventeen-years old a lot is expected of Eviana Dumahl. She’s expected to become a clan leader, marry Kain, and have children all within the next few years. Unfortunately for everyone else, Eviana is determined to be with her one true love, Brendan, who is not a fellow Syrenka. Eviana’s mother, the clan leader, does not approve of Brendan and makes it clear from the get-go that Eviana is going to marry Kain whether she likes it or not. So, naturally, Eviana and Brendan make a plan to run away together, leaving their families and friends behind forever.
Once Eviana and Brendan travel half way across the world to get away from their families, things seem to be so much better. While times are now tough, they have eachother, which is all they ever really needed. But things take a dark twist when someone steals Brendan’s seal skin, something he needs in order to survive. Now Eviana must face her fears and call upon the people that she left behind in order to save Brendan’s life.

I was first attracted to Promises because of how gorgeous the cover is. I love the blue-greenish colors that make up the cover. I also really liked the idea of the syrenka, or mermaids. I’m not an overly HUGE mermaid fan, so I was a tad nervous to begin reading Promises, but I just had a feeling that it was going to be good.
The first….50 or 60 or so pages of Promises were a little slow for my taste. I thought I knew everything that was going to happen in the book, so I set myself up for early disappointment. Honestly, I almost set the book down, because there really is no action in the beginning parts of the book. There was a specific part of the book, though, that absolutely changed my opinion. All of a sudden all of these things that I never expected to happen were happening. Action scenes started to become more frequent and intense, and I was on the edge of my seat throughout a large chunk of the book.
There were many times that I wanted to compare Amber Garr to authors such as Richelle Mead or Anna Banks. While their writing styles and storylines are very different, I could tell that Garr had that extra spark that I like my writing to have. She didn’t quite reach the potential that I know she has in her in Promises, but I’m definitely expecting it as the series progresses. I was really impressed with how Garr completely blindsided me on what happened throughout the book. I expected Eviana and Brendan to get caught before they could run away together, Eviana to marry Kain right away, and no action to happen whatsoever. I was prepared for it, and I was going to set the book down as soon as it happened. I don’t even know how to explain what DID happen. It was great. It was brilliant. It was just…..entertaining and shocking.
I did have a bit of a problem with how everyone was just always….naked. I think it bugged me the most when Eviana was naked in front of her parents and it was just supposed to be normal. I get that that was the Syrenka life style or culture, but I was a little creeped out by that factor. Thankfully, it didn’t happen very often. There were really only two parts that seriously bugged me. 1. the parent’s section in the beginning and 2. when all the kids get out of the water at the end and walk around naked. It was weird. It didn’t take away from the story or the writing, but it was weird.
I also found it interesting how I am not a fan of Brendan at all. I am 100% team Kain and that will never ever ever change. I found Brendan to be too soft and whiney for my taste. I guess he really didn’t whine during the book, I just kind of associated the term with him. I expect a lot from Kain in the future books. I don’t know how it’s all going to play out, but I really hope he’s the one that Eviana chooses. I’m not a big fan of love triangles, because I don’t really see the point. The author obviously knows who the main character is going to ultimately end up with, and I would just rather see that relationship progress. Let’s be honest, most of us don’t get two hunky guys fighting for our attention on a regular basis. Love triangles usually do one or two things for me. 1. they upset me because I already know what’s going to happen or 2. they make me insanely angry like the love triangle between Rose/Dimitri/Adriane in Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series. I just want to see the original relationship play out.
Overall, I was a big fan of Promises. I would definitely recommend it to fans of Anna Banks. I would also recommend it to fans of Indie Author, Leigh Michael. The characters and plot were very strong, and it was a intense read that I’m going to hold on to for a very long time. I cannot wait to read more from Amber Garr!
Pages: 251
Publication Date: December 7th, 2011
Publisher: Self-published
Rating: : 3.5

Teaser Quote: “Once I slide into the back seat, I held the bottle up in front of me, searching for Abhainn. We were on the road heading to my hotel when a tiny face suddenly appeared pressed against the side of the clear plastic. I almost screamed and dropped my new friend, but recovered quickly enough to avoid disaster.”

[ashbagash28 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and ok read

Honestly not sure how I feel about this book. In some aspects I really enjoyed it. Always love a female lead but this one definitely acted her age.
She’s 17 and forced into an arranged marriage when she’s expected to jump into politics and having babies. I get it. Back in the day getting married and having babies was what was expected. But you’d think they would’ve changed with the times. Had the mermaids going to college and rubbing shoulders with high rollers.
This book just focused on the love triangle. And while I do enjoy a good romance, it out too much on them. A major tragedy happened to the main character at the end of the book and all she was concerned about was a guy leaving her.
I mean, I have to find out what happens so you know I’ll get the next book. But this one was just ok.

[Crissy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audible version of this story. It's the first story I have heard from this author and I liked it a lot. The characters were great, the storyline was an interesting one and there was never a dull moment. I finished this story in a day and I'm excited to listen to the next one. I have to say that when it comes to Brendan and Kain that I love them both. Eviana was determined in the beginning to what she felt was necessary for her and Brendan. She came off as strong and rebellious. I know she had and needed her moments to cry but I hope it's not something she does constantly in the next story because that's the one thing I had enough of in this story. She has a lot of growing up to do. That's my only complaint but other than that it's a good romance story with a cliffhanger ending.

[Gabby Rockhill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only got to page 65, so this isn't a fair review. But honestly, I'm bored. The characters fall flat (so far), the world building is an interesting concept but so far is poorly fleshed out, and I'm not the biggest fan of love triangles and this book seems to focus more on the love triangle than the fact that they are mermaids! You'd think doing a modern fantasy with mermaids and other water-based mythical creatures would be a bigger selling point than yet another YA love triangle.

I might pick this back up at another time, but right now I'm just gonna drop it.

Note: this was free on Amazon Kindle.

[Macy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying Team Brendan the whole way until the end. I was a little disappointed when Brendan decided to leave, but other than that, I have no words to describe how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE ... LOVE LOVE this book! I NEVER read books about mermaids and now I have read this and the rest in the series like 6 times. The first time I read this book, I ended up reading the whole thing with in like 6 hours and I read it for 6 hours straight. I read the entire series in 2 days. I would recommend for like ANYONE 12+ to read. PLEASE READ IT.

[Kimberly #Audiofile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahhh this fmc is young a dumb.
Definitely a coming of age story series. Her decisions put all her friends and loved ones in danger.

Two warring species fall in love.
Call of the humans to the selkies
Mermaids can control selkies, humans and other shifters.

I really hope she grows up a bit she’s so naive almost to the point of me not continuing the series because she’s that annoying. Let’s she in book 2 how she gets on.

Ya novel
No smut
Narration is ok, voice actors voice definitely fits the age of the character.

Gifted audio in exchange for an honest review

[Samuel Fu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely thought this was a good book and loved reading every chapter. I’ve always been interested in the idea of mermaids as well as the different stories and legends that surround them. I thought this book had another great spin on where mermaids might have come from and how they could be living among us regular people. I really liked the character of Eviana, she just wanted to be free to make her own decisions, but I don’t think she really thought about what that freedom would cost her and her family in the long run. Very excited to read the second book.